PRE-SEASON TESTING ROUND-UP AUTODROM MOST
With just four weeks to go until the 2025 Goodyear FIA ETRC season kicks off in Misano, teams old and new took to Autodrom Most in the Czech Republic for a crucial round of pre-season testing. It was a packed paddock, with returning champions, fresh machinery and new faces on the grid, all getting valuable track time and a first glimpse of what might be in store this season.
Reigning champion Norbert Kiss arrived with Balu Junior, his completely new truck for the 2025 season. While the team had a few early issues to iron out, the atmosphere remained positive. “The first day was quite good. We had a few issues, but we managed to fix the most important ones quickly,” Kiss explained. “Lap times were already strong on day one and improved further on day two. There’s no big concept change compared to last year, we just tried to polish and improve a few things.”
Hahn Racing fielded both Lukas and Jochen Hahn, with Jochen putting a brand-new truck through its first proper outing. The team focused on setup and performance testing, reporting encouraging results and a productive programme overall.
Sascha Lenz was also on track with a new build and was full of praise for his crew’s off-season efforts. Testing went well for the team and with a smile on his face Sascha was optimistic about what’s to come this season.
Tankpool24 Racing’s Steffen Faas debuted a significant change, swapping the team’s trusted Scania for a Freightliner. The test was all about getting comfortable with the new package and exploring its capabilities. The team pushed through some early teething issues and collected valuable engine performance data.
New to the grid this year is Ruppert Racing, with Christian Ruppert behind the wheel of Sascha Lenz’s former truck. The team faced a few minor issues during their first test but walked away from Most with a solid baseline and a good starting point for the season ahead.
Also present were Clemens Hecker, making the most of the track time to fine-tune their setup. Team Schwabentruck's Steffi Halm was another familiar name in action, completing valuable laps and focusing on dialling in the performance of her truck.
British racers John Newell and Mark Taylor were both in attendance, using the test to gather data and build confidence ahead of the season. Bradley Smith and Don’t Touch Racing were also on track, steadily working through their test plan.
T Sport Bernau and Antonio Albacete put their upgraded 2024 truck through its paces, as well as fellow Spaniard Luis Recuenco, both building momentum for another competitive season.
Finally, the paddock welcomed back René Reinert, who returns to the grid in 2025. Reinert will race Norbert Kiss’ championship winning machine this year and the test offered him a valuable opportunity to get back into the rhythm ahead of his full-season comeback.
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