Red RC » Racing

April 14, 2025

eSIC confirms return of top Korean racer EC Kim

Top Korean Touring Car racer EC Kim is the latest driver to be confirmed for this year’s Electric Singapore International Challenge (eSIC), the ARC driver having made his debut at the event last year. The third edition of the international race, Mugen Seiki’s Robald Volker the victor on the two previous occasions, eSIC 2025 runs earlier in the year bringing top international drivers to the Marine Parade Radio Control Modellers Club track on July 12-13. The brainchild of top Singapore touring car racer Nicholas Lee and Chhua Jookiah, eSIC has already confirmed entries from Atsushi Hara, Team Axon’s Hayato Ishioka, and Xray’s Jan Ratheisky for this year’s encounter with more team driver announcements to come.

Source: eSIC [Facebook]

April 14, 2025

Hara back for 2025 Philippine Masters

After making his first major international offroad final in many years & claiming a hugely popular podium at last year’s Philippine Masters, Atsushi Hara is returning to Asia’s biggest annual 1:8 Offroad race. Hara would lead for almost half of the 1-hour main at the famed Circulo Verde Race Track in Manila before the former World Champion was passed by current World Champion Davide Ongaro. Eventually taking 3rd place in the nitro buggy final, the legend of the sport was truly rejuvenated by the whole experience of the weekend. With the 13th edition of the Philippine Masters once again the second round of Scotty Ernst’s Asian Buggy Championships, which this year is boosted by title sponsor from Cayote who are also one of Hara’s main sponsors, on his return to the race Hara said, “I am very happy to be going to Masters again this year. The Philippine Masters is my favorite 1/8 buggy race because of the great organization by the race director Scotty Ernst with his team, the great facilities, and the great people. I am also excited to be able to compete at a high level with the world’s best drivers like Ongaro and other top drivers from around the world.” The Philippine Masters takes place from April 30 -May 4th with Ongaro going for his 5th win of the race.

Source: Asian Buggy Championships [Facebook]

April 11, 2025

Matsukura confirmed for Philippine Masters debut

Infinity’s Naoto Matsukura has been confirmed to make his Philippine Masters debut later this month at the 13th running of Asia’s biggest annual 1:8 Offroad race meeting. The second round of the Cayote sponsored Asian Buggy Championships, Matsukura got his first taste of the championship last year when he complete at the season finale in Indonesia where Infinity team-mate Kouki Kato took the win. Now the multiple World Champion will tackle the famed Circulo Verde Race Track in Manila which is the work of track designer and accomplished offroad racer Edward Sio. Commenting in his Philippine Masters debut Matsukura said, ‘I’m excited for the first time to join the Philippine Masters! It’s also my first time going to the Philippines. I’m looking forward to racing at such a great event, and having some good battles with the top drivers.’

Source: Asian Buggy Championships [Facebook]

April 11, 2025

2025 SIGP Onroad Race – Announcement

Sunpadow Batteries has announced that its annual SIGP International RC Car Onroad Grand Prix will this year take place from June 18-22. Resuming last year following a break due to Covid, the race would see Bruno Coelho take the big win in electric and Jeff Hamon the victor in nitro. Held at the 2017 1:10 Electric Offroad World Championship venue in Xiamen, both the onroad and offroad tracks are built side by side next to Sunpadow’s production facility. The SIGP Onroad, the track hosting a separate Offroad event later in the year, will continue to offer one of the biggest prizes in the sport with total prize money of $25,000 on offer over the categories which include 1:10 Modified Touring Car, 1:10 Stock Touring Car, 1:8 GP onroad, and 1:8 GT. Registration will open on May 1st.

Source: Sunpadow [sunpadow.com]

April 10, 2025

Ongaro heads 2025 Philippine Masters entry

World Champion Davide Ongaro will once again head the entry at the Philippine Masters, which takes place later this month in Manila. The Team Associated star driver has become a regular of the event which has grown into Asia’s biggest annual 1:8 Offroad race meeting. With 2025 marking the biggest edition yet of the Philippine Masters, it is the second stop of the four round Asian Buggy Championships which kicked off in New Zealand last month. With a new title sponsor in Cayote, Round 1 of the Scotty Ernst promoted championship saw Mayako Youth Mentoring Program driver Jayden Edmunds take the win and the Australian will be aiming to build on that performance at the Circulo Verde Race Track from April 30 -May 4th. A huge fan of the Philippine Masters, this the 13th running of the event, asked about the race reigning Champion Ongaro said, ‘I like to come to the PM Masters because the atmosphere is incredible, the joy of the people is something that I’ve never seen, the track is amazing and the effort that the guys put on for this race is something special.’ The Philippine Masters is one of Red RC’s favourite annual events to attend and report on as it combines both top level racing and a social atmosphere around the racing that lives up to the host country’s tagline ‘It’s More Fun in the Philippines’.

Source: Asian Buggy Championships [Facebook]

April 9, 2025

Tyre compound change for EFRA 1:8 GT European C/ships

EFRA, the governing body for RC racing in Europe, has announced a change of control tyre compound for the upcoming 1:8 GT & GTE European Championships. The fourth running of the Euros for nitro and third edition for electric, MRC Leipzig host the event at their track in central Germany from June 18-21 with Italy’s PMT the official tyre supplier. Initially selecting the Q5 compound as part the new for 2025 rule that drivers must use one single compound for both axles, after testing it was discovered the the cars, especially electric, were difficult to drive due to the rear being to hard a compound. As a result, the race will now switch to the softer Q3 compound. Drivers are now also allowed to change tyres in the Main Final due to the softer compound. In Nitro it will be Natanaele Senesi who will be looking to defend his title while another Italian, Rosario Giaimo, will be looking to retain the title he won at the Naxos World track in Sicily, Italy, last year. Later this year 1:8 GT drivers will also compete for the World Championship title in Chile.

Read full EFRA announcement here

April 9, 2025

FEMCA rebrands to Asian Championships

The governing body that represents 15 nations in Asia and Australasia, FEMCA has announced a rebranding of its blue ribbon events. Previously known as the FEMCA Championships, they will now be hosted under the titles of Asian Championships with 1:12 and Touring Car the first races set to crown the ‘Asian Champions’ later this year in Foshan, China which will host the 2026 IFMAR World Championships for both categories. Under the leadership of Leonard Kee, the Far East Model Car Association (FEMCA) has been busy re-establishing its championship events following Covid. The 1:8 Offroad Championship has enjoyed great success on its return with Kyosho’s American based up & coming offroad star Phi-Long Nguyen claiming back to back titles in Vietnam last month. Part of the success of that event has been FEMCA’s move to award the host track the option to host the race for 2-years. This is in order to help the track recoup any investment made in presenting a track worthy of hosting this major international title race that includes Atsushi Hara and Kyle McBride as past champions. At the end of last year the profile of the FEMCA Touring Car Championship got a major boost when World Champion Bruno Coelho traveled to Gavin Kwok’s GDC Indoor track, where the Portuguese ace added the title to his CV ahead of former FEMCA Champion Naoto Matsukura. In making the announcement FEMCA stated, ‘FEMCA will launch the “Asia Championship” races in Asia starting this year with ISTC and 1/12 category in the city of Foshan China at the start of December. The Asia Championship will provide a platform for all racers and hobbyist in Asia Pacific to race against their peers and fellow enthusiasts. ‘ Listing the categories that will have Asian Championship status, they added, ‘The events are based in Asia and the entries will be open to all. More events and changes are abound as FEMCA makes tweaks to rules and formats to move forwards in this hobby and region.’

View Championship categories here

April 7, 2025

Axon confirms Ishioka for eSIC 2025

Japanese touring car manufacturer Axon has confirmed 2025 TITC Finalist Hayato Ishioka will represent them when they make their team debut at the 3rd edition of the Electric Singapore International Challenge (eSIC) on July 12-13. Axon become the latest manufacturer to support the race which is the brainchild of top Singapore touring car racer Nicholas Lee and Chhua Jookiah. Aiming to bring top level international competition to the Asian island country, the previous two editions of the race has attracted official team entries from Mugen Seiki, Awesomatix, Yokomo, ARC and Xpress and in addition to Axon that list in 2025 will grow to also include Xray who confirmation that Germany’s Jan Ratheisky with travel to the RCMC Marine Parade race track hosted event.

Source: eSIC [Facebook]