PRE-WORLDS SATURDAY WRAP: DONNELLY WINS 2WD

Australia’s Lachlan Donnelly has gone to a popular 2wd win here at Hills Offroad RC, on the back of a pressure A3 drive. Pursued relentlessly, Donnelly held off Team Associated teammate Spencer Rivkin with a superb front-running drive to the fastest time of all three A finals. For Donnelly, as much as for those visiting here for the first time, it’s been a day of learning. In both A1 and A2, late race errors gifted the wins to Michal Orlowski and Rivkin respectively, Donnelly’s bulletproof A3 drive proof of his capacity to learn across the day.

For Rivkin, his second visit to Hills, and second head-to-head 2wd battle with Donnelly, it’s a continuation of the journey towards October when he’ll go after a third World Championship. Conditions this week have been quite different from those at the time of Rivkin’s last visit – even local drivers describing this as a track condition they’ve not previously encountered.

Q1: BAKLA GETS Q1

In damp early conditions, it was Ari Bakla that rode his experience, local knowledge and a solid pace to take his XRAY to a three-second win. Behind Bakla it was a log jam, a little over one second separating the next six drivers. Kouki Kato (AE) has looked strong all week, P2 to open the day a good reward for his hard work yesterday. Lachlan Donnelly cut a swathe through timed practice, but looked slightly less comfortable early – finishing fast though to get back to P3, with Daniel Kobbevik (Schumacher) fourth. Kobbevik, Chris Sturdy, and Jarod Ment were split by less than one-tenth, with Aydin Horne another half-second back.

Q2: DONNELLY FINISHES FAST

Lachlan Donnelly showed exactly why he's been the one to watch so far this week. After a conservative start, he built pace through the run, nailing the last three laps to get around Spencer Rivkin and Marcus Kaerup – Kaerup having led early. Ari Bakla backup up his round one TQ with a P4, and only one second off Donnelly’s time in a round characterised by tight times. Jarod Ment was a further 0.3 back, Matthew Couper, Michael Orlowski, and Daniel Kobbevik nearby - only four seconds separating the top 10.

Q3: DONNELLY AGAIN

Lachlan Donnelly made it two round wins through the middle part of qualifying, going to a one-second win over AE teammates Spencer Rivkin and Jarod Ment as Q3 continued. Behind those three, signs of life for Michal Orlowski in P4 as the learning process continues, with Matthew Couper leading the XRAY charge in fifth ahead of Marcus Kaerup. Kobbevik, Kato and Horne nabbed important top ten runs.

Q4: ORLOWSKI TO THE TOP

Michal Orlowski built on his Q3 run to go top of the charts for Schumacher in Q4. It was tight all the way through for he, Rivkin and Donnelly, Michal and Spencer throwing down their respective fastest laps on the final tour. Daniel Kobbevik was fourth quickest, just 0.6 back from Donnelly, and himself a second clear of Marcus Kaerup. Ment, Kato, Sturdy, and Bakla continued accruing points in the battle for all-important top ten positions.

Q5: ORLOWSKI TO THE TOP AGAIN

Orlowski came on stronger this afternoon, working through a range of setup options to take a Q5 round win.

Orlowski took the win in A1 after a late race stumble from Donnelly. He didn’t quite have the pace to run with the leaders in A2 or A3 but will go into a week’s practice at Hills with a good starting setup and lots to work on with his Schumacher crew.

Further back in the A final, Ari Bakla overcame a tough A1 to finish just off the podium, Marcus Kaerup built well through the day, and Kouki Kato an impressive 6th.

Outside the A final, there’s plenty to like as well. Aydin Horne drove some high-quality B finals and has lots to work with in 4wd tomorrow and over the upcoming week of track testing, while Fuma Saito’s mid-field B final finish after a top-ten run in Q5 will give Kyosho fans hope of a 10th offroad resurgence from the long-time manufacturer.

The track was phenomenal this afternoon, grooving to a medium-high level of traction that really let the 2wd cars strut their stuff. It was markedly different from this morning - a difference that will be a huge factor come October.

We’ll be back tomorrow for 4wd day, and continue the learning and preparation for the 2025 IFMAR World Championships. Join us live online from 7.45am local time, or with regular updates throughout the day.