“Money rules the world. Unfortunately, that’s how it is in our beloved sport,” says Julian Wagner, January Rally winner from 2019. The OÖN asked him at the end of December why his name was on the entry list for the 38th Truck Friends on the Road January Rally powered by Wimberger is missing. The sobering answer: “Unfortunately, from a professional and financial perspective, I’m not able to put together a sensible project. That’s why I won’t be taking part in the January Rally and probably not in any ÖRM races this year.”
The 29-year-old wants to take part in one or two smaller rallies, but otherwise focus on a new sporting challenge: the Ironman in Carinthia. – “The registration has already been sent, it’s something completely different.” But he doesn’t completely abandon the January rally, but rather takes part in it, at least passively, as an ice spy. However, not in his brother’s team, but in the BRR team – specifically for Filip Kohn (Cze). The BRR commitment unites him with the second major absentee, namely Raimund Baumschlager himself. But the team boss wants to be able to concentrate fully on his customers.
Fischerlehner drives an Opel Corsa
The Freistadt motorsport team “E&S Sport Team” is equipping three of the local heroes: Martin Roßgatterer with a Ford Fiesta Rally3, Martin Fischerlehner with an Opel Corsa Proto and Johann Seiberl with a Mitsubishi Lancer Evo VI. Plus the Czech Jan Cerny in the ORM Beletage and Alexander Kaar in the ORM3 class (2WD championship).
“It’s not necessarily a car that everyone knows. But it’s a vehicle that a lot of experts have worked on, some Mitsubishi technology in it, some R2 technology and it’s the most powerful car. And we have to adapt to that now.” says Martin Fischerlehner, who is looking forward to the many new route sections at the January rally.
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Image: Markus Prinz
Source: Nachrichten
