Red RC » P On Road

January 8, 2026

Genius confirm Arnaldi for Nitro Party

Italian GT manufacturer Genius Racing has confirmed they are sending 2 time European GT Champion Bernard-Alain Arnaldi to the inaugural Nitro Party race which takes place later this month at the Hongyu GDC track in China. Travelling to the southern city of Foshan for the brand new Asian nitro onroad fixture, the French driver is the latest top international driver to be announced. Taking place over the weekend of January 24-25th, Arnaldi, who is also one of the World’s leading Large Scale racers, joins fellow Genius driver & Spanish Champion Raul Daras Anton on the strong entry list that will also see the Raptor of newly crowned IFMAR 1:8 GT World Champion Alessio Mazzeo, Senesi Motorport’s 2024 European GT Champion Natanaele Senesi, Infinity’s multiple World Champion Naoto Matsukua, Xray’s Filippo Domanin, and Hotrace’s Nicola Marrone race at the multi track Hongyu GDC facility’s 80m X 43m asphalt circuit. Having ended our busy 2025 season coverage at the recent FEMCA Asia Electric Touring Car Championships at the track, Red RC is excited to be returning to this very impressive venue to cover the inaugural Nitro Party when it will echo to the sound of nitro engines.

Source: Hongyu GDC [Facebook]

January 8, 2026

Mikimodel MS2.0 ‘Exoskeleton’

More Yokomo option parts from Mikimodel, the Italian distributor for the Japanese brand releasing this ‘Exoskeleton’ for the MS2.0 1:10 Electric Touring Car. Machined from 1mm carbon fibre, the structure goes under all motor mounts, front mounts, rear mounts, and control arms. This raises the roll centre by 1mm everywhere to increase the car’s roll. Mikimodel tried various solutions and found a truly significant improvement with a roll centre different from the standard. This ‘Exoskeleton’ can be used on both the standard carbon and the optional steel chassis.

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January 5, 2026

Mazzeo confirmed for inaugural ‘Nitro Party’ race

The organisers of the inaugural ‘Nitro Party’ race, which takes place later this month at the new Hongyu GDC track in China, has announced that newly crowned IFMAR 1:8 GT World Champion Alessio Mazzeo will travel to the city of Foshan for the brand new Asian nitro onroad fixture. Taking place at the 2026 IFMAR ISTC World Championship host track on January 24-25, the Gimar team driver is one of a number of new European entries confirmed for the race which Hongyu GDC has plans to grow & establish into one of the regions major nitro onroad events on the annual international racing calendar. With European GT Champion Natanaele Senesi previously confirmed for the Nitro Party, the latest drivers to join the race also includes Xray’s Filippo Domanin and Attilio D’Angelo, Spanish GT Champion & European Finalist Raul Daras Anton, and Hot Race tyres owner & accomplished 1:8 Onroad racer Nicola Marrone. Racing on the world class facility’s 80m X 43m asphalt circuit, the event has attracted huge interest in the region and beyond, with future high profile entries expected to be announced shortly. Having covered the recent FEMCA Asia Electric Touring Car Championships at Hongyu GDC, Red RC is excited to returning to the very impressive venue to cover the inaugural Nitro Party and to hear it echo to the sound of nitro engines.

Source: Hongyu GDC [Facebook]

January 5, 2026

Takashima D-13 X4 | Speciale 1.2mm Spring Steel Chassis

In its latest release of 1.2mm spring steel chassis for electric touring cars, Takashima D-13 has now expanded their offering with chassis designed for the Xray X4 and the Infinity IF14 Speciale after completing sample testing. With excellent feedback from that testing, all the chassis offerings in the range are produced from a specially selected steel that offers an optimal balance of strength and durability. The chassis features ultra-flat precision grinding with nanometer-level accuracy and a mirror-finish surface treatment for exceptional performance and consistency. Designed to be used with 120-degree flat head screws, this greatly improving cost efficiency and ease of availability, Takashima D-13’s own customised 120-degree, 12.9 grade carbon steel screws work perfectly with their chassis.

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January 2, 2026

Hong Nor X3GTS’26 1:8 GT

World Champion manufacturer Hong Nor has released images of their latest 1:8 Nitro GT kit the X3GTS’26. Due for release at the end of January, the ’26 is an evolution of the WC edition which was released after Toni Gruber’s 2023 World title win in Australia. The most significant upgrades are increased rigidity from the new 4mm 7075-T6 chassis. The kit also features a new radio tray design, Carbon Top Deck, and CNC Machined Chassis Brace Mount, with the combined overall result of the new parts being improved corner speed. Running a 13/44T Spiral Bevel Gear, the’26 also gets a new fuel tank that has been fitted with a fuel pick up that can also function should the car flip.

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January 1, 2026

ORCA signs Sawada

Electronics brand ORCA has announced the signing of top Japanese Touring Car driver & recently crowned 2025 FEMCA Asia Touring Car Spec Champion Shin Sawada. The Xray team driver, who finished fifth at the 2024 IFMAR World Championships in the Spec Class and previously ran for Hobbywing, will join the likes of Naoto Matsukura, Akio Sobue, and Lucas Urbain, in representing the ORCA brand in 2026. A World Championship year, Sawada will be one of ORCA’s key challengers for the Spec title at the Hongyu GDC track in China next April.

Source: ORCA [orcarc.com]

January 1, 2026

Butterfield joins Team Associated

Having announced his departure from Serpent last week, multiple US Nitro Onroad National Champion Bryce Butterfield will race for Team Associated in 2026. Racing both nitro and electric programs during his 5-years with Serpent, the 24-year-old will now form part of Team Associated’s Electric Touring Car team, the US manufacturer only returning to competitive racing with the TC8 which went on release in April of 2025. Sharing the news on his social media, Butterfield who finished runner-up at the 2025 ROAR Modified Touring Car Paved Championships, said, ‘2026 brings a new chapter, Team Associated! Super excited and proud to be a part of this iconic brand! Thank you to BT and everyone behind the scene for allowing me to represent. I’m looking forward to working with the team with a focus on the TC8 and onroad with some off-road sprinkled in here and there. It’s gonna be a great, but busy year! Feel free to come check out my TC8, and hit me up online if you have any questions regarding Team Associated products. See everyone at the track!

Source: Bryce Butterfield [Facebook]

December 31, 2025

Genius XR5.26 1:5 Touring Car

Italian Large Scale and 1:8 GT chassis manufacturer Genius has unveiled its latest 1:5 Touring Car, the XR5.26. They say the XR5.26 represents the most advanced evolution of their 1:5 platform developed through over two years of design, simulation, and intensive on-track testing under real race conditions. The project was developed from a blank sheet, with the goal of creating a dynamically more efficient car, capable of delivering consistent performance, ease of setup, and a high level of control for the driver. Featuring a completely new, it is designed to operate with controlled and uniform flex along its entire length. The introduction of the new centralised engine mounting system, developed specifically for the Diablo R engine, allows for optimal mass centralisation and a significant lowering of the centre of gravity. The new chassis architecture enabled a complete redesign of the suspension geometry, with particular focus on the management of the front and rear roll centres. The steering assembly has been redesigned with new Ackermann angles and optimised linkages making the steering response more direct yet more predictable.

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