Red RC » International

July 6, 2026

Kurzbuch wins Dutch ENS Encounter

Mugen Seiki’s Simon Kurzbuch has won the second round of the Euro Nitro Series, the Swiss driver getting the better of Round 1 winner Dario Balestri at the Rucphen track in the Netherlands. As at the season opening in Germany, it was Kurzbuch who secured the overall TQ honours as he took his Ielasi Tuned powered MRX-7 to the fastest time in 2 of the 4 rounds. Fastest in Q1, it was the Infinity of multiple World Champion Balestri who lined up P2, ahead of ARC’s Silvio Hächler and Dutch Serpent Jesse Keller who posted a TQ run in Q3. In the 45-minute main, the two World Champions would pull clear of the field and battle it out from the front for the win. While Balestri set the fastest lap of the race and led a number ocassions at the end it was Kurzbuch who took the win by 6.4-seconds over the Italian. While Hächler strong qualifying came to nothing in the final as he suffered an engine failure, it would be Infinity’s Francesco Tironi from P7 in the grid who completed the podium ahead of the Serpent of Marco Weigerding. In 1:10 200mm reigning World Champion Jilles Groskamp took the home win to make it two from two having won the season opener. The infinity driver was joined on the podium by team-mate Carmine Raiola and French Capricorn driver Quentin Leroux while having qualified P2 reigning champion Jakub Rozycki finished P4 for Capricorn ahead of Melvin Diekmann.

Image: Ielasi Tuned [Facebook]

July 1, 2026

Super GT Challenge 2027, Malaysia – Announcement

RC race registration platform RC Race Pal has announced the Super GT Challenge 2027, a new international 1:8 GT race that will take place at the Kuala Lumpur International RC Car Circuit (KLIRCC) in Malaysia from 13–16 May 2027. The Super GT Challenge has been created with one goal in mind which is to provide drivers with maximum value, maximum track time, and a unique racing experience that goes beyond a traditional race meeting. Unlike a standard event, the Super GT Challenge combines two major competitions in one weekend – the International 1/8 GT Championship, and the 5-Hour Team Enduro Race. While the Championship event will consist of free practice, Seeding, five rounds of qualifying, progressive A–E Finals and a 45-minute A-Main, the Enduro race will feature randomly drawn balanced teams, strategy-focused endurance racing, driver rotation and pit strategy – a completely different challenge from the individual championship. Believing this is one of the first international RC GT events to combine a traditional championship format with a long-format team endurance race under one entry, the event will provide four full days of racing. The entry is limited to just 75 competitors to maximise track time and race quality and the event will use paid marshals so drivers never have to marshal. As RC Race Pal continues to grow internationally, their aim is to create events that racers genuinely look forward to attending, not just another race meeting, but a memorable racing festival that combines competition, endurance, teamwork and friendship.

View track image and official event poster here

June 16, 2026

TITC returns to Huge RC for 2027

The biggest international race on the Electric Touring Car calendar outside of the IFMAR World Championships, the organisers of the TITC have just announced that the 22nd running of the iconic Bangkok race will see it return to Huge RC in 2027. The race was last hosted by indoor asphalt track owned by 2002 ISTC World Champion Surikarn Chaidajsuriya in 2014 with Ronald Volker taking the win on that occasion. Chaidajsuriya was the winner of the inaugural TITC in 2003 and successfully defended that title in 2004. Held at the city’s other famous track RC Addict since 2015, after 10 editions there (no races held in 2021 & 22 due to Covid) it now switches to back after 13 years to Huge RC which was just recently awarded this year’s IFMAR ISTC World Championships replacing the cancelled China staging of the 13th running of the Electric Touring Car World title race. With Schumacher’s Michal Orlowski the defending back to back TITC Champion he will get the opportunity for a hat trick of wins when the race takes place from February 25-27th.

Source: TITC [titc.in.th]

June 8, 2026

Bernsten wins Oslo Open

Adrian Bernsten claimed the TQ & win at this year’s annual Oslo Open 1:8 Nitro Onroad race, the Norwegian taking victory ahead of Denmark’s Martin Lissau at Hverven Raceway located south of the Norwegian Capital. In qualifying it was former international touring car ace Bernsten who secured the TQ honours at his home track ahead of the Infinity of 2024 Oslo Open winner Francesco Tironi, Alexander Andersson and last year’s Top Qualifier Lissau. Topping all four qualifiers, and despite setting the fastest lap of the race Bernsten would still have to work for the win as he came under pressure from Tironi in the 45-minute final. Unfortunately while holding a second spot & battling for the lead a crash on the main straight with a lapped car would put an end to the Italian visitor’s race at the half hour mark. This promoted former 1:5 World Champion Lissau to second for an Infinity 1-2 with Swedish racer Dennis Jonsson completing the podium. In the Masters Class, it was Denmark’s Peter Harder who took the TQ & win with Scotty Ernst coming through for second while Björn Ohlson took the final podium step.

Image: Francesco Tironi [Facebook]

June 8, 2026

Polito wins ‘The Italian Race’ ahead of Ongaro

Sworkz’s Mattia Polito was the Nitro Buggy winner at the annual ‘The Italian Race’ hosted by the Ospyteam Offroad track in Gussago in the north of the country. In qualifying it was Team Associated’s Davide Ongaro who secured the TQ ahead of Polito, WIRC’s Andrea Trevisan and Mugen Seiki’s Kilic brothers, Berkan securing P4 ahead of Burak. Qualifying in P6 but winning his Semi Final in the fastest time, it would be Kyosho’s Riccardo Berton who started the final on pole ahead of Berkan, Polito and Ongaro, the latter the winner of the other Semi final. Over the 45-minute final Berton led early on before Berkan took a stint at the front but it was to be Polito and Ongari that would battle it out for the win. Despite the World Champion’s best efforts over the closing laps he couldn’t deny Polito the win. Behind it was Berton who completed the podium. In eBuggy it was Polito who secured the TQ ahead of Ongaro and the Sworkz of Elliott Boots and Berton. Using the traditional Nitro format of Semi Finals, it was to be Ongaro who after winning his 10-minute Semi secured pole for the final ahead of Polito, winner of the other Semi, Trevisan, Boots and Kyosho’s Marco Baruffolo. With a single 10-minute A-Main, it would be Baruffolo after taking the lead from Ongaro on lap 6 who took the win. Boots completed the podium.

Image: Matrix Tires [Facebook]

June 2, 2026

Sobue wins ‘Bali International Race of Champion’

Across all forms of sport ‘Destination Races’ have become a big thing and in terms of destinations Bali has to be up there for the world of RC racing with Axon’s Akio Sobue making the trip to and winning the Bali International Race of Champions. Famed as a destination for Digital Nomads, the Indonesian Island is also home to the Keramas Aero Park circuit and over the weekend it attracted an international 93 entries to compete over 4 categories of 1:10 Electric Touring Car. In Modified it was World Championship podium finisher Sobue who took the win ahead of Singapore’s Zak Lam making for an Axon 1-2. Porsha Mangilit, the first ever female racer to win the Tamiya Asia Cup, would compete the podium. In 13.5 Blinky it was Lam who took the TQ and win ahead of young Australian RC Maker driver Logan Rintoul who in turn took the win in FWD. Looking to combine racing with a holiday next season?, look out for the 2027 Bali International Race of Champion.

View track image here

June 1, 2026

Garcia appointed IFMAR Interim IC Section Chairman

Well respected race referee and former EFRA President Javier Garcia has been appointed the IFMAR Interim IC Section Chairman. Making the announcement over the weekend, the Spaniard will take over the role for the remainder of the 2026 season from Sander de Graaf. After decades of service to the World governing body, Dutch native Graff made his final appearance in the role at the 1:8 Onroad World Championship in Chile last December. Garcia, who has vast experience of the sport having served as president of the European governing body for 5-years and referred numerous World Championships, has always been respected for his approachability and his ambition for the better promotion of racing and the RC hobby in general as well as always striving for a better racing experience for racers attending sanctioned events. In being appointed to the role, Garcia has promised to prepare a 4-year plan with the goal of leading IFMAR into a much needed new era as an organisation.

Read full announcement here

June 1, 2026

Baruffolo wins 26th edition of Kyosho Masters

Italy’a Marco Barufollo has won the 26th edition of the Kyosho Masters which took place at the RC94 track in France over the weekend. In qualifying it was multiple European Champion Renaud Savoya who took the Nitro Buggy TQ ahead of 2025 Champion Riccardo Berton, both drivers posting two TQ runs each but Savoya getting it on the tie-break. Barufollo would claim 3rd ahead of German driver Tim Kraus and Sweden’s Jessica Palsson. With Berton and Barufollo winning the Semi Finals, Barufollo’s win ahead of Savoya the faster, the Top 3 on the grid for the 45-minute final would be the reverse of qualifying order. From the front and setting the fastest lap of the race Barufollo would take the win by half a lap from Berton despite rain making an appearance during the final. Savoya would gamble on changing tyres for the rain but it didn’t last and with the track drying quickly he struggled to eventually finish P4 behind British racer Olivier Nattress who completed the podium. In eBuggy it was Barufollo who took qualifying but retiring from the first of the four 10-minute finals, he would lose out to Berton on tie-nreak after the both counted two wins and 2nd each.

Image: Marco Barufollo [Facebook]