Red RC » R Off Road

February 6, 2025

Martin takes on UK Team Manager role

Having announced a 1:10 Offroad racing program with Xray at the end of 2024, Lee Martin is to now take on the role of UK Team Manager for the Slovakian manufacturer. Kicking off his new racing deal with a debut win at the BRCA British Offroad Masters in January, the vastly experienced international racer will combine his racing duties with acting as the UK Off-Road Team Manager. In his role, Xray say the multiple European Champion ‘will focus on building and nurturing the offroad team, ensuring that drivers receive the support they need to excel at every race.’ Martin will travel to all major events to provide hands-on assistance, technical guidance, and setup expertise to both team drivers and Xray customers.

Source: Xray [teamxray.com]

February 3, 2025

2025 IFMAR 1:8 Elec. Offroad Worlds – Stage 1 Report

IFMAR has published the Stage 1 Report for the inaugural 1:8 Electric Offroad World Championship confirming the first World title of 2025 will be decided in Portugal from August 26-30th. With Spain hosting the 19th running of the 1:8 Nitro Buggy Worlds last September, their Southern European neighbours will open this new chapter in offroad racing as Associação Clube Moto Galos Barcelos host the first eBuggy Worlds at their 310m track in Barcelos, which is located in the north of the country. While the World Cup Race hosted last April, a precursor to establishing a World Championship for a class, struggled to attract entries, given the growing significance of the 1:8 eBuggy market and the lure of a World title, all the leading manufacturers and their star drivers are expected to travel to Barcelos one month before making the trip to Sydney, Australia for the 1:10 Offroad Worlds. Having previously hosted the 2022 EFRA 1:8 Nitro Buggy European Championship, won by former World Champion David Ronnefalk, and home to the annual International Buggy Challenge (IBC), won in 2023 by World Championship Top Qualifier Juan Carlos Canas, the home track of World Championship finalist Joao Figueiredo is sure to put on an event that reflects the significance of this new World Championship. Red RC is looking forward to making the trip to Portugal in August for this new WC which is the first of four stops on our 2025 IFMAR World Championship coverage tour.

View Stage 1 Report here

February 2, 2025

Kilic wins 4WD at EOS

Mugen Seiki/LRP team driver Burak Kilic has taken the 4WD Buggy win at the EOS Race in Daun, German, the Turkish racer denying the former multiple race series’ reigning Champion Michal Orlowski from winning the now single stand alone race event. In qualifying it was the Schumacher of Orlowski who secured the overall TQ from the Xrays of David Ronnefalk and Bartosz Zalewski with Kilic lining up P4 on the grid. In the opening A-Main, Orlowski made the race look like just a formality while Kilic got through to finish second almost 5-seconds back. A2 however would see a dramatic start as Orlowski and Ronnefalk’s buggies ended up tangled together allowing Polish talent Zalewski to go to the front. Despite pressure from Orlowski in the closing stages, the 18-year-old stayed out front to win by 8/10ths with 2WD EOS Winner Marcus Kaerup, who qualified P8, finishing in third. A3 would again see first lap drama as Orlowski and Ronnefalk touched with Kilic coming out in front after further contact in the next corner. From there Kilic led from Zalewski, Orlowski and Ronnefalk before a mistake from Zalewski ended his chances of the title. Next it was the turn of Orlowski to pile the pressure on Kilic until he ran wide allowing Ronnefalk passed and despite the Swede best efforts over the last minute of the race Kilic held on for the A3 win and overall victory. Orlowski would finish runner-up with Zalewski completing the podium.

Image: Berkan Kilic [Facebook]

January 31, 2025

Kaerup wins 2WD at EOS

Team Associated’s Marcus Kaerup has opened his 2025 season with victory at the EOS race in Daun, Germany. Previously a multiple round series, Kaerup a previous Euro Offroad Series round winner, for 2025 the EOS is a one off event which opened with 2WD action on the temporary Racestars built indoor carpet track. In qualifying it was reiging Euro Offroad Series Champion Michal Orlowski, with 3 TQs from the 4 rounds, who was the Top Qualifier from Kaerup, who topped Q3, with his returning for 2025 AE team-mate Clement Boda completing the Top 3. In the triple finals, A1 saw a great battle between the Top 2 as Kaerup put the Schumacher driver under pressure until Orlowski clipped a board on landing which was enough for the 17-year-old Dane to get through for the win from team-mate Tommy Hall as the pole sitter dropped down the order. In A2 reigning European Champion Orlowski led from start to finish winning by 2.6-seconds from Kaerup meaning it would all come down to A3. Locked in another super close battle at the front, Kaerup would make contact with the leader which would result in the Pole’s buggy ending up on its roof. While Kaerup waited from Orlowski to retake his lead, this bunched back up the field before a mistake from Orlowski dropped him down order as Kaerup took the A3 win from Daniel Kobbevik to claim the overall 2WD win. Despite having to count his A1 P5, Orlowski would finish runner-up with Kobbevik completing the podium ahead of new 2025 Schumacher recruit Noha Ben Mohamed. Drivers will now turn their attention to 4WD for the next two days.

Image: Ruddog [Facebook]

January 30, 2025

Donnelly joins Team EAM

Australian Offroad Champion Lachlan Donnelly has joined Team EAM for the 2025 season as the US brand further expands its global team of drivers. A World Championship year for the 1:10 Offroad category, the 20-year-old long time Team Associated driver will use Team EAM batteries as part of his race program the highlight of which will see him compete for the sport’s biggest prize in his home city of Sydney when it hosts the IFMAR Worlds at the end of September into October. Winner of the Australian 4WD National title ahead of US visitor & 2 time World Champion Spencer Rivkin at the Hills Off Road RC track in October, on his new deal with Team EAM Donnelly said, “I am super excited and thankful for the opportunity to join EAM for the 2025 season and use their race batteries! I look forward to what’s to come with the Team and seeing the brand succeed globally and in Australia!”

Source: Team EAM [teameamotorsports.com]

January 29, 2025

Xray confirms Champions return for MIBO International

Xray has confirmed that two of its MIBO International Champions will return to the third annual running of the Czech indoor onroad/offroad race early next month. Inaugural Pro-Stock Champion Adam Izsay returns and the recent GP3F winner will not only look to retake the Pro-Stock title Xray has won at the previous two editions but he will also step up to compete in the Modified class against the likes of Schumacher’s reigning Champion Michal Orlowski and the Mugen Seiki of inaugural Champion Ronald Volker. In Offroad, defending 4WD Champion Bartek Zalewski, who really made a name for himself at last year’s MIBO International, heads the Slovakian manufacturer’s quest for a third consecutive 4WD title on the offroad track. Bruno Coelho was the winner at the first running of the event that is organised by former top international Czech touring car racer Michal Bok and his well known RC company Mibosport. A sell-out event, the 2025 MIBO International will be very much a family affair for Xray with company founder Juraj Hudy one of 5 of the Hudy family’s three generations who will be racing at the Sport V Hotel based event on February 7-9th.

Source: MIBO [mibosport.com]

January 27, 2025

Team EAM batteries for Kaerup

Having switched electronics sponsor for the 2025 season with the announcement last week he has joined Hobbywing, leading Offroad talent Marcus Kaerup will also have a new battery sponsor in Team EAM. The 17-year-old Dane joins fellow Scandinavian offroad racer Daniel Kobbevik in bolstering the US brands presence in the offroad scene, the Eric Anderson owned company better known for their onroad racing exploits. With 2025 a World Championship year for 1:10 Offroad, it will also see the inaugural running of the 1:8 Electric Buggy World Championships, with Kaerup, already a 1:10 and 1:8 Offroad World Finalist, expected to be a title contender at both for Team Associated.

Source: Team EAM [teameamotorsports.com]

January 26, 2025

Philippine Masters ’25 – Announcement

It has become a bucket list race in the 1:8 Offroad racing scene and the organisers have today announced that registration for the 2025 edition of Philippine Masters is open with just 200 entries up for grabs. Scheduled for April 30-May 4th, the 13th running of the Philippine Masters will see racing for 1:8 Nitro Buggy, 1:8 eBuggy and 1:8 Nitro Truggy (click here to register). A race that was started by local Philippine racers with no ambitions for it to become a major event on the international racing calendar, the Philippine Masters has grown into becoming Asia’s biggest annual 1:8 Offroad race meeting. The success of the race, which takes place in the capital city of Manila, has lead to the continent getting its own high profile championship with Race Director Scotty Ernst creating the Asian Buggy Championships of which PM25 is the second stop of four races that make up the championship’s third season. 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]