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March 31, 2025

Catanzani wins Italian GT Championship opener

Serpent’s Andrea Catanzani put in the perfect weekend at the opening round of the highly competitive Italian 1:8 GT National Championships over the weekend securing the TQ and win at the Kronio Speed Park track in Sciacca, Sicily. Qualifying for the first round of the three race AMSCI run National Championship would see recent Florida Winternats winner Catanzani secure pole for the 45-minute Nitro final ahead of Alessio Mazzeo on his debut with the Raptor chassis. Defending Champion and Schepis Model team driver Rosario Giaimo would complete the Top 3. In the final, Catanzani would set the fastest lap en-route to victory by over a lap & a half from fourth place qualifier Daniel Schepis. Mugen Seiki offroad star driver Burak Kilic would complete the podium on his GT race debut, just 1-second ahead of Giaimo. The Turkish driver was running a Schepis Model MZGT powered by new engine sponsor Nova Engines. Having won last year’s season opener, Mazzeo would finish fifth ahead of 2023 National Champion and World Championship Top Qualifier Alex D’angelo. For reigning European Champion Natanaele Senesi it was a tough weekend resulting in a DNF in Nitro.

Image: Star RC [Facebook]

March 31, 2025

ZooRacing HYRAX 190mm hypercar body

New from German body shell brand ZooRacing comes the Hyrax 190mm 1:10 hypercar body. With touring car bodies at a stretch just about resembling the real thing these days recent hyper car releases are very much modelled on the full size car we see racing at iconic race circuits around the world, the Hyrax definitely an eye catching example. With sleek, aggressive styling inspired by these full-scale hypercars, this class delivers the perfect mix of realism and high-performance racing. They feature low-slung, wide-body chassis, optimised for maximum downforce and stability at top speeds. The Hyrax is an all-new hypercar body designed for the next generation of electric touring car racing. Every curve and surface of the body is engineered to deliver optimal airflow management, reducing drag while maximising downforce. The low-slung, wide-body design ensures the car stays planted, providing superior cornering speeds and unmatched stability.

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March 30, 2025

Rheinard adds 1:12 European title 17-years after last win

Having won the European Electric Touring Car Championship last year 13-years after he last held the title, Marc Rheinard has become the EFRA 1:12 European Champion once again after 17-years. Racing in Zwevegem, Belgium, qualifying for the 42nd running of the championship saw the CRC of Ollie Payne hold the overnight TQ after taking Q1. Saturday’s action would see former World Champion Rheinard’s Awesomatix open with the fastest time in Q2 and another TQ in Q3 before Payne would come back to take the final two rounds. This left the duo tied on points but with his Q2 time the fastest of the 5 rounds it was Rheinard who was the Top Qualifier. Behind, Schumacher’s reigning 1:12 World Champion and defending European Champion Michal Orlowski secured P3 with two Top 3 runs while Xray duo Adam Izsay and 8-time EFRA Champion Alexander Hagberg made up the top half of the A-Main grid. In the finals, A1 saw Rheinard put in a perfect run to claim the win by 4 & a half seconds from Orlowski who got ahead of his former team-mate Payne in the final minute of the 8-minute encounter. In A2 was a much closer affair as Payne ran right with Rheinard until traffic caused the British driver to hit the boards and drop to third. Recovering the position he couldn’t find a way past the German who took it by 6/10ths and with it became the 2025 European Champion, the first driver to hold both the Touring Car & 1:12 title simultaneously since he last did the double back in 2008! With Orlowski winning A3, the Polish driver would finish runner-up with Payne completing the Modified podium. In 1:12 Spec, Payne would claim the title having started from the TQ ahead of Spec World Champion Max Machler, the Awesomatix driver also finishing runner-up with the similar car of Olivier Bultynck taking the final podium position.

Image: Marc Rheinard [Facebook]

March 28, 2025

Top Qualifier D’angelo confirmed for 1:8 GT Worlds, Chile

Following last week’s confirmation that Toni Gruber will defend his IFMAR 1:8 GT World Championship title in Chile later this year, 2023 Top Qualifier Alex D’angelo’s participation in the Santiago event has also been confirm. Making his World Championship debut in Sydney 2-yeas ago, D’angelo secured the overall TQ honours for Genius Racing when he TQ’d the sixth & final round of qualifying at the John Grant International Raceway. Unfortunately a number of engine flame-outs in the 1-hour final denied the Italian’s a shot at the title with him eventually finishing 6th. Joining Capricorn for the 2025, the Italian manufacturer’s owner Patrizio Rossi confirmed his star driver will lead their challenge at the third running of the 1:8 GT World Championship. Hosted by Club de Aeromodelos de Chile (CACH) at their multi discipline RC facilities, the Worlds will run from September 14-20th.

March 27, 2025

Ratheisky confirmed for eSIC 2025

Following last week’s announcement that Atsushi Hara will contest the Electric Singapore International Challenge (eSIC) for the first time, the organisers have confirmed another first time entry from Xray team driver Jan Ratheisky. The well travelled German racer will participate in the third edition of eSIC which moves from September to an earlier date of July 12-13 in 2025. The brainchild of top Singapore touring car racer Nicholas Lee and Chhua Jookiah with the aim of bringing top level international competition to the country, last year’s race which is held at the RCMC race track attracted factory entries from Mugen Seiki, Awesomatix, Yokomo, ARC and Xpress. The previous two editions of the race were won by Mugen Seiki’s Ronald Volker.

Source: eSIC [Facebook]

March 27, 2025

2025 MonTech New York Grand Prix – Announcement

The organisers of the MonTech New York Grand Prix have announced details of the seventh edition of the annual indoor race that takes place at the 360v2 RC track in New Rochelle, New York. Taking place from October 16th to 19th, avoiding the annual Columbus Day holiday this year, the event has become one of the highlights on the annual US onroad racing calendar and draws an international entry stateside. Last year it was Awesomatix’s Kemp Anderson and Xray’s Keven Hebert who came away as the big winners securing victory in Mod 1:12 and Mod Touring Car respectively. The vision of long time 1:12 racer Donny Lia, the NYGP is the nearest thing RC will get to having a race in Time Square, the track just a 20-minute train ride from the centre of the City That Never Sleeps. Counting multiple World Champions Marc Rheinard (2022 NYGP Winner), Ronald Volker (2019 NYGP Winner), Alexander Hagberg, reigning 1:12 Stock World Champion Max Mächler and Ollie Payne as previous participants, 360V2 is one of the biggest indoor tracks in the US with racing takes place on a track layout covering an area of 105 X 48 feet.

Source: Fordham 360 Hobbies & Raceway [Facebook]

March 27, 2025

LensBodies Ponente 2.0 1:12 body

LensBodies has introduced their latest new 1:12 body shell, the Ponente 2.0. Following the success of the first version of the Ponente body, the second version has been developed together with the Italian body producer’s brand ambassador and driver Alexander Hagberg. The 2.0 gives you more corner speed, with a good balance between front grip and rear traction and is available in Ultra Light, Light, as well as Standard versions. The bodyshell will be available at this weekend’s EFRA 1:12 European Championship in Belgium, and will be available from usual outlets in 10-days time.

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March 26, 2025

Arrowmax X4’25 Spring Steel Chassis Conversion Kit

Arrowmax has launched a brand-new Electric Touring Car series steel chassis conversion kit, with its first product designed for the Xray X4‘25. The kit is made of 1.2mm thick hardened spring steel, offering excellent elasticity. Combined with advanced PVD coating technology, it not only enhances surface corrosion resistance but also significantly improves overall durability. Precise manufacturing techniques further ensure the flatness of the chassis, meeting the rigorous demands of high-performance competitions. Compared to traditional carbon steel or aluminium chassis, this steel chassis demonstrates outstanding advantages in durability and performance stability. The hardened spring steel material greatly enhances impact resistance and deformation resilience, ensuring exceptional performance even under high-intensity and long-term use. Additionally, to optimise the overall design, the chassis features a slimmer profile and is accompanied by specially customised 110-degree screw heads with 12.9-grade high-strength screws, ensuring the durability and reliability of fasteners, and significantly increasing lifespan. Currently, the product is open for pre-order and is scheduled for delivery starting in mid-April.

Source: Arrowmax [am-arrowmax.com]