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Most of the drivers in the Hankook RCM Cup spent the time between the Slovakiaring and the Hungaroring round with physical (training) and virtual (simulator) preparation however there are a selected few who got a special opportunity. Last weekend Norbert Nagy, Attila Tassi and Gábor Kismarty-Lechner entered the ever popular 24 Hours of Barcelona race with the RCM – Psycho Pet Endurance Team, where they shared the seat with the bosses of RCM Cup, László Csuti and Witold Elekfy. The car was the same diesel SEAT Leon the squad raced with in the 12 Hours of Zandvoort.

Norbi was also part of the lineup in The Netherlands, while Kismarty-Lechner could give valuable advices about the Circuit de Catalunya where he has already raced with Zengő Motorsport. Bálint Hatvani sat out the Spanish round to concentrate to his duties as engineer, and his spot was taken by one of the most talented Hungarian teenagers, Attila Tassi.

The weekend however started with a big bang, Kismarty-Lechner had a huge shunt with the car in one of the Thursday practices and left behind a heavily damaged car. The driver was taken to hospital but luckily he turned out to be unhurt, and was released after observation. The SEAT however was in ruins as protecting Gábor took a serious toll. The RCM – Psycho Pet Endurance Team service squad was faced with one of the most challenging tasks of their career although many of them has been working at racing teams for decades. The objective was clear: to repair the car for the Friday qualifying.

Let the pictures tell the story:

The RCM-guys did an incredible job, hats off to them! Even the most professional international teams could be proud of them. Both the engine and the gearbox had to be replaced, and in advance the boys gave 5% chance that the car will be ready for qualifying… It was enough! Friday afternoon the team’s moral was boosted by a sensational category pole in qualifying, and on Saturday early afternoon they could embark on their very first 24 hours race.

All drives did a decent job in the first hours however the team was very much needed once again in the evening. The cooling system of the fuel pump was damaged and taken out after the crash on Thursday. It turned out to be a mistake, as the pump gave up and also caused an electric fire. Here came the much famed endurance spirit. The team received a spare pump with cooling from a rival and the guys started to change the whole wiring of the SEAT. It took no less than five hours but the spectacular León could finally return to the race.

From that on it was a “child’s play”. All the drivers gave their effort to finish the race; Attila Tassi was the quickest of them and the RCM – Psycho Pet SEAT was the fastest car in the diesel category. Although it was impossible to erase the gap formed by the five-hour halt the team still managed to take second position in D1 and celebrated a rollercoaster weekend on the podium.

An there is no time for them to rest as the Hankook RCM Cup moves to the Hungaroring this weekend with free practices as early as on Thursday.

RCMCup - Lantos András