Red RC » International

February 24, 2023

Coelho holds provisional TQ at TITC

Bruno Coelho holds the provisional TQ after day 1 of qualifying at the TITC in Thailand. The reigning World Champion opened the morning’s qualifying at the Infinity RC Addict track with the third fastest time while top seed Akio Sobue continued to be the pace setter for Axon ahead of team-mate Ishioka Hayato. However in Q2, the former Champion took his Xray to the top of the times bettering Sobue’s Q1 time by almost a second with a 5-minute run that was over 3.3-seconds faster than own first attempt. With 2 from 4 rounds of qualifying to count, tomorrow’s action in a very hot Bangkok with conclude with Q3 & 4 for Modified running in the afternoon into evening.

Image: Xray [Facebook]

February 23, 2023

Defending Champion Sobue is Top Seed at TITC

Defending TITC Champion and 2022 World Championship podium finisher Akio Sobue is the top seed going into qualifying at the legendary Bangkok touring car event. One of the World’s most significant international touring car races outside of the World Championships, this is the 19th running of the TITC which returns after a forced two year break during the Covid Pandemic. After days of free practice for the strong international field to dial themselves into the unique traction of the Infinity RC Addict track, it was two time Champion Sobue who set the fastest 3-consecutive laps in the single controlled practice. Behind, Axon team-mate and 2022 Worlds Finalist Ishioka Hayato was second fastest ahead of the Awesomatix of Marc Rheinard and returning former TITC Champion Bruno Coelho, the Xray driver having last contested the event in 2019. Winner that year, Alexander Hagberg completed the Top 5 as the drivers now face into 2 rounds of qualifying tomorrow (Friday) with Rounds 3 :& 4 scheduled for Saturday.

Image: Axon [Facebook]

February 20, 2023

Tessman wins Hotrace Grand Prix

With the biggest names in 1:8 Offroad gathering in the US for this week’s 24th running of the iconic Dirt Nitro Challenge, Ty Tessman took a nice pre event race victory at the Hotrace Grand Prix over the weekend at Channel Islands Raceway in California. In qualifying it was factory Tekno driver Marco Baruffolo who was the Top Qualifier, the Italian fastest from Tessman’s Xray and Mayako’s Jared Tebo. Winning their respective Semi Finals, Tessmann winning from Robert Batlle while Baruffolo won his 20-minute encounter from HB Racing’s Ryan Pavidis, it was the Canadian who had the fastest winning time to secure pole for the final. Over the 30-minutes, Tessmann would lead for all but a couple laps early on, and despite Baruffolo having the fastest lap, would win by a 20-seconds margin. Batlle completed the podium for Mayako while team-mate Tebo moved up from 6th on the grid to finish fourth ahead of Pavidis.

Image: Hot Race Tyres [Facebook]

February 16, 2023

MIBO International Race onroad track layout

The organisers of next month’s brand new MIBO International Race in the Czech Republic has released the track layout on which the titles of inaugural Champions will be decided over the two and half day event that runs from March 3-5th. Featuring a 30 metre long straight, the track is 19 metres deep and is the creation of touring car racer Enrico Jung with input from man behind this event Michal Bok. A follow on from the very popular pre-pandemic Mibosport Cup held at the Sports V Hotel venue in Hrotovice, the first running of the MIBO International Race has already attracted an entry of more than 200 that includes star international drivers such as Mugen’s Ronald Volker, Yokomo’s Christopher Krapp and Xray’s Bruno Coelho.

See top view of onroad track layout here

February 14, 2023

Butterfield wins Florida Winter Nats

Reigning ROAR Fuel Onroad National Champion Bryce Butterfield took victory at the 47th Annual Florida Winter Nats. Securing the overall 1:10 TQ after five rounds of qualifying at Nuggets Ranch RC Raceway, the factory Serpent driver would take his 750 EVO to a comfortable win in the 30-minute Main Final over the Xray of Franco Desiderio and the Infinity of Jerry Guerra. With this year’s edition of race attracting over a 100 entries, in 1:8 Pro Diego Morganti, son of former US Onroad Nitro ace Paolo, took the TQ but his final was short lived ending after just 2-laps. The No.2 qualifier Ralph Birch would also hit trouble early on, the former 1:10 World Champion retiring after only 8 laps. Following his 1:10 victory, it wasn’t to be a double for Butterfield as he too retired half way through the 45-minute Main. In the end it was Eric Dennett who took the win by 6.6 seconds from Joachim Bruneaunnett with Rafael Angulo completing the podium. In 1:8 GT, Jose Almonte took the win for Serpent ahead of the IGT8 of Morganti with Carlie Lopez completing te Top 3 at the end of the half hour encounter.

Image: Bryce Butterfield [Facebook]

February 13, 2023

2023 Philippine Masters track build revealed

The organisers of the Philippine Masters have after much hard work revealed the new Circulo Verde Race Track which will host one of Asia’s most high profile 1:8 Offroad events from April 27-30th. After a two year break due to Covid, 2023 will be 11th running of the event and 5-weeks of very hot work has resulted in the creation of this impressive sculpted track on the site which is located in the centre of the country’s capital Manila. This year will see reigning back to back World Champion Davide Ongaro and former World Champion Robert Batlle return to the Philippine Masters and lead the capacity 120 entries under the watchful eye of Race Director Scotty Ernst.

View more track images here

February 12, 2023

Ongaro dominates Montpellier GP

Davide Ongaro has opened the 2023 1:8 Offroad season proper in Europe with a dominant performance at the Montpellier GP in France. The Italian secured the overall TQ on Saturday and kicked off Sunday’s finals action with a win of his 20-minute Semi Final over Juan Carlos Canas that secured pole for the Main event. Winner of the other Semi Final, Elliot Boots would line up third on the grid behind his Sworkz team-mate Canas but they would be no match for the World Champion over the 1-hour decider. Setting the fastest lap of the final, the Team Associated driver would go on to lap the entire field at Circuit du MBM. Boots managed to get the better of Canas to finish half a lap up on the Spaniard as they lined up either side of Ongaro on the podium. Finishing fourth would be Infinity’s Riccardo Berton, the Italian have a lap over new Mayako signing Robert Batlle in fifth.

Image: RCMag [Facebook]

February 12, 2023

Orlowski wins 2023 Charity Race

Michal Orlowski has won this year’s ‘Charity Race’, the 2023 edition of the Italian race marking the 12th running of the annual event that has raised thousands of euros for local charities. Racing at the RC Landia indoor carpet track in Scandiano, the Schumacher driver took the TQ from team-mate Mattia Collina, both drivers notching up two TQ runs each from the four rounds of qualifying but with his Q2 pace the fastest time recorded it was Orlowki who would line up on pole position. In the finals, the Polish driver completed a clean sweep of wins while behind Collina and Luca Romagnoli had a close battle for P2. In the end it would be a Schumacher 1-2 with Collina getting the tie breaker to secure second with Romagnoli’s Xray completing the podium ahead of Germany’s Marco Kaufmann.

Image: Michal Orlowski [Facebook]