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March 9, 2026

IFMAR Statement regarding Electric Onroad World Championships – risk of cancellation

With calls for the postponement of the upcoming 2026 IFMAR Electric Track World Championships in Foshan, China, due to the current unrest in the Middle East, IFMAR has just issued a strong statement on the matter which it opens by saying ‘IFMAR does not support the postponement or cancellation’ of the championships. Having made a statement last week that it planned to go ahead with the 1:12 and ISTC World Championship, on Saturday FEMCA, the Bloc responsible for the staging of the back to back races at Hongyu GDC, posted that it was requesting the postponement of the event. After talks today between FEMCA and IFMAR, the World governing body has now issued a second statement with more insight on the matter after it transpired that approval for the venue to host the event was revoked abruptly. As it stands the track cannot host the event, and therefore the World Championships are presently at risk of cancellation, but talks are ongoing with the newly appointed administration, with full support of FEMCA and IFMAR, to get the regulatory approvals for the event to proceed as originally scheduled. A further update is expected in the next 48-hours.

Read full IFMAR Statement here

March 9, 2026

Desert Classic wins for Phend & Champlin

Xray’s Dakotah Phend and Schumacher’s Broc Champlin where the main winners at the annual Desert Classic presented By Stick It One. One of 2023 1:10 Offroad Worlds host track Hobby Action’s blue ribbon events, the 10th edition of the Arizona race attracted 325 entries and it Modified 2WD Buggy it was Phend who took the TQ from the Team Associated pairing of 2025 4WD winner Aydin Horne and Finnish visitor Joona Haatanen. In 4WD, taking two of the 4 qualifiers it was Champlin who locked in the TQ ahead of Phend, who topped Q4, and last year’s 2WD winner Chase Lemieux. In the Mains, 2WD would got to the third leg. While Phend won A1, he would finish 3rd in A2 with Haatanen taking the win from Horne who had a DNF in A1. Horne would win A3 from Phend but with his A1 winning time faster it was Phend who took the overall, his first 1:10 win with Matrix tyres, with Haatanen completing the podium ahead of Ryan Cavalieri. In 4WD, Champlin executed an early win taking A1 & 2 with Phend taking A3 to claim second as Haatanen again claimed third. In 40+, Team Associated team manager Brent Thielke completed the double taking both 2WD and 4WD as the Top Qualifier.

Image: Dakotah Phend / JConcepts [Facebook]

March 9, 2026

No eSIC in 2026 but International Singapore race to return in ’27

Having establish itself as a key race on the international touring car calendar, the organisers of Electric Singapore International Challenge (eSIC) have announced that due to the current conflict in the Middle East and upcoming track works they will not host the event in 2026 but plan to return in 2027 for 4th edition. A race that was the brainchild of top international Singapore touring car racer Nicolas Lee together with Chhua Jookiah and which aimed to bring top level racing to the small country, and over the three editions of the race at the Marine Parade Radio Control Modellers Club track it counted numerous official team entries from Mugen Seiki, Infinity, Awesomatix, Yokomo, ARC, Xpress, with Axon and Xray the latest manufacturers to support the race in 2025. With Ronald Volker winning eSIC in 2023 and 2024, last year Akio Sobue took the win ahead of Alexander Hagberg and Atsushi Hara. In making the announcement, eSIC posted, ‘We regret to announce that we will not be holding ESIC 2026. Due to the ongoing Middle East conflict and the upcoming track resurfacing works. The safety of all participants, teams, and supporters remains our top priority, and current circumstances make it impossible to deliver the event to the standards we expect. We sincerely appreciate your understanding and continued support. Further updates will be shared in relations to ESIC 2027 ! Thank you for being part of the ESIC community.’

Source: eSIC [Facebook]

March 7, 2026

FEMCA requests postponement of World Championship

FEMCA, the bloc responsible for the hosting of this year’s 1:12 & ISTC World Championships in China has officially made a requested to IFMAR for the postponement of the back to back events given the current situation in the Middle East. The Far East Model Car Association (FEMCA), the governing body for RC racing that represents 15 nations in Asia and Australasia, in consultation with the race organiser Hongyu GDC made the following post on its social media, ‘FEMCA has been monitoring the situation developing in the middle east. After serious consideration to the potential safety risk that could impact drivers from the other parts of the world. The organizer and FEMCA looked at the financial impact and decided that the conscious path is to ensure that ALL racers will be able to arrive and return safely and peacefully was the better judgement. With that FEMCA and the Organizer has formally written to IFMAR requesting to postpone the upcoming 1/12 and ISTC World Championships which is scheduled to be held in Foshan, China at the end of March and first Week of April. Pending a decision from IFMAR on their approval for postponement a date will be proposed as an alternative shortly thereafter.’ With IFMAR having on posted yesterday that they planned to proceed with the events, but that they would continue to follow developments of the situation, the registered 1:12 and Touring Car racers now await a decision from IFMAR.

Source: FEMCA [Facebook]

March 6, 2026

IFMAR clarification on Electric Onroad Worlds in China

With the back to back hosting of the 1:12 and ISTC World Championships in Foshan, China, less than 3-weeks away, the World governing body IFMAR has issued a statement to clarify the situation surrounding the event and the current conflict in the Middle East. Having contacted drivers earlier in the week regarding flights, the Middle East a major travel hub for European’s travelling to Asia, today they issued clarification posting that while concerned by the unrest in the Middle East and its potential impact on travel they wanted to make it clear they are not seeking for postponement or cancellation of the event at this time. The Board of Directors added they have also requested to be provided with formal communication from the host local government having been made aware of discussions happening between the host and their local government regarding the Worlds hosting and a request to *consider* postponing the championships. The 22nd running of the 1:12 World Championship is set to take place at very impressive Hongyu GDC facility from March 26-29th followed by the 13th running of the World Championship for 1:10 Electric Touring Car from April 1-4.

View full clarification post from IFMAR here

March 3, 2026

Elias doubles at South American Championships

Brazilian Nitro Onroad stalwart Flavio Elias completed a double at the long running South American Championships winning both the 1:8 Onroad and 1:8 GT titles in Argentina over the weekend. Going into this year’s event as the defending GT champion having won that title, and finished 3rd in 1:8 Onroad, at the World’s host track CACH in Chile in 2025, the Capricorn/Ielasi Tuned driver kicked off the action at the Mendoza track by securing the GT TQ from Chile’s Alvaro Jara. In 1:8 Onroad he would also take the TQ this time ahead of Argentina’s Emilio Lanzilotta. In the 45-minute GT final, the 2025 IFMAR GT World Championship podium finisher would take a dominant win ahead of Jara who had a close battle with third place Franco Anderlucci. The 1:8 Onroad final would also see the 1:8 Onroad World Finalist be the class of the field to lead home Lanzilotta with Alexandro Giardino completing the podium.

Image: Ielasi Tuned [Facebook]

March 2, 2026

Noble wins Asian Buggy C/ships opener in New Zealand

Sworkz’s Caleb Noble has won the opening round of the fourth season of the the Team Cayote and VP-Pro backed Asian Buggy Championships which was hosted by New Zealand’s Counties RC over the weekend. Having top qualified three classes, Noble went on to win all three – Nitro Buggy, eBuggy, and Nitro Truggy. It was a powerful performance from the Australian marking his move to Sworkz and JConcepts over the off-season. Noble led home Sworkz teammate, New Zealand’s Jayden Jamieson, in both buggy classes, and Kiwi Hotbodies driver Shane O’Connor in Truggy. The Nitro Buggy final was a straight shootout between Noble and Jamieson, with Jayden grabbing an early lead before Noble struck back on the cusp of the first fuel stop and, from there, driving away to a one-lap win. Kiwi veteran Mike Stratford drove a brilliant race from 9th on the grid to round out the podium and make it an Sworkz sweep. eBuggy was an easy win for Noble, dominating A1 and A2, with Jamieson trailing him home, and countryman Jonathan Coluccio (WIRC) an excellent third. Darren Perry (Masters 45+ EP and Nitro) and Shane O’Connor (eTruggy) were the other class winners. The series now moves to Malaysia’s Lap Paradise RC Raceway for April’s second round of the 2026 series.

Source: Asian Buggy Championships [asianbuggychamps.com]

March 1, 2026

Volker adds third MIBO International win

Mugen Seiki’s Ronald Volker has won a third MIBO International, the Touring Car Champion successfully defending his title with another dominant performance in the Czech Republic. Securing the overall TQ after 3 rounds of qualifying, the German kicked of finals day with a 5th TQ run before going on to win all 3 A-Mains on this year’s new Racestars designed & built track. While the former World Champion had the edge of the rest of the field, the big battle of the weekend would be really for the other two podium places with Xray’s Adam Izsay the only one to mix it against Mugen team in Hrotovice. While 2025 TITC Open Brushless Champion Sören Sparbier managed to get by Izsay for second in the opening encounter, Iszay, helped by a mistake from Sparbier, held position in A2 and again in A3 to finish overall runner-up. Making his MIBO debut Sparbier complete the podium denying team-mate Patrick Gollner a repeat of his 2025 result. While Volker notched up his third Modified title this year ahead of Iszay, the Hungarian who really impressive in the opening two Modified qualifiers, would achieve the same in Stock. Winning A1 & 2 to defend his title, Iszay was joined on the podium by A3 winner Jaroslav Kriz with Tobias Sutrich claiming the 3rd step. In FWD, Phil Langer was another to defend his 2025 win leading home Loris Buchhalt and previous FWD winner Stefan Schulz.

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