2009: RIJEKA
PÄIVÄRINTA & HÄNNI SECOND AND THIRD IN THE FOURTH ROUND OF THE SIDECAR WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP 2009 AT RIJEKA
Summary
Pekka Päivärinta and Adolf Hänni were third in the Sprint Race and second in the longer Gold race of the FIM Sidecar World Championship round held on Saturday 22nd and Sunday 23rd of August, 2009, at Rijeka in Croatia.
The Reeves and Birchall brothers had a good start and Reeves took the lead during the first lap and led then the whole the Sprint Race up to the chequered flag. Ben and Tom Birchall ended up the 11 laps' Sprint Race in the second place about 6 seconds behind Reeves, followed by Päivärinta & Hänni third just 1,5 seconds behind.
In the Gold Race did the Reeves brothers take the lead but were overtaken at the end of the first lap by the Birchall brothers, and after them followed tightly Päivärinta & Hänni in the third place. Päivärinta & Hänni did overtake Reeves in the fifth lap and in the seventh lap did Reeves break the race due technical engine problems. After that did the Birchall brothers Ben & Tom run away from the following Pekka Päivärinta & Adolf Hänni. The Birchall brothers drove to the victory with a margin of 12,8 seconds to Päivärinta & Hänni and with about one minute to Josef Moser & Manfred Wechselberger third at the chequered flag.
The Birchall brothers extended their lead to the abundant 14 points in the series with 131 points. Päivärinta & Hänni are second with 117 points. Reeves & Reeves with 102 points are third in the points before last race of the FIM Sidecar World Championship of 2009 to be held on 6th of September at Le Mans. Thus only the Birchall brothers and Päivärinta & Hänni any more have possibilities to win the FIM Sidecar World Championship of 2009.
Qualification practises
The forth round of the FIM Sidecar World Championship 2009 was held at the Automotodrom Grobnik near Rijeka in the south-western part of Croatia. The first qualification practises of the sixteen sidecars were held in a dry weather in the morning of Saturday 22nd of August. The Birchall brothers had the fastest lap time 1,7 seconds ahead of the Reeves brothers. Päivärinta & Hänni were struggling with the suspensions, and achieved a disappointing sixth position, 3, 7 seconds behind the Birchalls.
The second qualification practise was held on Saturday noon in a dry weather.. Pekka Päivärinta & Adolf Hänni were still struggling with the suspensions but were able to improve their lap time with 2,7 seconds from the first qualification. Päivärinta & Hänni did thus qualify as third to start as the last sidecar in the front row behind the Birchall brothers in the pole position and the Reeves brothers in the second start position. Pekka Päivärinta was not happy with the lap time results of the qualification and told “I have driven 2-3 seconds better lap times at Grobnik one year ago”.
Sprint Race
The Sprint Race was started on Saturday at 5 o'clock p.m. in a dry weather. The Reeves and Birchall brothers had a good start and Reeves took the lead during the first lap and led then the whole the Sprint Race up to the chequered flag. Ben and Tom Birchall ended up the 11 laps' race in the second place about 6 seconds behind Reeves, followed by Pekka Päivärinta & Adolf Hänni third just 1,5 seconds behind. Pekka told after the sprint race: “ We could luckily drive in the race faster than in the free practises and in the qualification practise, but we remained about two seconds slower than in last year 2008 at Grobnik. The tyres were after 11 laps completely finished and much work is still needed before the Gold Race tomorrow”.
The rear suspension of the sidecar of Päivärnta & Hänni was replaced before the Warm-Up on Sunday morning and lap times could be improved somewhat compared to the qualification and free practises. After the the Warm-up prior to the Gold Race, the front damper and spring of the sidecar of Päivärinta & Hänni were still replaced with an aim to improve the suspension.
After the Sprint Race did the Birchall brothers lead the WC series with 106 points. Päivärinta & Hänni were third with 97 points, and Reeves & Reeves had passed with 102 points over to the second position.
Gold Race
The Gold Race of 20 laps did start on Sunday afternoon 23rd of August, 2009, in a dry and windy weather. The air temperature was 32 centigrades and the asphalt temperature 52 centigrades.
The Reeves brothers did take the lead in the start of the Gold Race but were overtaken at the end of the first lap by the Birchall brothers, and after them followed tightly Päivärinta & Hänni in the third place. Päivärinta & Hänni did overtake Reeves in the fifth lap and in the seventh lap did Reeves break the race due technical engine problems. After that did the Birchall brothers Ben & Tom run away from the following Pekka Päivärinta & Adolf Hänni. The Birchall brothers drove then to the victory with a margin of 12,8 seconds to Pekka Päivärinta & Adolf Hänni and with about one minute to Josef Moser & Manfred Wechselberger third at the chequered flag.
After the race did Pekka Päivärinta tell: “ We were in the race at the best only two seconds behind the Birchall brothers, but as we were trying to overlap the backmarkers we did fall out from the speed of the Birchalls. The tyres did stand up until the end of the long race after the changes in suspension. However our best lap times were about one second slower than one year ago at the Grobnik racetrack”.
This race was a very good race for Milan Spendal & Peter Hill who were fourth who finished in the fourth place ahead of Mike Roscher & Gregory Cluze and fifth.
Rijeka, Sprint Race race results:
1. Reeves & Reeves, GBR
2. Birchall & Birchall, GBR
3. Päivärinta & Hänni, FIN/SWI
4. Moser & Wechselberger, AUT
5. Knight & Knight, GBR
6. Roscher & Cluze, GER/FRA
7. Spendal & Hill, SLO/GBR
8. Chaplow & Ewanson, GBR
9. Percy & Smith, GBR
10.Barbier & Debroisse, F.
Rijeka, Gold Race race results:
1.Birchall & Birchall, GBR
2. Päivärinta & Hänni, FIN/SWI
3. Moser & Wechselberger, AUT
4. Spendal & Hill, SLO/GBR
5. Roscher & Cluze, GER/FRA
6. Remse & Chauhan, SLO/GBR
7. Ozimo& Zanarini, I
8. Barbier & Debroisse, F.
9. Knapton & Belsey, GBR
10.Rutz & Aeberli, SWI.
World Championship 2009 points after the fourt round and six races
1. Birchall &Birchall (131).
2. Päivärinta &Hänni (117).
3. Reeves & Reeves (102).
4. Spendal & Hill (62).
5. Knight & Knight (60).
6. Moser & Wechselberger (57).
7. Roscher & Cluze (50).
8. Pedder & Steadman (42).
9. Knapton & Belsey (28).
10. Barbier & Debroisse (23)
The Birchall brothers have extended their lead to the abundant 14 points in the series with 131 points. Päivärinta & Hänni are second with 117 points. Reeves & Reeves with 102 points are third in the points before last race of the FIM Sidecar World Championship of 2009 to be held on the 6th of September at Le Mans. Thus only the Birchall brothers and Päivärinta & Hänni have any more possibilities to win the FIM Sidecar World Championship of 2009. Also a very interesting battle for the fourth place in the championship can be expected between the sidecar pairs Spendal & Hill, the father and son Knight, Moser & Wechselberger and Roscher & Cluze at Le Mans.
