May 28, 2026

2026 IFMAR ISTC World C/ships Stage 1 Report – Huge RC


Just announced over the weekend as the new venue & host of the 2026 IFMAR ISTC World Championships, Huge RC in Bangkok, Thailand, has published the Stage 1 report for the 13th running of the 1:10 Electric Touring Car World title race.  Taking place from November 8-14th, the report outlines the basics around the replacement event and general details around the 60m X 30m indoor asphalt facility which has previously hosted two IFMAR Nitro Touring Car World Championships, the most recent of which was in 2024.  In terms of officials, as was planned for the original hosting of the event in China, Australia’s Clive Silva from IFMAR with be the Race Director.  As yet no tyres or additive brands has been announced for the race, with more specific details around the event to be confirmed in the Stage 2 report that Surikarn Chaidajsuriya and his team will present.  In terms of entries, IFMAR has stated that priority will be given to existing registrations and requested that racers please make it known to their BLOC should you wish to attend (or to not attend).  For those who did not have a previous entry, IFMAR expect there will be some spots made available with interested racers asked to contact their local federation or BLOC to indicate their interest.

View Stage 1 Report here


May 27, 2026

Philippines ‘True North RC Raceway’ track nearing completion

Having reported back in March on the ground preparation work for the new True North RC Raceway in the Philippines, track builder Edward Sio has now shared aerial images showing the track nearing completion.  Built on the grounds of the El Masfino Hotel and Resort in San Rafael, which is around 50km north of the capital city, True North RC Raceway is a completely new build to replace the iconic Circulo Verde Race Track which has hosted Asia most famous offroad race the Philippine Masters, which was last held in 2025.  On the latest work to the track, Sio, who is known for his 3D track builds, posted, ‘Track is almost ready! Initial surface treatment is done, driver stand is up, and next up are pipe layout and pit lane.  Dogbone Hobby Shop is coming soon. Excited to get back into RC after more than a year away – back to being a NEWBIE again!’  We are excited to see the final build and look forward to an announcement on the return of a ‘new’ Philippine Masters and the Philippines once again being back on the Asian Buggy Championship, the Scotty Ernst promoted championship born out of the success of the original Philippine Masters.

View more imsages here


May 26, 2026

Kobbevik doubles at 1:10 Euros Warm-up in Austria

Schumacher’s Daniel Kobbevik completed the double at the Warm-up Race for this Summer’s upcoming EFRA 1:10 Offroad European Championships in Austria.  Racing at the ERT-Steyregg astro track, qualifying would see Kobbevik secure the TQ in both 2WD and 4WD as the Norwegian topped 3 of the 4 rounds in each.  Behind him in both would be fellow Scandinavian Joona Haatanen, the Finnish Team Associated driver managing a TQ run in the second round of 4WD and the final round of 2WD.  2022 European Champion Tommy Hall completed the 2WD Top 3 with his Team Associated while the Xray of Bartek Zalewski  completed the 4WD Top 3.  In the finals, Kobbevik wrapped up both overall wins in A2 before going on to complete the perfect weekend with clean sweeps in A3.  The 2WD podium would see him joined by Haatanen and Sworkz’s Micha Widmaier while 4WD it was a repeat of the Top 2 with Mugen Seiki’s Burak Kilic claiming the final step.  Reigning 2WD Champion Martin Bayer would finish the Warm-up Race in 18th position while 4WD champion David Ronnefalk was 5th in the category having finished 10th in 2WD.  The EFRA European Championship take place from July 27 to August 1st.

Image: Daniel Kobbevik [Facebook]


May 24, 2026

IFMAR announces Huge RC as replacement ISTC World C/ships host

After 2-months of working behind the scenes to negotiate & secure a new host for the cancelled 1:12 & ISTC Worlds in China, IFMAR has announced Huge RC in Thailand as the replacement track that will stage the 2026 ISTC World Championships.  The 13th running of the 1:10 Electric Touring Car World Championships is now scheduled to run from the 10-14th of November, with two International Practice Days (IPD) running at the indoor asphalt track on November 8 & 9th.  With the multi track facility Hongyu GDC in Foshan originally having been selected to host back to back 1:12 and ISTC World Championships in late March/early April, IFMAR are still working to secure a new venue for the 22nd edition of the 1:12 Worlds.  Overwhelming feedback received from existing entrants following the cancellation of the event on the Hongyu GDC carpet track, expressed a strong preference for the 1:12 racing to be kept on carpet which was something that was not a viable option for Huge RC.  Located in Bangkok, while the track has successfully hosted two previous Nitro Touring Car World Championships (2014 and 2024), staging the Electric Touring Car Worlds will special moment for the track owner, 2002 ISTC World Champion Surikarn Chaidajsuriya.  The new dates means exactly 2-years after winning a record equalling 3rd ISTC World title in Bakersfield, California, Bruno Coelho will official begin his quest for a fourth consecutive title, a feat that would see him become the category most crowned World Champion.  Winning the 2024 title with Xray, now racing with Infinity, Coelho shares same tally total honours with Marc Rheinard, the 2004, 2008, 2010 World Champion set to make his World Championship debut with Xray at Huge RC after joining the Slovakian manufacturer last week.

Read full IFMAR announcement here


May 19, 2026

FEMCA Nitro Onroad C/ships 2027 – Announcement

FEMCA, the governing body for RC racing that represents 15 nations in Asia and Australasia, has announced that the 2027 Asia Nitro Onroad Championships are to be stage in Brisbane, Australia.  This is the second major international race awarded to England Park Raceway who stepped into host the 2026 Asia 1:8 GT Championships which where originally to take place in Vietnam.  With each FEMCA Asia Championships stand alone race events that crown the ‘Champion of Asia’, the Onroad Championship will crown the 1:10 200mm and 1:8 Onroad Champions with the race scheduled to run from March 11 – 14, 2027.  While based in Asia, the championships are open to drivers from around the world with the current FEMCA Electric Onroad Asia Champions both being Europeans.   In 1:12, Schumacher’s current World Champion Michal Orlowski holds the title while in Touring Car the title is held by Infinity driver & 3 time back to back ISTC World Champion Bruno Coelho.

Source: FEMCA [Facebook]


May 18, 2026

Orlowski wins ‘King of Estonia’ with Schumacher eBuggy Prototype

Schumacher’s Michal Orlowski has won the ‘King of Estonia’ race with a prototype 1:8 eBuggy from the British manufacturer.  Set to host the EFRA eBuggy European Championship this Summer from July 17-19, the impressive RC Rakvere facility attracted 55 drivers including a number of factory entries who were using the event to prepare for the Euros.  With 55 racers taking part, they would face mixed weather conditions with the three rounds of qualifying each topped by different drivers and manufacturers.  Topping the opening round it was Mugen Seiki’s Berkan Kilic who secured the TQ ahead Mayako’s Pekko Iivonen, fastest in Q2, and Orlowski who took the final round.  In the triple A-Mains, there would also be three different winners but taking A1 in the fastest time it was Orlowski who took the overall on tie break from Iivonen, winner of A2.  Winning A3 ahead of Berkan Kilic, Schumacher’s Daniel Kobbevik would complete the podium ahead of Kilic with his brother Burak Kilic in fifth.

Image: Schumacher [Facebook]


May 13, 2026

2026 1:8 Nitro Buggy European C/ship – Stage 2 Report

The organisers of this year’s EFRA 1:8 Nitro Buggy European Championship which will take place in Spain from June 23-27 has published its Stage 2 report for the event.  Home to the annual Buggyland race, Club CARTT Fuencarral in Madrid will host the 44th running of the European Championship for the category with Xray’s David Ronnefalk heading the entry as the defending Champion.  With the track prepared by Miguelo Izquierdo, the man who successfully brought back the Neo Race this year as Neoland, the race will be directed by Javier Garcia.  View the full Stage 2 Report here.

Source: EFRA [efra.ws]


May 11, 2026

Balestri & Groskamp win ENS season opener

The latest season of the Euro Nitro Series kicked off at Minidrom Ettlingen in Germany over the weekend where it was double success for Infinity with Dario Balestri winning 1:8 and Jilles Groskamp winning 1:10.  In 1:8 qualifying it was the Mugen Seiki of Simon Kurzbuch that set the pace, the Swiss driver topping all four qualifiers to secure TQ honours ahead of Balestri.  Counting two P2 runs it was the Capricorn of reigning champion Toni Gruber who completed the Top 3 on the grid ahead of Serpent pairing Marco Weigerding and Mirko Salemi.  In the 45-minute final, Kurzbuch would lead away but with 8-minutes done as the former World Champion exited pit lap after his second stop attempting to keep his lead he and Balestri made contact with the Italian land on his roof.  While Kurzbach waited this allowed Gruber to the lead.  The German would lead until the 25-minute to go mark when Balestri squeezed passed as the leader exited pit lane after refuelling.  Unfortunately just after stopping for new tyres Gruber would suffer a problem retire in pit lane.  This left Balestri to lead the race home for the final 20-minutes chased by Kurzbuch.  Starting from 11th on the grid, Dutch Infinity driver Robbin Hertong completed the podium ahead Weigerding, Rick Vrielijnck, and ARC’s Silvio Hächler.

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