Red RC » Brand

December 3, 2025

Catanzani takes close opening qualifier as Kurzbuch finds form in Chile

Serpent’s Andrea Catanzani has taken the opening qualifier at the IFMAR 1:8 Onroad World Championship in Chile, this morning’s first of the six schedule rounds a close encounter as Mugen Seiki’s Simon Kurzbuch found his form after a below par seeding yesterday. With a first lap error from Catanzani, it was 2019 World Champion Shoki Takahata who set the early pace but soon it was Top Seed Catanzani who was back at the top of the timing screens but all the while Kurzbuch was executing a strong run getting to within 0.156 of a second of the Italian, the two drivers the only ones to run 23-laps of the CACH track over the 7-minutes. The star of yesterday’s seeding, Xray’s Maxime Ripoll would complete the Top 3 despite the French driver having a poor pit exit after his fuel stop, his car bouncing off the steel barrier. Capricorn’s Toni Gruber would open with a P4 run after a driver error dropped Takahata back to P5 with the Capricorn of Thilo Diekman completing the Top 6.

Continue reading here

December 3, 2025

Catanzani Top Seed in Chile, as Ripoll impresses with P2

Andrea Catanzani is the Top Seed for the 24th running of the IFMAR 1:8 Onroad World Championship but it is the pace of French driver Maxime Ripoll which is the big surprise in Chile. The Top Qualifier at the 1:8 GT Worlds back in September, Catanzani’s Serpent would top the times in opening and closing runs of the day, the schedule made up of fourth seeding rounds. In the second round it was Rapoll’s Xray that raised a few eyebrows as he set the fastest time ahead of 2019 World Champion Shoki Takahata. Round 3 would see Takahata go fastest and the factory Mugen Seiki driver seeds 3rd for qualifying tomorrow when we will have the first 3 of the 6 rounds of 7-minute qualifiers. After a bad start to seeding, Toni Gruber would make it four different manufacturers at the top as the Capricorn driver solved his engine/glowplug issues and managed a 4th and a 3rd to end the day 4th. One of the favourites coming into this World Championship, Japan 2023 Top Qualifier Simon Kurzbuch, didn’t have the day he was looking for finding himself in P5 and with work to do for tomorrow. Celebrating his birthday today, drivers from the 16 nations racing at these Worlds singing Happy Birthday to him at the end of the opening ceremony, British driver Alex Thurston made it three Mugen MRX7s in the Top 6.

Continue reading here

December 2, 2025

Xray X12 1-Piece 2mm Carbon Chassis for Floating Servo

Xray has released this 2.0mm carbon 1-piece chassis for their X12 1:12 car which reduces drag and improves cornering speed. The carbon material ensures the chassis is more flexible than the aluminium chassis and generates more traction. The Slovakian manufacturer suggest the chassis, which is CNC-machined from premium high-grade US made carbon fibre. for low traction carpet & asphalt tracks.

Source: Xray [teamxray.com]

December 2, 2025

VP-Pro MP11 Front Bumper

Following the release of a number of front bumpers, VP-Pro’s latest addition is a new front bumper specially designed for the Kyosho MP11 1:8 Buggy. Made from high-quality material with strong durability, it is specially designed to protect your chassis in the event of knocks and crashes by minimising contact with the track on jump landings. It is easy to install not requiring extra tools and it comes packed as 2 pieces in one bag.

Source: VP Pro [vp-racing.com]

December 2, 2025

2025/26 RugRacers Round 2 – Report

The second round of the 2025/26 RugRacers took place over the weekend and in Modified defending champion and championship leader Elliott Harper showed no signs of wanting to let either slip. Producing a clean sweep in qualifying taking all 4 rounds ahead of Stefan Chodzynski & Matthieu Dambrine, the finals didn’t show any sign of letting up either. The Scumacher driver stormed to the win in both legs with all the action on track taking place behind him, Stefan holding onto 2nd by a few tenths from Matthieu, Leg 2 shuffled the order a little with Chris Grainger taking 2nd ahead of Liam Tyrrell in 3rd. With the action taking a break for a while, the final round will be held on the 1st March 2026, only 1 champion is left to be crowned in FWD, but expect Zak & Elliott to be looking towards keeping a clean sweep for the shortened series this season.

Continue reading here

December 1, 2025

A decade on – life is different, but the drive & focus on winning in Chile are the same for Kurzbuch

2025 marks a decade since Simon Kurzbuch became the Champion of the World. A driver Red RC have had the pleasure of following on his journey up through the ranks and into 1:8 Onroad racing history books, we first got to know him through the early days of the Euro Nitro Series and as one half of the talented Swiss racing duo that was himself and Silvio Hachler. Unfortunately we would miss him claiming the biggest prize the sport has to offer, Brazil in 2015 the only 1:8 Onroad World Championship we have missed since going online in 2006. Thankfully Simon, being the super nice guy he is, hasn’t held that against us and just before he caught his long flight to Chile we had a quick chat to get his thoughts on where he feels he is at as he attempts to become only the 3rd driver to ever win IFMAR’s original WC category more than once. If he can pull off that feat he would also be the first non Italian to ever do so. While legend of the category Lamberto Collari won’t be in Santiago for a chance at a 10th World title, and defending Champion Dario Balestri’s chances of a hat trick are on hold as he also wont be there, Simon did address the big talking point around this year’s 24th running of the Worlds – the absence of the entire Infinity team. ‘I am disappointed that the Infinity drivers are not coming, it is a real shame for Kenji that none of them are coming, but no Infinity does not affect anything from my side in how we approach this race. In the end there are still very good drivers there and you need to beat them and to beat them you need to work properly before the race in your preparations and then work hard when you get to Chile. I have a really good focus on the race so from this side it does not change anything if Infinity are there or not.’

Continue reading here

December 1, 2025

Awesomatix A12 Adjustable Front Suspension ‘AFS’ Set

Awesomatix has release a new optional A12-AFS set which is their next-generation front suspension system for the A12X / A12WC platforms. Its main advantage is that you can adjust caster, camber, ride height and droop with the front wheels installed and without the need to change any shims, caster posts or any disassembly. Key Features of the set include full front-end tuning without removing the wheels. Faster, cleaner adjustments compared to traditional 1:12 pan-car suspensions and it is compatible with standard 1:12 setup stations or an angle gauge for camber. With a camber range of ±1.75°and selectable caster angles of 3°, 4°, 5°, 6°, it offers stepless ride-height adjustment and stepless downstop adjustment. Awesomatix state the A12-AFS set cannot be used with the standard C1205X or C1201X components.

Source: Awesomatix [awesomatix.net]

December 1, 2025

Anderson & Isaacs win at US Indoor Champs

The 45th running of the legendary U.S. Indoor Champs Presented by Hobbywing took place in Cleveland over the weekend where it was Awesomatix pairing Kemp Anderson and Sam Isaacs who took the big wins. The longest running indoor carpet race in the World, this year attracted 434 entries, and in 1:12 Modified it was Anderson’s weekend. In qualifying, the fastest of 4 rounds to count, it was the 2024 World Championship Top Qualifier with the only 56-lap run who secured the TQ ahead of team-mate and reigning US National Champion Isaacs. Behind the US pairing, 2018 World Champion Alexander Hagberg would line-up his Xray 3rd on the A-Main grid ahead of Montech NYGP organiser & last year’s US Indoor Champ winner Donny Lia with Keven Hebert completing the Top 5. In Mod Touring Car the order was switched with Isaacs claiming the TQ ahead of Anderson with defend Champion Hebert 3rd followed team-mate Adam Izay and Hagberg. In the finals things would go all the way to A3 and the finsal race of the US Indoor Champs after Hagberg took the second encounter ahead of A1 winner Anderson. A poor third main from the Swede however allowed Anderson to seal the over victory with a win of Isaacs and Stuart Mason. Overall it was Hagberg (P2) and Isaacs (P3) who completed the podium. In the earlier single A-Main Modified Touring Car encounter Isaacs kept Anderson at bay to secure the win with Hagberg completing the podium ahead of team-mate Jan Ratheisky. With Stock Touring and GT12 Rubber Tyre getting triple mains it was Top Qualifiers Eric Anderson and JB Catricala who took the wins.

Image: U.S. Indoor Champs [Facebook]