Red RC » R Off Road

February 8, 2025

Kobbevik & Kaerup hold overnight TQ at MIBO

Daniel Kobbevik and Marcus Kaerup hold the overnight Offroad TQs at MIBO International with one round of qualifying to go but it was very contrasting finishes to the day’s action for the pair. For Kobbevik the penultimate round of qualifying saw the Schumacher driver do the double topping the time for both 2WD and 4WD. For Kaerup however his day ended with a bang as he clipped a track marker resulted in what he described himself as a ‘major break’ on his Team Associated. Having TQ’d the second 2WD qualifying the time of fastest time of the day Q4 TQ run means the Norwegian holds the top on the rankings having finished the day equal on points with Kaerup who took the other two rounds. Now a two way shot out for the pole position, Kaerup needs to take Q5 and better Kobbevik’s time. In 4WD Kaerup was the only driver to manage to double his TQ tally taking Q3 after opening qualifying with the fastest run. While Czech Sworkz driver Dominik Vlášek surprised with a TQ run in Q2, it is also going to be a battle of Scandinavians for the 4WD pole position, Kobbevik needing a TQ that is quicker that than set by Kaerup in Q3. Behind them, top seed for both categories and the defending 4WD Champion Bartek Zalewski completes the overnight Top 3 in 2WD with his Xray with the Polish driver still not happy with the performance of his buggies since qualifying started. In 4WD it is the Sworkz of Micha Widmaier in third, the Austrian looking very competitive as he ended the day with a P2 despite a late mistake.

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February 8, 2025

Kobbevik & Kaerup on top after Q2 at MIBO International

It is the Scandinavian’s who lead the way after two rounds of qualifying at MIBO International with Norway’s Daniel Kobbevik (2WD) and Denmark’s Marcus Kaerup (4WD) topping the points table. In 2WD, qualifying opened with Kaerup’s Team Associated setting the fastest time from the Schumacher of Kobbevik but in the second of the 5 rounds a mistake from Kaerup handed Kobbevik a TQ that puts him top of the early ranking. Behind him a consistent Martin Bayer, 3rd fastest on both occasions holds the No.2 spot ahead of Kaerup. After a DNF in Q1 and P4 in Q2 Sworkz’s defending Champion Joern Neumann will be hoping for a better second half of the day. In 4WD, Kaerup also claimed the first TQ but a close finish to the second round saw the Sworkz of Czech driver Dominik Vlášek deny him a repeat while a strong finish from the top Sworkz in seeding netted Micha Widmaier a P3. Having topped seeding in both categories, that pace hasn’t transferred to qualifying for defending 4WD Champion Bartek Zalewski, the 18-year-old Xray driver not happy with his driving saying he is just making too many mistakes.

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February 8, 2025

Volker and Zalewski top seeding at MIBO International

Mugen Seiki’s Ronald Volker and Xray’s Bartek Zalewski are the top seeds at MIBO International, both drivers laying down the fastest 3-consecutive laps of their respective tracks in the Czech Republic. On the onroad track the battle between the races 2 previous champions continued with Volker maintaining his slightest of advantages over the Schumacher of Michal Orlowksi, 4/1o0ths of a second all that separates them. Behind them the Xray of former MIBO Stock Champion Adam Iszay set the third fastest time ahead of the Yokomo of Christopher Krapp and new 2025 Mugen Seiki signing Patrick Gollner. On the offroad side of the event, defending 4WD Champion Zalewski pulled off the double topping seeding in both 2WD and 4WD. In 2WD it was recent EOS winner Marcus Kaerup who was his closest rival, the Team Associated driver over 2/10ths off with a similar gap back to the Schumacher of Daniel Kobbevik in P3. It was the Sworkz of Micha Widmaier who got closest to Zalewski in 4WD with Kaerup completing the P3.

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February 7, 2025

Volker, Kobbevik & Neumann set pace on opening day of MIBO International

It is the biggest MIBO International race yet and kicking off the third edition of the combined Czech onroad & offroad indoor event it was Ronald Volker in Modified Touring Car, Daniel Kobbevik in 2WD Buggy and Joern Neumann in 4WD Buggy who set the pace in free practice. With both tracks opening up to racers late afternoon, to give them the Friday morning to travel to the Sports V Hotel in Hrotovice, Day 1 of the event consisted of 5 rounds of practice. On the black carpet onroad track it was the Mugen Seiki of inaugural MIBO Champion Volker and the Schumacher of defending Champion Michal Orlowski would were the bench mark, Yokomo’s Christopher Krapp completing the Top 3. On the grey carpet offroad track, onroad & offroad drivers standing back to back on the central drivers stand, 2WD Buggy saw Kobbevik’s Schumacher have the edge on MIBO debutant Marcus Kaerup’s Team Associated with Xray’s Bartosz Zalewski posting the third fastest time. In 4WD, it was the Sworkz of the defending 2WD Champion Neumann that produced the fastest three consecutive laps ahead of the teenagers Kaerup and Zalewski, the later taking the win here 12-months ago.

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February 7, 2025

2025 IFMAR 1:10 Offroad Worlds – Stage 1 Report

The Stage 1 report for the 1:10 Offroad World Championships which take place in Sydney, Australia, later this year has been published by IFMAR. Taking place at the Hills Off Road RC track which is situated in the North West of Sydney, the 20th running of the World title race is scheduled to run from September 29th to October 2nd for 2WD Buggy and October 3-6th for 4WD Buggy. The Stage 1 Report confirms Australia’s own Clive Silva, who also acts as IFMAR Secretary/Treasurer, will lead the event in the role of Race Director. On the media side RC Race Media will broadcast the official live stream around the world, Tony Firth, Matt Seckold and their crew having previously broadcast the 2023 1:8 GT World Championship and responsible for the live streaming of all four rounds of the high profile Asian Buggy Championships. While previously announced in relation to the Warm-up Race which takes place from April 3-6th, US tyre brand Raw Speed are the official controlled tyre for the Worlds with their Super Mini Soft Compound with Grey Open Cell Insert tyre. Further details of the 1:10 Offroad World Championships, such as a detailed time table, will follow in a Stage 2 report.

View Stage 1 Report here

February 7, 2025

Kilic takes TQ at Montpellier GP as rain cuts quali short

Fresh from his 1:10 4WD Offroad win at the EOS in Germany last weekend, Mugen Seiki’s Burak Kilic has secured the overall TQ at the annual Montepellier GP in France where rain has cut qualifying short. The 19th running of the annual classic that has become the official season opener of 1:8 Offroad nitro racing in Europe, in seeding yesterday it was the younger of the Kilic brothers, Berak, who set the pace from Sworkz Juan Carlos Canas. Concluding Day 1’s action with the first round of qualifying it was last year’s Top Qualifier Canas who set the mark by a considerable margin over his rivals. Behind the Spaniard it with Burak in second and the Tekno of João Figueiredo in third. Today (Friday) however would belong to Burak as he took Q2 & 3 before the decision was made that given the rain and that 3 rounds had been successfully completed driver’s best two would determine the final qualifying order at Circuit du MBM. Last year rain rain also cut short qualifying when the fifth & final round was cancelled. While organisers monitor the weather as to when best to start the running of the finals, behind Burak the final qualifying order is Canas, Berkan and 2023 winner Davide Ongaro while defending Champion Riccardo Berton ended up 13th.

Image: Mugen Seiki European [Facebook]

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