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May 9, 2026

Serpent legend Salven joins Ielasi Tuned

Ielasi Tuned engines has welcomed veteran 1:8 Onroad racer & Serpent legend Michael Salven to its team. The announcement was made at this weekend’s opening round of the 2026 Euro Nitro Series at Minidrom Ettlingen in Germany. A World Championship Top Qualifier, a European Champion, and multiple German Champion, Salven has been both successful as a racer, since joining Serpent in 1980, and as chief designer of their cars over the last three decades. In joining Daniele Ielasi’s engine brand, a racer with whom he enjoyed many on track battles, Salven joins Serpent’s star driver Andrea Catanzani in representing the Italian company and running their Pista Team Edition engine.

Source: Ielasi Tuned [ielasituned.com]

May 7, 2026

Baird wins Irish Championship opener

Mugen Seiki driver Bradley Baird got his RCCAOI 1:8 Nitro Buggy Irish National Championship title defence off to a perfect start taking the win at the NIMCC hosted season opener. Round 1 of the 5 round new look championship took drivers to Ballymena in Northern Ireland and on the astro track it was Baird who dominated a rain effected qualifying. Topping all 5 rounds he would secured the TQ ahead of Dylan McBurney and Alan Scroggie. In the 45-minute final, Baird continued his form to win ahead of Andrew McClean, who started 4th, with McBurney completing the podium. Round 2 of the championship will see racers compete on dirt at the RCNI track in Bandbridge on June 20/21.

Source: RCCAOI [rccaoi.com]

May 7, 2026

LAP Paradise Int. Buggy Party 2026 – Announcement

With its track going viral on the internet when the world tuned in for its hosting of the Asian Buggy Championships two weeks ago, Malaysian track LAP Paradise RC Raceway has announced details of its annual International Buggy Party Race which takes place December 11-13th. With the track undergoing huge development works in preparations for its first hosting of an Asian Buggy Championships round, its large 3D layout and sealed surface, contrasted by its blue infield, was a huge hit with visiting racers including young Kyosho star Phi-Long Nguyen who took the double win and his main rival & Top Qualifier Mayako’s Pekko Iivonen. Situated in the south of the country in Johor Bahru, LAP Paradise RC Raceway is only an hour drive from major international hub airport Singapore Changi Airport. The amazing Malaysian hospitality also makes LAP Paradise RC Raceway a must visit race destination for 1:8 Offroad racers.

View more track images here

May 5, 2026

Arnaldi wins EFRA 1:5 GP in Luxembourg

Genius Racing’s Bernard-Alain Arnaldi took the win at the first EFRA 1:5 Grand Prix of the season, the Frenchman claiming victory in a rain effected finals day at the Mini Circuit “Ville de Luxembourg”. In Touring Car qualifying it was the Mecatech of Belgium’s Giovanni Verbrugghe who secured the TQ honours, his final run of the three qualifiers the fastest. With Arnaldi second fastest, behind him the qualifying order was Cédric Prevot, Norwegian Marius Hetland, and reigning European Champion Carsten Keller from Germany. Winning Super Pole, Prevot booked his direct spot on the final grid as the rest had to battle it out in their respective Semi Finals. With Arnaldi winning his in the faster time, the 2-time European Champion would line up 3rd on the grid ahead of 2022 European Champion Edoardo Repetti from Italy who won the other Semi. In a wet 20-minute final, weather conditions extremely challenging, setting the fastest lap of the race Arnaldi would come out tops to win by a comfortable margin over Repetti and the Top Qualifier Verbrugghe. The second of the three 2026 scheduled EFRA Grand Prix’s will take place on June 6/7th in Macon, France.

Image: Mecatech Racing Components [Facebook]

May 4, 2026

Double success for Wood at British 1:8 Onroad Nationals

Shepherd’s Tim Wood completed a double win at the latest BRCA 1:8 Onroad British National Championship, Brookland Raceway hosting a double header weekend of the BRCA Championship. After a tough opening race to the season at Halifax last month, that race was won by defending champion Alex Thurston, the World Championship finalist took the Round 2 TQ and win ahead of team-mate David Spashett with Craig Hook completing the podium. Resetting for Round 3, again it was Wood who was the benchmark this time taking the TQ ahead of the similar package of Andrew Hastings. In the half hour final, Spashett unfortunately an early retirement, Wood completed the perfect weekend to claim maximum championship points that put him top of the standings and giving an absent Thurston work to do over over the rest of the season. Craig Hook and Neil Driver completed the Round 3 podium. Round 4 of the championship takes drivers to the Cotswold track on June 6/7.

Image: Shepherd Micro Racing [Facebook]

May 4, 2026

Paloschi wins Round 2 of Italian GT Championship

Gabriele Paloschi has won the second round of the AMSCI 1:8 GT Italian National Championship, the Capricorn driver taking the win ahead of Top Qualifier and defending Champion Andrea Catanzani. Hosted by the Stradivari Miniautodromo in Cremona, Northern Italy, qualifying saw the Serpent of Round 1 winner Catanzani secure the top spot as he went fastest in 2 of the four rounds. Fastest in final qualifier, Senesi GT International GP winner Paloschi would secure P2 ahead of the Nova Engines backed Raptor of Turkish Championship regular Burak Kilic who topped Q3. In the 45-minute final, with Kilic retiring after just 15-minutes, up front Catanzani looked set to go 2 from 2 in the championship as he lapped the field and posted the fastest lap of the race. With just minutes left on the clock however the leader suffered a tyre failure allowing Paloschi through to the lead as the World Championship Top Qualifier visited the pits. Paloschi would hold on to take the win by just under 3-seconds from Catanzani for an Ielasi Tuned engines 1-2. Multiple Irish National Champion, and another of the championship’s regular international visitors, Clive Connolly completed the podium. Behind the Schepis Model’s driver, reigning European Champion Filippo Beretta claimed 4th. Beretta will try to defend his title later this month when drivers travel to Portugal for the 2026 EFRA European GT Championships at Vila Real.

Image: Gabriele Paloschi [Facebook]

April 28, 2026

2 from 2 for Ripoll in French Championship

Maxime Ripoll made it two from two over the weekend, the Xray driver winning the second round of the FFVRC French 1:8 Nitro Onroad Championship at the Celtic CPB Racing 35 track in Châteaubourg. In qualifier the World Championship finalist & defending French Champion would secure the TQ honours ahead of Baptiste Jimenez and Christophe Louis. Over the 45-minute final Ripoll, who took the Round 1 win last month, would eek out a gap to win by a lap over the Shepherd of Semi Finals winner Fabien Baranger. The Mugen Seiki of Louis, second at the season opener, completed the podium ahead of Jimenez who would set the fastest lap of the race and be the only driver to dip into the 14-second lap times.

Image: Maxime Ripoll [Facebook]

April 27, 2026

Ben Mohamed wins French National Round 2

Sparko’s Noha Ben Mohamed has won the second round of the French National 1:8 Nitro Buggy Championship which was hosted by the TTRC 90 club in Bermont in the northeast of the country. Ben Mohamed would top all three qualifying rounds to secure the overall TQ with Tekno driver Theo Lemaire securing second followed by Sworkz Jordan Lot and the Team Associated of defending Champion Clement Boda. Winning the faster of the two Semi finals Ben Mohamed would start on pole with Remy Bermudez winning the other Semi to start second. Racing the 45-minute final on a demanding track that would caught out a number of drivers, Ben Mohamed would have an intense battle with Round 1 Boda with the pair separated by just 2/10ths of a second at the line. Coming through from 8th on the grid Xray’s Rayan Medjoubi completed the podium ahead of Lot and Mugen Seiki’s Hugo Tavernon.

Image: Noha Ben Mohamed [Facebook]