Red RC

March 16, 2026

Catanzani opens Italian GT title defence with Naxos win

Serpent’s Andrea Catanzani opened his AMSCI 1:8 GT Italian National Championship title defence with the perfect weekend winning the opening race of 2026 with victory. Racing at Naxos World in Sicily, the home track of 1:8 GT World Champion Alessio Mazzeo, Catazani took the TQ honours with three TQ runs. Returning to the championship again in 2026, Nova Engines backed Turkish offroad ace Burak Kilic qualified P2 on his debut running a Raptor, with Raptor team driver Mazzeo completing the Top 3. Round 1 of the 3 round championship, setting the only 26-lap of the 30-minute final Catanzani took the win by 9-seconds over Mazzeo with Kilic completing the podium ahead of the Genius of reigning European Champion Filippo Beretta.

Image: Andrea Catanzani [Facebook]

March 16, 2026

DNC double for Tekno’s Van Dalen

Tekno’s Seth VanDalen completed the classic double at the Dirt Nitro Challenge over the weekend winning both Nitro Buggy and Nitro Truggy as the Joey Christensen signature event. The 27th edition of US race, it was the second year in a row the now California based event has been a happy hunting group for the US manufacturer, Ryan Maifield (Nitro Buggy) and VanDalen (Nitro Truggy) last year’s winners. With a 755 entries over all classes this year, in qualifying it was the Xray of Dakotah Phend who secured the Nitro Buggy TQ after three rounds of qualifying ahead of Sworkz’s Juan Carlos Canas and Team Associated’s Spencer Rivkin with VanDalen securing P4. In Truggy it was Maifield who took the TQ from team-mates VanDalen and Spencer Heckert. In Saturday’s Truggy final, Maifield led the way until he crashed and took a wheel off his Tekno just before the 2/3rd mark of the 45-minute encounter allowing VanDalen to take over the lead and successfully defend his title. The Sworkz of Silver State Indoor Champion Mason Fuller and Kyosho’s Ryan Lutz completed the podium. In the main event, Nitro Buggy final bringing racing at The Dirt at Peris track to a conclusion, it was Phend who led away from pole for more than half the race until a mistake. Winning the B Final to book 15th spot on the A-Main grid, Maifield would work his way into contention running second within 5-seconds of Phend, but at the 28-minute mark he flamed out and his race was done. After Phend’s error it was VanDalen who was out front where he wold stay to complete the DNC double. In eBuggy it was Sworkz’s Camden Lime would took the TQ and win, winning the 10-minute final from Canas and Phend.

Image: Tekno [Facebook]

March 16, 2026

Team Cayote 8700mAh Lipo Pack

Team Cayote has expanded its popular battery line-up with the addition of this 8700mAh Lipo pack. The latest 2S1P 7.4V configured pack has an energy output of 64.38Wh and weighs in at 321 grams. Measuring 139 × 47 × 25.1mm, the 145C 8700 pack is recommended for 1:10 Stock and 1:8 GT racing use.

Source: Team Cayote [cayote.com]

March 13, 2026

‘The Direct Drive Experiment’ – Insights Video

With his ‘The Direct Drive Experiment’ generating huge interest and online technical debates, Infinity team driver Jilles Groskamp has in response to the massive reaction to the ‘teaser video’ produced a second video regarding the unique four in-wheel drone motors powered IF14 Speciale. In the second video the Electric and Nitro Touring Car World Champion goes into more detail about the car build and technology used and is joined by Hans who started the project over a year ago and who brought Groskamp onboard to bring things to the next stage. While Groskamp answers questions regarding the drivability of the car, Hans gives a nice insight into the controlling of the motors and the creation of the software differential. The big debate on Unsprung Weight is also addressed. Watch the Insights Video here.

Source: Jilles Groskamp [Facebook]

March 13, 2026

Reds Racing 321 ESTREMO X Line Off-Road Engine

Italian engine tuner Reds Racing has collaberated with iconic Japanese engine manufacturer O.S. to bring offroad racers the new 321 ESTREMO X Line Off-Road Engine. The new X Line debuts with the 321 ESTREMO, a 3-port engine designed to offer a different driving character compared to their well-known 721 S Line platform. The 721 S Line will continue to be fully produced in Italy, maintaining the same philosophy, engineering approach, and performance characteristics that have defined it over the years. The new 321 engine is manufactured in Japan and has been fully developed according to Reds Racing design, engineering, and testing specifications. Final assembly and tuning are carried out directly by Mario Rossi and Marco Rossi, ensuring the performance standards and precision expected from Reds Racing engines. The development of the new 321 ESTREMO represents an important collaboration between Reds Racing and one of the most respected companies in the RC engine industry, O.S. Engine.

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March 13, 2026

1:12 & ITSC World Championships in China Cancelled

Unfortunately the news and outcome no one in racing wanted but IFMAR has just confirmed that upcoming 1:12 and ITSC World Championship in China has been cancelled. The World governing body, who has been working hard with the host in the background since issues came to light two weeks ago, made the announcement in its lastest update on the event after the host has as yet been unsuccessful in obtaining he necessary government approvals to host the 2026 IFMAR Electric Track World Championships as scheduled. With less than 2-weeks until the 1:12 Worlds was to get underway at the Hongyu GDC track in Foshan, and no confirmed venue for the race, IFMAR had little option but to cancel the scheduled running of both events. China was announced as the host of the 2026 1:12 and ISTC Worlds in January 2025 and then when organiser Gavin Kwok opened the brand new world class Hongyu GDC in September last year there was huge anticipation for spectacular back to back World Championships. Unfortunately with the out break of the war in Iran raising concerns over the event, ultimately it was to be issues with permits from the Chinese National RC body that ultimately forced IFMAR’s very tough decision. With racers now faced with losing their flights, IFMAR has said they will issue a formal letter, along with supporting documentation, to assist racers with refund requests and potential insurance claims by the end of the weekend. Not a good day for RC racing, having followed Gavin Kwok’s efforts and work input to host these World Championships and create a World class stage on which to see the best drivers in the world fight it out, only to have an element outside of his control bring the whole thing crashing down, we hope Hongyu CDG, can welcome the world through its doors again in the near future. IFMAR say its Board of Directors will now aim for the rescheduling of the 2026 IFMAR Electric Track World Championships later in the year. While Hongyu GDC continues to try and secure the necessary government approvals, IFMAR say they will also consider other potential venue options.

Read full IMFMAR Update here

March 13, 2026

Infinity IFB8 Buggy platform Option Parts

Having released its first electric 1:8 Buggy, the IFB8 EV, at the start of the week, Infinity has introduced two new option parts designed for both the nitro and electric variants of the platform in the form of Ackermann plates and rear wing mounting nuts. The new -1 Steering Plates give further adjustment of the Ackermann. Switching from the kit-standard steering plates expands the range of available setup options. The red finish Aluminium Wing Fixed Nuts replaces the standard M3 locknut and makes removal and installation of the rear wing easier. For the electric IFB8 EV, Infinity has also introduced 15T and 17T pinion gears to allow racers adjust the final drive ratio and further optimise the power delivery according to track layout and driving conditions.

View additional images here

March 13, 2026

RC Maker announce Brunet as new European Team Manager

Australian manufacturer RC Maker has announced that its leading team driver Antoine Brunet will take over the role of European Team Manager. The French racer, who joined RC Maker as a driver at the end of 2024, takes over the role from Timo Siebert who appointed the touring car newcomer’s first European team manager last Summer. On the announcement RC Maker owner and designer Ryan Maker said, ‘It’s been an awesome first installation year into the highly competitive European Racing Scene! Around a year ago, Timo took on the role of European Team Manager and has helped us to begin making our mark in Europe. He worked tirelessly to get us to the point we are now, and we’re forever grateful for all his hard work. Now that he’s decided to step back and focus on his personal racing, it’s time to turn the page on a new chapter! Antoine Brunet has cemented himself in the heart of our brand, showing us week after week his dedication to moving us forward as a both a manufacturer and a team. He brings with him incredible talent and drive, as well as a passion for procuring a hard working, helpful and motivated team which stands behind the brand. I’m excited to work with Antoine now not only as a driver, but as our European Team Manager! We have lots of exciting announcements ahead as we continue to grow in Europe, and we can’t wait to share them with you!’

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