April 15, 2024

Ishikawa joins Yokomo

Yokomo has officially announced that young Japanese talent and reigning Stock Touring Car Japanese National Champion Mahiro Ishikawa has joined its Racing Factory team.  A former IRIS driver, the 14-year-old will campaign the Japanese manufacturer’s new MS1.0 that is due for general release at the end of this month.  A race winner in TC1 class of the popular & competitive Japanese based Speed King Tour, Ishikawa has stepped up to the top level TC0 class making his debut for Team Yokomo at the recent 2024 season opener held at Super RC Omiya indoor tarmac track in Saitama.

Source: Yokomo [teamyokomo.com]


April 9, 2024

Chinese Champion Lao joins Yokomo

With the impending release of its new MS1.0 1:10 Electric Touring Car at the end of this month, Yokomo has announced that Chinese Onroad Champion Alfred Lao has joined its factory team.  The 20-year-old, is set to represent the Japanese manufacturer with the new MS1.0 in his race programme that will focus on the South East Asia region with his home country also set to host the FEMCA 1:10 Electric Touring Car Championship later this year.

Source: Yokomo [teamyokomo.com]


March 25, 2024

Toia doubles at New Zealand Offroad EP Nationals

Team Yokomo’s Logan Toia completed the double at New Zealand’s Offroad EP Nationals, the 16-year-old securing the 2WD Buggy title for the first time and successfully defending his 4WD championship.  Hosted by the Taranaki Radio Control Car Club in New Plymouth, this year’s Nationals attracted 65 drivers for a total of 190 entries.  In qualifying, it was three rounds per class to the best two deciding the grids with 2WD producing TQ runs from three different drivers.  Kasey Dawson took the opener with Shane O’Connor topping Q2 before Toia TQ’d the third one and that was how the lined up for the final with Dawon the Top Qualifier.  In 4WD Luke Duthie topped Q2 & 3 for the TQ from Toia who was fastest in the first round.  The 2WD finals were a similar story to qualifying with a different winner in each of the triple mains and it coming down to a tie breaker between O’Connor, winner of A1, and Toia, winner of A3, the latter’s faster time giving him the title.  Winning A2, Dawson completed the podium.  In 4WD, Toia retained his title by winning A1 & 3, with Duthie winner of A2 finishing runner-up while fourth place qualifier Dawson completed the podium ahead of O’Connor.

Image: Logan Toia Racing [Facebook] 


February 21, 2024

Yokomo BD12/11 3D printed bumper

Yokomo has released its own 3D printed bumper for their BD12/11 platforms of 1:10 Electric Touring Car.  It features a 3D-designed honeycomb structure for lightweight construction and minimal weight with the flexible material made to be moderately strong and easily resists body deformation due to aero-dynamic drag.  It has significant functional advantages over standard urethane bumpers.  Air flowing into the underside of the chassis during driving is drawn into the body from the underside of the bumper, thereby reducing chassis lift and enhancing the sense of ground contact.  This tends to improve steering traceability and stability in high-speed corners.

View other image here


February 12, 2024

Thurston wins Rug Racers Round 4

Team Yokomo’s Alex Thurston has won the penultimate round of the popular UK series Rug Racers organised by Hertford Radio Car Club.  In the FTQ format qualifying, it was the Schumacher of OIlie Payne who took the overall TQ for the fourth round ahead of Thurston and Round 2 winner Elliott Harper.  With double A-Main finals,  A1 would see a great pass by Thurston that would get his Hobbywing powered BD12 to the front where he would stay to the finish to win ahead of Harper’s Schumacher and Round 1 winner Harley Eldbridge’s Xray.  With a mistake dropping Payne to P4, for A2 Thurston knew all he need to do was sit behind his rival to secure his first win of the current series.  Taking A2 by just 0.2 of a second from Thurston, Payne with secure second with former World Championship podium finisher Harper completing the modified podium.

Image: Alex Thurston [Facebook]


January 16, 2024

Yokomo returns for MIBO International

Having raced at the inaugural MIBO International, Yokomo has confirmed its return for the 2nd edition of the race where it will once again be represented by ISTC World Championship podium finisher Christopher Krapp along with Enrico Jung who will contest the 17.5T Stock Touring Car class.   The Japanese manufacturer’s lead international driver, it was a character building race in the Czech Republic last year for Krapp when he finished fifth behind Eric Dankel and this time round the German will be aiming for a much more competitive showing on Feb 16-18th.  A unique event, MIBO International brings together both electric touring car and electric offroad racers on the same weekend with the building of two indoor carpet tracks side by side at the Sports V Hotel in the town of Hrotovice.   Last week Schumacher’s Michal Orlowski confirmed he would be taking on both tracks as he prepares to race both touring car and buggy at the two & a half day event.

Source: MIBO [mibosport.com]


December 30, 2023

Burak Kilic departs Yokomo Offroad team

Burak Kilic has announced his departure from Team Yokomo factory offroad team.  The German racer had been the Japanese manufacturer leading driver in international 1:10 Offroad competition in recent times bringing them a win in the EOS in 2022 and a podium at the EFRA European Championship this year.  The manufacturer’s leading representative at this year’s World Championships in the United States achieving a Top 25 finish, Burak together with his brother Berkan joined Yokomo at the beginning of the 2022 season.  Making the announcement on his Facebook page,  Burak said, ‘Today I want to make an announcement that I will not re-sign my contract with Team Yokomo and will not run for the team in the new year.  Massive thank to Mr.Taguchi und Christopher Krapp for everything you have done for me your hard work and passion. With out them I wouldn’t be there now where I m with the 1/10 cars! Big big thank you I wish you all the best for in the future!  Here is a few results to with Yokomo!  EOS win, Multiple EOS finals, podiums.  European championship P3/4wd. And P5 2wd.  EOS overall season 2022/23 P7 2wd/4wd and P2 truck.  Worlds top25.  National wins.  Thank you and stay tuned.’

Source: Burak Kilic [Facebook]


December 30, 2023

Brunet joins Yokomo for 2024

Team Yokomo has announced top French touring car racer Antoine Brunet has joined their factory team for 2024.  Having represented Xray for the past number of seasons achieving an ETS podium in 2021, numerous French Championship race wins and a podium at the inaugural Mibo International Race this year, on his move to the Japanese manufacturer he said, “I’m very pleased and honored to join an iconic brand like Yokomo.  I can’t wait to hit the track with the car.  I’m highly motivated for the next races and see what I can achieved with this beast!  Thanks to Christopher and Naoya to taking me onboard!  I hope we will achieved some great things together.  See you soon on track !”

Source: Yokomo [teamyokomo.com]