Red RC » International

May 29, 2023

Nicholas Lee wins HKRCSA Cup Round 1

Attracting over 120 entries, the opening round of the latest season of the long running HKRCSA Cup took place over the weekend at Tom Racing Circuit in Hong Kong where Nicholas Lee would take the win. Making the trip from Singapore for the race, the factory Yokomo driver would open qualifying with a TQ run over the Xpress of Japan’s Yugo Nagashima. With four rounds of qualifying, Lee would secure the overall TQ from fellow countryman & new 2023 team-mate Ethan Cheng. A multiple winner of the Cup, Xpress driver Hay completed the Top 3 on the grid for the triple A-Mains. Winning both A1 and A3 from Serpent driver Kenrick Fong, Lee would secure the overall win leaving the rest of the podium to be decided in A3. Keeping ahead of Fong for the A3 win, the result would give Hay second overall in the tie breaker as Fong completed the podium ahead of another Serpent of Patrick Chau. In the Stock class Hong Kong driver Tiger Drity took the win over Lam Suen and Joey Chan for an all Xray podium.

Image: Nicholas Lee [Facebook]

May 28, 2023

Greiner wins ENS Germany

Capricorn’s Dominic Greiner has won the opening round of the Euro Nitro Series in Germany. The reigning European 1:8 Onroad Champion took victory at the Ettlingen track from Infinity’s Jilles Groskamp who finished less than 6-seconds back at the end of the 45-minute encounter. Having secured the overall TQ on Saturday, Toni Gruber lead out the 12-car field but after just 18-laps hit issues that would drop him to last place. This resulted in Simon Kurzbuch’s Mugen taking over the lead but as the race approached half distance he too hit problems as he flamed out. Groskamp and Merlin Depta then took turns at the front before Greiner took charge of the lead in the final quarter of the race where he would stay to the finish. Setting the fastest lap of the race, Gruber wold recover to salvage a podium finish from the weekend. Bumping up from the B-Main Tobias Hepp would finish fourth with Alex Thurston and Teemu Leino completing the Top 6. In 1:10, Top Qualifier Melvin Diekmann converted for the win ahead of French duo Quentin Leroux and Basile Concialdi.

Image: Oli Meggit

May 28, 2023

Gruber TQ’s ENS season opener

Capricorn’s Toni Gruber has TQ’d the opening round of the Euro Nitro Series in Germany. With 2023 a big year for 1:8 Onroad with the return of the World Championship after a four year break, this year’s ENS is an opportunity for Europe’s top drivers to get in some top level competition ahead of the trip to Japan in October. The first of three rounds that make up this year’s series, Gruber secured the overall TQ in Ettlingen when he topped the final two qualifiers with his Ielasi Tuned powered C804. Behind the German, former World Champion Simon Kurzbuch secured P2 for Mugen having TQ’d the opening qualifier. Fastest in Q2, reigning European Champion Dominic Greiner will start P3 ahead of Capricorn team-mate Merlin Depta with Team Shepherd’s Lars Hoppe and Infinity’s Jilles Groskamp completing the Top 6. In 1:10, Melvin Diekmann secured the TQ topping 3 of the four qualifiers for Capricorn with Q3 pace setter Milan Holthuis lining up second.

Image: Toni Gruber [Facebook]

May 25, 2023

Flavio Elais claims 5th South American 1:8 Onroad title

Team Shepherd driver Flavio Elias has claimed his 5th South American 1:8 Onroad Championship title at Club de Aeromodelos de Chile. The leading Brazilian onroad nitro driver showcased his exceptional skills, securing an astonishing fifth title in this prestigious competition. Elias demonstrated his dominance right from the start, winning all four qualification rounds and claiming the pole position for the final race. With high expectations surrounding him, he was poised to deliver yet another remarkable performance. As the final race commenced, Elias wasted no time at the start and quickly pulled away from the rest of the field. With each passing lap, he extended his lead, impressing the audience with his rapid and precise manoeuvers with his Velox V8.2. After 45 minutes of intense racing, he crossed the finish line as the commanding leader over the Infinity of Matias Otaegui. The other Shepherd drivers also left their mark on the competition. Alexandro Giardino delivered a solid race, securing a excellent fourth-place finish. Displaying his talent and technical understanding of the model car, he showcased the strength of the Shepherd team. Alvaro Jara achieved an impressive fifth-place finish, while Pablo Riveros, Reinaldo Gil and Pablo Baudino secured a respectable 8th – 10th place position, contributing to the overall success of the Shepherd team.

Source: Shepherd [team-shepherd.com]

May 22, 2023

Electric to run as ‘World Cup’ at IFMAR 1:8 GT Worlds

The organisers of the IFMAR 1:8 GT World Championship in Sydney, Australia, have announced they will have a 1:8 Electric GT class as a supporting ‘World Cup’ race during the event from October 8-14th. Having also run as a ‘World Cup’ race at the inaugural 1:8 GT Worlds in Homestead in 2020, the electric class will continue as a support race given the low numbers achieved last time. While expect slightly higher numbers at John Grant International Raceway than the 18 that was achieved three years ago in the US, IFMAR says this is not enough to warrant a true IFMAR World title. While the official Warm-up Race run by the hosts New South Wales Radio Control Racing Car Club was effected by rain, several drivers have tested on the Monday after that event to check tyre wear for the 1 hour main final and it was confirmed that the Q3 tire from PMT, which is the controlled tyre for this event, can make the 60 minutes without any problems. More news on the Sydney event will be available in the 2nd Stage report which should be available end of June.

Source: IFMAR [imfar.org]

May 17, 2023

1:8 Buggy Euros Warm-up Race – Announcement

Famed Spanish offroad track RC Redovan has announced that it will run the Warm-up Race for this year’s EFRA 1:8 Nitro Buggy European Championship over the weekend of June 16-18. Having hosted last year’s IFMAR World Championships, the Baldo brothers owned track previously host the European Championship in 2016 and has become one of the world’s most iconic tracks thanks to its elevation change from the left to the right side of the massive track. The timetable for the Warm-up Race will see Friday practice, Saturday qualifying and Sunday Finals. One very important detail to note for racers is that under Spanish law, if you do not have a special license of precursors, in order to use 25% nitro fuel you will be required to buy the fuel within the grounds of the circuit. The organisers will have fuel available from the main brands including Runner Time, Merlin, Energy and Nitrolux. As at the World Championship, the fuel must remain deposited at the circuit from Friday to Sunday for all drivers including Spaniards. Registration for the Warm-up Race is open now – click here

Source: RC Redovan [Facebook]

May 15, 2023

2023 1:12 World Championship Stage 1 Report

The organisers of the 2023 IFMAR 1:12 World Championships have just published the Stage 1 Report for the 21st running of the title which will be decided at Beachline Raceway in Cocoa, Florida, from December 4th to 9th. The largest indoor racing facility in the state, this will be the seventh time these World Championships are hosted in the US and mark only the second running of the title since it separated from being part of the same World Championship week as 1:10 Electric Touring Car after South Africa in 2018. The most significant information from the Stage 1 Report is the tyre information with Jaco tires the official controlled foam for the event with their Magenta front and Pink rear. These tyres will be available to competitors for practice from late June. Beachline Raceway, which recently hosted the ROAR Electric Carpet Off-Road Nationals, will run a Warm Up Race on November 24-26. With the last 1:12 Worlds held in 2020 in the UK just before Covid hit the World, with Marc Rheinard taking the title for a second time, the return of the championships is set to be extra interesting following the news that reigning back to back Touring Car World Champion Bruno Coelho will make his first attempt at the title. Red RC will travelling to Florida in December to cover the unfolding of the fourth and final World Championship of the 2023 season.

View Stage 1 Report here

May 14, 2023

Orlowski takes TQ & 4WD Win at Euros Warm-up

Michal Orlowski took the TQ and 4WD win at the 1:10 Electric Offroad Euros Warm-up Race today at RACO2000. Having finished 2nd in Saturday’s 2WD action behind winner Bruno Coelho, today Orlowski ruled the astro turf track leading a Schumacher 1-2 at the Dutch event from team-mate Wesley van Helmond. In qualifying the 2015 Champion would top the times in 3 of the four qualifier with van Helmon the only other driver to TQ a round when he went fastest in Q4 ahead of Coelho’s Xray and Tommy Hall’s Team Associated. In the triple finals, the Polish ace opened proceedings with a win over Xray’s Martin Bayer before sealing the deal in A2 with victory over van Helmon. With both Bayer and Coelho finding a way passed van Helmond, the A3 win gave Bayer the runners up spot ahead of the Dutch driver with Coelho getting 4th. The 2023 EFRA European Championships will take place from July 17-22.

Image: Michal Orlowski [Facebook]