Red RC » R Off Road

January 2, 2025

Berton joins Hobbywing

With 2025 set to mark the inaugural crowning of an IFMAR 1:8 Electric Buggy World Champion, potential title contender Riccardo Berton has been announced as joining electronics manufacturer Hobbywing. Returning to Kyosho at the end of 2024 after a four year stint leading the Infinity 1:8 Buggy program, the Italian is no stranger to Hobbywing products but now officially becomes a team driver. On the news, the Italian World Championship finalist said, ‘I am really happy to join Hobbywing for the new season, in the last 2-years I have used their products, I have been impressed by the HW products feeling and confidence. Thank you to Salton and the whole HW team for this opportunity and I look forward to join big drivers in the team.’ The IFMAR 1:8 Electric Offroad World Championship will take place in Barcelos, Portugal, from August 27-31.

Source: Hobbywing [hobbywing.com]

January 2, 2025

Phend gets Gen ace power for 2025

On a day that has been fully charged with driver announcements, US Offroad star Dakotah Phend’s new line-up of Xray buggies will be powered by Gen ace, the Chinese battery manufacturer officially announcing him as a team driver for 2025. The former TLR driver has a completely new line up of hardware sponsors this year following Horizon Hobby’s decision to crease it full time factory race team and he is making his Xray debut this weekend at the JConcepts Clash of Champions at Hoosier RC HobbyPlex. Chasing a third consecutive win at the Indiana event, while his tyre sponsor JConcepts remains unchanged from 2024, his buggies hint at some of his other new 2025 sponsors with the bodyshells carrying branding from electronic newcomer Team Cayote and FlySky radios.

Source: Gens Ace [Facebook]

January 2, 2025

Martin joins Elceram as part of new 2025 package

Czech RC electronics manufacturer Elceram has announced the signing of former European electric offroad Champion Lee Martin. The British driver, who moves from Schumacher to Xray for the 2025 season, will use the company’s unique ESC in his all new 1:10 program. With Xray’s head of offroad design Martin Bayer having been involved with Elceram since its foundation in 2023, on the announcement Lee said, ‘Joining Elceram for 25′ will take my XRAY rides to the next level. Elceram has produced something nothing short of spectacular and I can’t wait to show everyone its potential! Thanks to Jan, Anna and all the team at Elceram for making this happen!’

Source: Elceram [Facebook]

January 2, 2025

Cayote announces Orlowski signing

Electronics newcomer Team Cayote has announced the signing of World Champion Michal Orlowski to its already impressive team line-up for the 2025 season. The factory Schumacher driver, whose race program includes a busy international calendar of electric onroad and offroad racing including making his TITC debut this year, moves to Cayote from electronics market leader Hobbywing and joins Marc Rheinard, Atsushi Hara, Jilles Groskamp and Christopher Krapp in representing the brand on the global stage. Commenting on the announcement Orlowski said, ‘Since Team Cayote entered the RC market, I’ve been following their progress. The achievements they’ve made in such a short time have left a deep impression on me. Truly excited to be part of this great team.’

Source: Team Cayote [cayote.com]

January 1, 2025

World Champion Sontag joins Xray

Reigning 1:10 2WD Offroad World Champion Tater Sontag has been announced at Xray. Following the demise of the TLR Factory Team, the 17-year American joins former TLR team-mate Dakotah Phend in moving to the Slovakian manufacturer for 2025. On the news of him joining Xray through its US distributor RC America, Somtag sad, “I am partnering up with XRAY & RC America for the 2025 season for many reasons. The cars have proven themselves time and time again, the team is beyond helpful and intelligent. The people in charge have the right mindsets, and so much more! I cannot thank Paul, Drew, and everyone else who made XRAY possible for me! I am beyond excited to see what we can do in the 2025 season!”

Source: Xray [teamxray.com]

December 31, 2024

Kobbevik promoted to Hobbywing Global team

Hobbywing has announced top international Norwegian offroad racer Daniel Kobbevik has been promoted to their international racing team. The IFMAR World Championship finalist, who just before Christmas re-signed to continue with chassis sponsor Schumacher as team-mate to Michal Orlowski who is also a Hobbywing team driver, has in the past few years faced health issues that temporarily halted his RC racing career. However, never giving up and with support from Hobbywing, he returned to the track over the past year and has regained his position as a top level driver. Commenting on the announcement of his promotion to Hobbywing’s international race team, Kobbevik said, ‘I am really happy and proud to be a member of the Hobbywing Global team. The guys behind the scenes are doing a great job and the performance of their products are amazing. I am ready to work even harder to test and develop new stuff and get top results in the coming years.’

Source: Hobbywing [hobbywing.com]

December 30, 2024

Phend’s move to Xray confirmed

Xray has confirmed that US Offroad force Dakotah Phend has joined its factory team, the Slovakian manufacturer confirming the American shortly after it announced the departure of its star driver Bruno Coelho. Xray has been without a top driver in the US since the departure of Ty Tessman at the start of the 2024 when the Canadian former World Champion announced time on his career. With the demise of the TLR Factory Team and Phend announcing the end of a 19-year stint with iconic US brand, his confirmation at Xray ends one of the most discussed and talked about silly seasons in RC in years. On the announcement Phend said, ‘The time in my career has come to make a change, reset, and rejuvenate for the upcoming years. Change is hard but sometimes necessary. I feel like I still have a lot left to give to the RC community and I’m not ready to be done yet. I’ve done a lot of thinking and reflecting these past few months and with that in mind I’m beyond excited to be working with XRAY/RC America for the 2025 season and beyond. There dedication and drive to building race vehicles and competing at the highest level in RC is 2nd to none and I can’t wait to get to the races and show how they can elevate my program. A special thanks goes to everyone behind the scenes at XRAY & RC America that made this opportunity possible. I will be competing at all the major 1/10th and 1/8th events this year including the National and World Championships! I can’t wait to hit the track and I’ll see everyone there!’

Source: Xray [teamxray.com]

December 30, 2024

Xray announces Coelho departure

One of the most anticipated driver market changes for 2025, Xray has officially announced the departure of star driver Bruno Coelho with the current Electric Touring Car World Champion following it up with his own video announcement. In the decade the Portuguese driver has raced professionally for the Slovakian manufacturer, his signing the result of his ultra impressive showing at the 2014 ISTC World Championship in Florida with one of their cars, the combination went on to win 5 World Championship titles both in onroad and offroad. With speculation of Coelho moving to start a new project, he gave them the ultimate departing gift last month when he won his and Xray’s 3 consecutive IFMAR Touring Car World title in the United States. With his current contract due for renewal at the end of 2024 and a new 6-year term on the table it is understood that Coelho’s decision to not re-sign was influenced by the departure of his long time touring car mechanic & close friend Francesco Martini who left the Xray project back in February. Martini is also the owner of Coelho’s long time sponsor Monaco RC and Coelho has openly talked about how influential he has been on his career. Coelho’s own desire for a new challenge is also thought to be a key reason behind the departure from Xray with news of the new manufacturer he will work with expected in the coming days. You can view Coelho nicely produced video here.

Read Xray announcement here