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August 27, 2026

Balestri to defend Singapore International Nitro GP title

Two time IFMAR World Champion Dario Balestri is to defend his Singapore International Nitro GP title, with the Infinity driver confirmed to head this year’s entry list. Having last month claimed his fourth consecutive European Championship title, the Italian is relishing his first opportunity to race on the newly resurfaced RCMC track, which underwent huge work earlier this year. Set to take place from October 10-11, the same weekend as the Singapore F1 Grand Prix, a repeat win this year would be extra special as the race will celebrate its 20th anniversary. An event that over the two decades has welcomed numerous World Champions, 2026 looks like attracting its most World Champion stack field yet, all vying to take the win of the Radio Control Modellers’ Club’s annual international race.

Source: RCMC Singapore [Facebook]

August 16, 2026

2026 IFMAR ISTC World C/ships Stage 2 Report

IFMAR has published the Stage 2 report for the 2026 ISTC World Championships which take place at Huge RC in Bangkok, Thailand, from November 8-14th. Since the the Stage 1 report, the main updates are the details of the recently announced official tyres from Hudy. Using the A2-40 tyre, a maximum of 20 sets of tyres can be bought of which 12 sets must be marked for the actual race event covering from controlled practice until the finals. Stage 2 also confirms Mighty Gripper V3 Yellow as the controlled tyre additive with Ichinen brake cleaner the controlled tyre cleaner for the event. Both items will be supplied in tyre preparation area. Another small change is that IFMAR President Eric Anderson will now fill the role Technical Director. A unique track for the 13th running of the ISTC World Championships, the track owned by 2002 ISTC World Champion Surikarn Chaidajsuriya a roof covered asphalt circuit, the official Worlds Warm Up Race, which runs as part of the Hudy Series Thailand event, takes place August 29-30. The first cars will hit the track at the Worlds on November 8 with two days of IPD after which the track layout will be changes for the official open practice on November 11th. View the full Stage 2 report here.

Source: IFMAR [ifmar.org]

August 16, 2026

Groskamp takes ENS title with third win in a row

Over a decade after winning his first Euro Nitro Series Championship title, Infinity’s Jilles Groskamp has claimed the 2026 Nitro Touring Car title with his third consecutive win of the season today in Austria. With Round 3 of the championship’s 4-race calendar taking place at the MAV Aigen-Schlägl track, the reigning World Champion secured the TQ as his took his Ielasi Tuned powered IF15 to the fastest time in 3 of the 4 qualifiers, a perfect start to his new engine sponsorship deal with Daniele Ielasi’s engine brand. Topping the fourth & final qualifier, 2025 Champion Jakub Rozycki would line up second for Capricorn with 2024 Champion Melvin Diekmann securing P3 ahead of reigning 1:8 ENS Champion Toni Gruber. In the 12 car 45-minute A-Main, from the front the veteran Dutch racer dominated the final taking an emotional win by a lap over Diekmann. A strong race from Carmine Raiola, who qualified his infinity in P8, would see the Italian complete the podium just ahead of Rozycki, the Polish driver setting the fastest lap of the race. In 1:8 it was Dario Balestri who took the win ahead of Top Qualifier Simon Kurzbuch. Kurzbuch put his Mugen Seki on pole for the final ahead of the Infinity driver but 7-laps into the race the Swiss racer flipped his car over the curbing handing the lead to the 2-time World Champion who would stay there for the remaining 43-minutes for his second win of the season – the Italian the winner of the season opener in Germany. Winner of the Dutch round of the Championship, Kurzbuch would finish second half a lap down while 3rd place qualifier Marco Weigerding completed the podium for Serpent.

Image: Infinity [Facebook]

August 14, 2026

Singapore International Nitro GP – Announcement

This year the Singapore International Nitro Grand Prix will celebrate the race’s 20th anniversary in style with the action taking place on the newly resurfaced RCMC track. Scheduled for October 10-11, the same weekend as the Formula 1 Singapore Grand Prix, hosts Radio Control Modellers’ Club has announced that registration is now open for the race which is once again proudly supported by World Champion manufacturer Infinity. The country’s only permanent track, the event will see racing for 1:8 Onroad, 1:8 Nitro GT, and 1:10 Nitro Touring Car. Over the two decades of hosting the race, the Singapore International Nitro Grand Prix has welcomed numerous World Champions including reigning 1:10 Nitro Touring World Champion Jilles Groskamp, two time 1:8 Onroad World Champion Dario Balestri, multiple World Champion Naoto Matsukura, reigning 3-time ISTC World Champion Bruno Coelho and nitro onroad legend Lamberto Collari.

Source: RCMC Singapore [Facebook]

August 10, 2026

2026 IFMAR 1:10 IC Track WC Stage 2 Report

IFMAR has published the Stage 2 Report for the upcoming 1:10 Nitro Touring Car World Championship in Italy, the 11th running of Worlds attracting a bumper 129 entries from 21 countries. Cars will hit the track for the first on September 4th with the first of two days of IPD practice which will be followed by two more days of Free Practice. The event gets underway proper on Tuesday, September 8th, with 4 rounds of Timed Practice which is when Red RC will begin its coverage from Gubbio. In addition to a detailed time schedule, the other key points in the Stage 2 Report are details of the handout tyres which are being supplied by Italian manufacturer Hotrace. The tyre specs are 35 shore/62mm fronts and 37 shore 64mm rears. In relation to fuel, drivers will have the option to choose one of 3 different suppliers. Italy’s Pepe Group brand Energy will offer their Thunder 16% EU fuel, with Runner Time, also produced in Italy offering its FAST 16EU. Thailand’s Maxima will supply its Core 16% EU. Fuel for IPD and Free Practice sessions is the driver ‘s responsibility with fuel subject to Parc Fermé regulations from Timed Practice. View the full Stage 2 report here.

Source: IFMAR [ifmar.org]

August 9, 2026

Coelho gives Infinity first European Touring Car title

Bruno Coelho has secured Infinity’s first European 1:10 Electric Touring Car Championship, the Portuguese driver securing the title for a fourth time at the 25th running of the EFRA Championships today in Luxembourg. Last holding the title in 2023, starting on pole position at Mini Circuit “Ville de Luxembourg” the reigning World Champion would controlled A1 from start to finish ahead of the Awesomatix of second place qualifier Simon Lauter with his team-mate Lucas Urbain completing the Top 3. As the drivers lined-up for A2, Coelho would walk off the drivers stand, an over voltage battery in pre-tech ruling him out of the race. Leading away the field, Lauter would look to have taken control of the race ahead of defending Champion Michal Orlowski but starting to close the gap the Schumacher driver executed an impressive pass coming onto the main straight as the race approached the final minute and a half mark. The finishing order Orlowski, Lauter, and Urbain. With all on the line in A3, with numerous drivers still able to claim the title, Coelho and Lauter made an early break. Running in formation for most of the race, Lauter would put in an impressive final lap getting right on the rear bumper of Coelho’s Speciale IF14. Launching it at the line, contact ensuing, Coelho would take it by 3/1000ths of a second to claim the overall title ahead of Lauter with Orlowski completing the podium. In the Spec class the event would also see a former champion retake the title as Awesomatix’s Max Mächler claimed the win 8-years after his previous title. It was to be an all Awesomatix podium with Olivier Bultynck and Louis Kretschmer 2nd and 3rd while outgoing Champion Adam Izsay finished 4th for Xray. In FWD, Xray’s Stefan Schulz took the title from the TQ after winning the opening two A-Main encounters.

Image: EFRA/Trackside RC Media [Facebook]

August 6, 2026

IFMAR publishes bumper 1:10 Nitro Touring Car World Championship entry list

With the countdown underway to the 2026 1:10 Nitro Touring Car World Championship in Italy, IFMAR has published a bumper entry list for next month’s 11th running of category’s biggest race. A decade since Club Automodellistico 5Colli hosted the 7th running of the championship, 129 drivers will travel to Gubbio with reigning World Champion Jilles Groskamp heading the entry for Infinity. The Dutch driver added the nitro title to his 2012 Electric Touring Car World title when he took the win at Huge RC two years ago, the Bangkok venue stepping in as a late replacement host for the race after Costa Rica was forced to cancel due to noise issues. Due to the original location and subsequent change of host in 2024, the entry was just 58 drivers but returning to the nation that is the spiritual home of nitro racing, this is one of the highest entries the category has enjoyed. While Portugal 2008 attracted 133 entries, this year sees more nations represented with 21 countries making up the entry. Winner of the 2018 Worlds in Florida, Naoto Matsukura is the only other past champion in the field. Two-time 1:8 Onroad World Champion and reigning back to back European Champion Dario Balestri, who was Top Qualifier 10-years ago in Gubbio, will be looking to try complete the nitro title set on home soil but he’s faces some others searching for that first title. Representing Capricorn, Toni Gruber is always fast and a title contender and Serpent will be looking to 1:8 Onroad World Championship Top Qualifier Andrea Catazani to try regain the title they won last time out in Gubbio thanks to Dominic Greiner. As the current 1:8 GT World Champion and a hugely popular runner-up in 2016, Alessio Mazzeo will be one of the hopes of 2014 Champions Xray. Mugen Seiki’s challenge is expected to come from British Champion Alex Thurston and O.S Speed’s Shinnosuke Yokoyama. Running from September 4th to 12th, the IFMAR 1:10 Nitro Touring Car World Championships kick starts Red RC’s 2026 World Championship coverage with us looking forward to returning to the medieval town of Gubbio and telling the story of how things unfold at Miniautodromo Internazionale M.Rosati.

View entry list here

August 3, 2026

Hamon crowned inaugural FEMCA 1:8 GT Asia Champion

Jeff Hamon has become FEMCA’s inaugural 1:8 GT Asia Champion, the new Capricorn signing winning the title at England Park Raceway in Australia over the weekend. An event that the Asian governing body had originally awarded to Vietnam, the switch to the Brisbane track would see the city’s top international racer set the pace from the off. Fastest in seeding, the 1:8 GT and 1:8 Onroad World Championship finalist would secure the overall TQ after topping 3 of the 4 rounds. Topping Q2 as Hamon suffered a DNF, former 1:5 World Champion Russell Grenenger would secure P2 for Hong Nor with team-mate Rick Bartolozzi completing the Top 3 ahead of New Zealand’s Lockie Roachie. In the 45-minute final, Hamon controlled the race with his Ielasi Tuned powered GT2 setting the fastest lap of the race en route to a convincing victory. With Grenenger holding second for much of the race, unfortunately he would retire with 5-minutes to go promoting Roachie to second. Starting from 12th on the grid after fighting issues in qualifying, Serpent’s Anthony Wasson would work his way up through the field to complete the podium ahead of Bartolozzi.

Image: Jeff Hamon [Facebook]