Red RC » R On Road

August 27, 2026

Balestri to defend Singapore International Nitro GP title

Two time IFMAR World Champion Dario Balestri is to defend his Singapore International Nitro GP title, with the Infinity driver confirmed to head this year’s entry list. Having last month claimed his fourth consecutive European Championship title, the Italian is relishing his first opportunity to race on the newly resurfaced RCMC track, which underwent huge work earlier this year. Set to take place from October 10-11, the same weekend as the Singapore F1 Grand Prix, a repeat win this year would be extra special as the race will celebrate its 20th anniversary. An event that over the two decades has welcomed numerous World Champions, 2026 looks like attracting its most World Champion stack field yet, all vying to take the win of the Radio Control Modellers’ Club’s annual international race.

Source: RCMC Singapore [Facebook]

August 25, 2026

Chinese Champion Fong joins Xray

Newly crowned 2026 Chinese Touring Car National Champion Kenrick Fong has joined Team Xray. The international racer who has travelled to European this year to race in the ETS and is a TITC Open Brushless and eSIC (Electric Singapore International Challenge) finalist, joins the Slovakian manufacturer having previously represented Mugen Seiki. On the announcement the Hong Kong based driver posted, ‘Thrilled to officially join Team Xray! Huge thanks to Martin and Nic for giving me this amazing opportunity — I truly appreciate your trust. I’ll give my very best and push hard for success. The journey starts now… let’s go!’

Source: Xray [teamxray.com]

August 24, 2026

Kuenning wins 1:8 Open at Great Lakes Challenge

The 26th anniversary of the annual Great Lakes Challenge nitro onroad race took place at the TSRCAR track in Lebanon Ohio, where it was Xray’s Max Kuenning who took the win in 1:8 Open. In qualifying Kuenning would do a TQ double at the iconic US race, securing pole in both 1:8 and 1:10 Nitro Touring Car after 5 rounds of qualifying. With the event attracting just shy of 100 entries, in 1:8 Ron Atomic and David Dunn completed the Top 3 with Dunn claiming P2 in Sedan ahead of Chris Tossolini. In Sedan Kuenning’s race would last only 4-minutes allowing Dunn who took an early lead from the Top Qualifier to cruise to victory in the 40-minute final. Scott Fisher and Chris Doseck completed the podium. In 1:8 Open, the concluding race of the 2026 Great Lakes Challenge, Kuenning would have an early battle with Tossolini before the latter retired at the 16-minute mark. Holding on to his lead, the former ROAR National Champion would take the win from the Mugen Seiki of Sal Difazio and Infinity of Scotty Ernst. In 1:8 Nitro GT Claude Netune Jr. took his Serpent to the win.

Image: Max Kuenning [Facebook]

August 21, 2026

Power HD servos for Diekmann

Well known & highly experienced international nitro onroad racer Thilo Diekmann is to use PowerHD servos. A World and European Championship finalist in both 1:8 Onroad and 1:10 Nitro Touring Car, the German is a team driver for Italian car manufacturer Capricorn and will now use Power HD‘s GTS-2 servos in his cars. A finalist in Bangkok 2-yers ago, Diekmann is among the bumper entry that will contest the upcoming IFMAR 1:10 Nitro Touring Car World Championship in Gubbio, Italy.

Source: PowerHD [chd.hk]

August 18, 2026

Wood closes on BRCA title with Wombwell win

After a disappointing Round 5 at Adur and European Championship in France, Shepherd’s Tim Wood bounced back to take the Round 6 win of the BRCA British National 1:8 Onroad Championship at Wombwell over the weekend. In qualifying, 25-drivers making up the 1:8 Nitro class, it was Wood who would secure the TQ being the only one to manage a 15-lap run around the 50-year-old track over the 4 rounds of qualifying. Behind him Andrew Hasting would secured second on the grid ahead of David Spashett and Karl Dransfield. In the half hour final, setting the fastest lap Wood would dominate from the front to claim his 4 win of the season. Spashett and Round 5 winner Craig Hook would complete the all Shepherd podium with Hastings dropping to fourth. The penultimate round of the 8 round championship will see racers return to Halifax on September 5/6th where it was reigning Champion Alex Thurston who won the the season opener.

Image: Shepherd Micro Racing [Facebook]

August 17, 2026

Mugen Seiki 1:10 Touring Car Program – Statement

Following speculation on the future of Mugen Seiki’s 1:10 Electric Touring Car Program following the mid season departure of star driver Ronald Volker last week to RC Maker and designer Robert Piesch at the end of the 2025 season, the Japanese manufacturer has issued a statement to clarify it has no intentions of ‘discontinuing or downsizing’ the project. On the Mugen Seiki Europe Facebook page they posted, ‘Following the recent announcement regarding Ronald Völker’s departure, we have received a number of questions and speculations concerning the future of Mugen Seiki’s 1/10 touring car program. We would therefore like to make our position clear: Mugen Seiki has absolutely no intention of discontinuing or downsizing its 1/10 touring car program. Team changes among professional drivers are a common occurrence in this sport and are not unusual. The MTC3 platform continues to be developed by the team, and our commitment to the project remains unchanged. While we wish Ronald every success in the next chapter of his career, we will remain fully committed to the continued development and success of the MTC3 platform. We sincerely appreciate the continued support and trust of our customers, partners, and racing community.

Source: Mugen Seiki Europe [Facebook]

August 16, 2026

2026 IFMAR ISTC World C/ships Stage 2 Report

IFMAR has published the Stage 2 report for the 2026 ISTC World Championships which take place at Huge RC in Bangkok, Thailand, from November 8-14th. Since the the Stage 1 report, the main updates are the details of the recently announced official tyres from Hudy. Using the A2-40 tyre, a maximum of 20 sets of tyres can be bought of which 12 sets must be marked for the actual race event covering from controlled practice until the finals. Stage 2 also confirms Mighty Gripper V3 Yellow as the controlled tyre additive with Ichinen brake cleaner the controlled tyre cleaner for the event. Both items will be supplied in tyre preparation area. Another small change is that IFMAR President Eric Anderson will now fill the role Technical Director. A unique track for the 13th running of the ISTC World Championships, the track owned by 2002 ISTC World Champion Surikarn Chaidajsuriya a roof covered asphalt circuit, the official Worlds Warm Up Race, which runs as part of the Hudy Series Thailand event, takes place August 29-30. The first cars will hit the track at the Worlds on November 8 with two days of IPD after which the track layout will be changes for the official open practice on November 11th. View the full Stage 2 report here.

Source: IFMAR [ifmar.org]

August 16, 2026

Groskamp takes ENS title with third win in a row

Over a decade after winning his first Euro Nitro Series Championship title, Infinity’s Jilles Groskamp has claimed the 2026 Nitro Touring Car title with his third consecutive win of the season today in Austria. With Round 3 of the championship’s 4-race calendar taking place at the MAV Aigen-Schlägl track, the reigning World Champion secured the TQ as his took his Ielasi Tuned powered IF15 to the fastest time in 3 of the 4 qualifiers, a perfect start to his new engine sponsorship deal with Daniele Ielasi’s engine brand. Topping the fourth & final qualifier, 2025 Champion Jakub Rozycki would line up second for Capricorn with 2024 Champion Melvin Diekmann securing P3 ahead of reigning 1:8 ENS Champion Toni Gruber. In the 12 car 45-minute A-Main, from the front the veteran Dutch racer dominated the final taking an emotional win by a lap over Diekmann. A strong race from Carmine Raiola, who qualified his infinity in P8, would see the Italian complete the podium just ahead of Rozycki, the Polish driver setting the fastest lap of the race. In 1:8 it was Dario Balestri who took the win ahead of Top Qualifier Simon Kurzbuch. Kurzbuch put his Mugen Seki on pole for the final ahead of the Infinity driver but 7-laps into the race the Swiss racer flipped his car over the curbing handing the lead to the 2-time World Champion who would stay there for the remaining 43-minutes for his second win of the season – the Italian the winner of the season opener in Germany. Winner of the Dutch round of the Championship, Kurzbuch would finish second half a lap down while 3rd place qualifier Marco Weigerding completed the podium for Serpent.

Image: Infinity [Facebook]