Red RC » R Off Road

June 29, 2026

Canas reclaims European title as Spanish legend Batlle bids farewell

Sworkz’s Juan Carlos Canas has reclaimed his title as EFRA 1:8 Nitro Buggy Champion on home soil, the 44th running of the championships also marking the 20th & final European Championship appearance of Spanish Offroad legend Robert Batlle. Racing at the Fuencarral in Madrid, where last October Canas took the win at track builder Miguelo Izquierdo’s Buggyland race, qualifying would see 4 different drivers top the times over the 5 rounds. With rain causing a 3-delay during the qualifiers, it was Canas who opened proceedings with the fastest time in Q1. World Champion Davide Ongaro went to the top in Q2 before Batlle marked his final event with a TQ performance in Q3. Fastest in Q4 and again in Q5, it was Italian Mattia Polito who was the Top Qualifier ahead of his Sworlz team-mate Canas, Ongaro, Sparko’s Adrian Pariente, and Batlle, with defending Champion David Ronnefalk qualifying his Xray in P9. Unfortunately for Polito his event would go downhill after qualifying. Problems in the Semi final put him in the LCQ race from which he would retire, Mayako’s Pekko Iivonen getting that win to line-up 13th in the main event. Winning his Semi in a fractionally faster time than Ongaro’s win of the other Semi, it was Canas on pole for the 45-minute encounter with Mugen Seiki’s Berkan Kilic lining up 3rd in front of Adrian Pariente. While Ongaro would find a way to the front early in the final, Canas got the spot back with Pariente, who set the fastest lap of the final, making it a Spanish one-two 6.9-seconds back as they crossed the finish line. First to congratulate an emotional Canas on his win was Batlle, the 2012 World Champion & 3-time European Champion signing off with an 11th place after a tyre issue. Ongaro would complete the podium, the European title once again eluding the 3-time World Champion, while Ronnefalk took claimed 4th ahead of Burak Kilic, his brother Berkan retiring from the race just before the half hour mark.

Inage: Sworkz [sworkz.com]

June 24, 2026

Edmunds joins Sparko

Having been without a 1:8 Buggy sponsor since his departure from the Mayako Youth Mentoring Program last year, Australian offroad talent Jayden Edmunds has been announced as Sparko Racing’s latest team recruit. The 20-year-old from Adelaide native has already proved himself as a formidable competitors and brings a wealth of experience and an impressive list of achievements to the Taiwanese manufacturer. A winner and multiple podium finisher in the Asia Buggy Championships, on the announced Edmunds, who represents Schumacher in 1:10 Offroad, said, ‘Super happy for this to be announced! A massive thank you to Jaden Power for the opportunity to be apart of the team for a long term partnership, I’ll be with the team for the rest of 2026 and 2027. Lots of time and thought went into this decision and I’m confident I made the right one for a long term home.’

Source: Sparko Racing [sparkoracing.com]

June 8, 2026

Ielasi Tuned engines for Monteiro

Portuguese 1:8 offroad racer Ricardo Monteiro’s program will be powered by Ielasi Tuned engines, the Italian engine tuner announcing the European Championship finalist as their latest team driver. Set to use their recently released Terra Evo 2026 engine, on the announcement Monteiro, who is also a highly mechanic most notably working with Bruno Coelho, said, ‘For many years I followed and got to know the Ielasi family, witnessing the hard work and also ideas they wanted to put into the offroad market. I am very happy to finally be able to join their adventures and showcase their amazing products! Big thank you to Daniele, Sabrina and the whole Ielasi Tuned team, time to work’.

Source: Ielasi Tuned [ielasituned.com]

June 2, 2026

Double win for Canas at Campeonato de España

Sworkz’s Juan Carlos Canas did the double at Campeonato de España near Barcelona over the weekend with wins in the 1:8 Offroad event’s Nitro and Electric Buggy classes. Racing at the Racbsa Montjuic track, the multiple European Champion stamped his authority on proceedings in the nitro class topping seeding and all three qualifiers before going on to win the 45-minute nitro final. In that final it was recent National Championship Round 2 winner Daniel Pariente who was the closest challenging, the No.2 qualifier’s Sparko finishing 5-seconds off the winner. Mugen Seiki’s David Todd completing the nitro podium ahead of 3rd place qualifier Robert Batlle. In eBuggy it was the former European B Champion who secured the TQ honours ahead of Canas and Parente, but win A1 & 2 it was Canas who took the win. Todd won A3 to finish runner-up with Parente making it a podium double in third.

Image: Modelix [Facebook]

June 2, 2026

Johansson doubles at Swedish Nationals opener

Schumacher’s Elias Johansson completed the double at the opening round of the Swedish 1:10 Offroad National Championships hosted by MHF Skarpnäck. Racing on the blue astro surface track and in sunny conditions all weekend, Johansson would TQ the 33 car field of 2WD Buggies on Saturday taking his LD3 to the fastest time in all 4 qualifiers. In the finals his domination continued as he won the opening two A-Mains to secure maximum championship points, Winning A3 Team Associated’s Alexander Landén finished second with Edwin Angseryd completing the podium. In Sunday’s 4WD it was again Johansson who again claimed the TQ ahead of Landén, the latter managing a TQ run in Q1. Ludwig Albertz lined up P3 and that was the same order as they would step onto podium, Johansson able to sit out A3 afters win in A1 & 2.

Image: Elias Johansson [Facebook]

June 1, 2026

British Buggy Nationals R3 wins for Holdsworth & Smith

It was a double success for Schumacher at Round 3 of the British 1:10 Offroad National Championships with Josh Holdsworth and Ben Smith taking the wins at the Robin Hood Raceway hosted event. In 2WD on Saturday it was Team Associated’s defending BRCA Champion Tommy Hall who secured the TQ ahead of Smith, winner of the opening two rounds, Holdsworth and the Xray of Lee Martin. While Hall opened the finals by winning A1, it was Smith who took A2 forcing the overall battle for the win to go to A3. This was duly won by Holdsworth and with a winning time just 0.024 of a second faster than that of Smith, this gave Holdsworth the overall win on tie break from Smith and Hall, all three drivers recording a win, a 2nd and a 3rd. In 4WD, Smith took the TQ after topping 3 of the 4 rounds with Scottish Team Associated racer Daniel Pole taking P2 after setting the fastest time in Q4. In the finals Smith led home 3rd place qualifier Hall as Pole dropped to the back of the field after a mid race mistake. Pole made up for his error in A2 with a brilliant last lap pass on Smith to take the win. In A3 Smith would keep Pole at bay to claim his first 4WD win of the 2026 season with Hall completing the podium. Round 4 of the BRCA Championship takes place at Southport on June 20/21st.

Image: Schumacher [Facebook]

June 1, 2026

Baruffolo wins 26th edition of Kyosho Masters

Italy’a Marco Barufollo has won the 26th edition of the Kyosho Masters which took place at the RC94 track in France over the weekend. In qualifying it was multiple European Champion Renaud Savoya who took the Nitro Buggy TQ ahead of 2025 Champion Riccardo Berton, both drivers posting two TQ runs each but Savoya getting it on the tie-break. Barufollo would claim 3rd ahead of German driver Tim Kraus and Sweden’s Jessica Palsson. With Berton and Barufollo winning the Semi Finals, Barufollo’s win ahead of Savoya the faster, the Top 3 on the grid for the 45-minute final would be the reverse of qualifying order. From the front and setting the fastest lap of the race Barufollo would take the win by half a lap from Berton despite rain making an appearance during the final. Savoya would gamble on changing tyres for the rain but it didn’t last and with the track drying quickly he struggled to eventually finish P4 behind British racer Olivier Nattress who completed the podium. In eBuggy it was Barufollo who took qualifying but retiring from the first of the four 10-minute finals, he would lose out to Berton on tie-nreak after the both counted two wins and 2nd each.

Image: Marco Barufollo [Facebook]

May 27, 2026

Philippines ‘True North RC Raceway’ track nearing completion

Having reported back in March on the ground preparation work for the new True North RC Raceway in the Philippines, track builder Edward Sio has now shared aerial images showing the track nearing completion. Built on the grounds of the El Masfino Hotel and Resort in San Rafael, which is around 50km north of the capital city, True North RC Raceway is a completely new build to replace the iconic Circulo Verde Race Track which has hosted Asia most famous offroad race the Philippine Masters, which was last held in 2025. On the latest work to the track, Sio, who is known for his 3D track builds, posted, ‘Track is almost ready! Initial surface treatment is done, driver stand is up, and next up are pipe layout and pit lane. Dogbone Hobby Shop is coming soon. Excited to get back into RC after more than a year away – back to being a NEWBIE again!’ We are excited to see the final build and look forward to an announcement on the return of a ‘new’ Philippine Masters and the Philippines once again being back on the Asian Buggy Championship, the Scotty Ernst promoted championship born out of the success of the original Philippine Masters.

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