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August 8, 2026

Coelho Top Qualifier at European Championships

Infinity’s Bruno Coelho is the Top Qualifier at the EFRA 1:10 Electric Touring Car European Championships in Luxembourg. Winner of last month’s Warm Up Race at Mini Circuit “Ville de Luxembourg”, the World Champion opened qualifying with a TQ run on Friday evening which he then backed up with a another fastest tme in the 5th & final round today. Opting to sit out Q1 to save tyres, Awesomatix’s Simon Lauter would secure second spot as he set the fastest times in Q3 & 4. As the reigning Champion, Schumacher’s Michal Orlowski will try to defend that title from 3rd on the grid, the Pole postng a TQ run in the second round. Racing at his home track, Lucas Urbain took his Awesomatix to P4 on the grid with Alexander Hagberg completing the Top half of the grid ahead of his new Xray team-mate Marc Rheinard. In Spec, Max Mächler will start on pole in his quest to retake the title he last held in 2018. Awesomatix team-mate Olivier Bultynck and Louis Kretschmer start 2nd & 3rd with defending Champion Adam Izsay fourth for Xray. In FWD, Xray’s Stefan Schulz is the Top Qualifier.

Image: Infinity [Facebook]

August 6, 2026

IFMAR publishes bumper 1:10 Nitro Touring Car World Championship entry list

With the countdown underway to the 2026 1:10 Nitro Touring Car World Championship in Italy, IFMAR has published a bumper entry list for next month’s 11th running of category’s biggest race. A decade since Club Automodellistico 5Colli hosted the 7th running of the championship, 129 drivers will travel to Gubbio with reigning World Champion Jilles Groskamp heading the entry for Infinity. The Dutch driver added the nitro title to his 2012 Electric Touring Car World title when he took the win at Huge RC two years ago, the Bangkok venue stepping in as a late replacement host for the race after Costa Rica was forced to cancel due to noise issues. Due to the original location and subsequent change of host in 2024, the entry was just 58 drivers but returning to the nation that is the spiritual home of nitro racing, this is one of the highest entries the category has enjoyed. While Portugal 2008 attracted 133 entries, this year sees more nations represented with 21 countries making up the entry. Winner of the 2018 Worlds in Florida, Naoto Matsukura is the only other past champion in the field. Two-time 1:8 Onroad World Champion and reigning back to back European Champion Dario Balestri, who was Top Qualifier 10-years ago in Gubbio, will be looking to try complete the nitro title set on home soil but he’s faces some others searching for that first title. Representing Capricorn, Toni Gruber is always fast and a title contender and Serpent will be looking to 1:8 Onroad World Championship Top Qualifier Andrea Catazani to try regain the title they won last time out in Gubbio thanks to Dominic Greiner. As the current 1:8 GT World Champion and a hugely popular runner-up in 2016, Alessio Mazzeo will be one of the hopes of 2014 Champions Xray. Mugen Seiki’s challenge is expected to come from British Champion Alex Thurston and O.S Speed’s Shinnosuke Yokoyama. Running from September 4th to 12th, the IFMAR 1:10 Nitro Touring Car World Championships kick starts Red RC’s 2026 World Championship coverage with us looking forward to returning to the medieval town of Gubbio and telling the story of how things unfold at Miniautodromo Internazionale M.Rosati.

View entry list here

August 6, 2026

Serpent adds Baldes to Electric Touring Car Program

Serpent has announced that they have added young German prospect Thilo Baldes to its 1:10 Electric Touring Car program. The now 15-year-old was already representing the manufacturer in 1:8 Onroad but will now race their X26 touring joining forces with fellow countryman and Serpent star driver Dominic Greiner who has been responsible for the car’s development. The newly crowned 1:8 Onroad Junior European Champion, gained his first experience in RC racing many years ago in the 1:10 electric class. He has since been competing successfully with the Serpent 990R in both national and international races and on the announcement said, ‘I’m really looking forward to my first race with the Serpent X26 and am very grateful to Serpent for their support. I’m convinced that Dominic Greiner, together with Serpent, has developed a very competitive car.’

Source: Serpent [serpent.com]

August 5, 2026

2026 Speed King Tour Rd3 – Report

The re-scheduled Speed King Tour 2026 Round 3 took place at the TM Circuit Wakayama outdoor track in Wakayama prefecture Japan last weekend with Xpress driver Masaya Okazaki claiming his first win of the high profile Japanese series. The event was originally scheduled for 24th of May, but had been postponed to this new date due to rain. Track master Kazushige Tomita scored highest point and took TQ honours in the TC0 (Modified) class ahead of Ryoma Yoshida and Takara Sano. The first few laps after the start were utter chaos, with Okazaki moving into the race lead from 6th on the grid very beginning of the A final. Okazaki showed consistent speed and never gave his position up tp secure that first win. Infinity driver Ryosuke Yamamoto finished second from 4th on the grid while Top Qualifier driver Tomita recovered from his mistake with the fastest lap to finished P3 with his Tamiya.

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August 4, 2026

Ielasi Tuned power for World Champion Groskamp

Italian engine tuner Ielasi Tuned has announced that reigning 1:10 Nitro Touring Car World Champion Jilles Groskamp has joined its factory team for the coming seasons. The veteran Dutch racer, who this year celebrates a decade as an Infinity team driver having joined them in 2016, will defend the title he won for the Japanese manufacturer 2-years ago in Thailand later this year in Gubbio, Italy, with Ielasi Tuned’s latest Corsa Engine. On the announcement Groskamp said, ‘I’m excited and very happy to join Ielasi Tuned engines for my Infinity nitro cars. With the 200mm nitro Worlds this year I was looking for the best engine and support. Daniele is with no doubt one of the nicest and hard working guys in the industry and I’m sure we can have a great teamwork together to achieve maximum results! I like to thank Sabrina and Daniele for this opportunity and I can’t wait to hit the track next week at the ENS Aigen with my new engines.’

Source: Ielasi Tuned [ielasituned.com]

August 4, 2026

GT World Champion Mazzeo joins Xray for 1:10 & 1:8 Onroad

Xray has announced that reigning IFMAR 1:8 GT World Champion Alessio Mazzeo is to represented the brand in 1:10 and 1:8 Nitro Onroad. Winner of both the Nitro and Electric GT World Championships in Chile last year, the Italian is the lead driver for GT manufacturer Raptor and G-mar Engines and now returns to the Slovakian manufacturer in this 1:10 Nitro Touring Car World Championship year. The last time the Gubbio track hosted the Worlds for the category in 2016, Mazzeo claimed a podium finish then racing for Serpent. On the announcement Mazzeo posted, ‘Together again. Some stories are meant to continue. Thank you, Team Xray for making this possible. Coming back feels special for many reasons, and sharing this journey once again with people who have always believed in me makes it even more meaningful. I’m excited for what’s ahead.’

Source: Xray [teamxray.com]

August 3, 2026

Morganti adds ROAR 1:8 Onroad National title to CV

Diego Morganti is the new ROAR 1:8 Onroad National Champion, the new for 2026 Mugen Seiki signing adding the title to his CV at the new Groove R/C Raceway track in Sheridan, Illinois. Winner of the track’s opening race in June, the United States Grand Prix presented by Ulti Tires, qualifying would see the 21-year-old secure second as Michael Palazzola secured the overall TQ on the completion of the three rounds. RC legend Joel Johnson completed the Top 3 on the grid ahead of Christopher Tosolini, the Top 4 direct qualifiers, with the Xray of 2023 Champion Max Kuenning ending up P5. Unfortunately a stripped second gear prevented Kuenning from progressing from his Semi final, Ralph Birch winning that to start the Main P5. In the 45-minute final, Morganti would quickly go to the front with Palazzola unfortunately retiring from second spot after just 6-minutes. This promoted Tosolini to second, the World Championship finalist managing to run at the front in the second half of the race for 40-laps before Morganti re-took the lead with his Ielasi Tuned powered MRX7 to eventually win by almost 3-laps. Birch, a 32-time ROAR US National Champion, would make it an all Mugen Seiki podium. In 1:10 Nitro Touring it was also a Mugen Seiki success with Jacob Cerrato securing the win while the 1:8 GT title went to Serpent’s Jose Almonte.

Image: ROAR Racing [Facebook]

August 3, 2026

Hamon crowned inaugural FEMCA 1:8 GT Asia Champion

Jeff Hamon has become FEMCA’s inaugural 1:8 GT Asia Champion, the new Capricorn signing winning the title at England Park Raceway in Australia over the weekend. An event that the Asian governing body had originally awarded to Vietnam, the switch to the Brisbane track would see the city’s top international racer set the pace from the off. Fastest in seeding, the 1:8 GT and 1:8 Onroad World Championship finalist would secure the overall TQ after topping 3 of the 4 rounds. Topping Q2 as Hamon suffered a DNF, former 1:5 World Champion Russell Grenenger would secure P2 for Hong Nor with team-mate Rick Bartolozzi completing the Top 3 ahead of New Zealand’s Lockie Roachie. In the 45-minute final, Hamon controlled the race with his Ielasi Tuned powered GT2 setting the fastest lap of the race en route to a convincing victory. With Grenenger holding second for much of the race, unfortunately he would retire with 5-minutes to go promoting Roachie to second. Starting from 12th on the grid after fighting issues in qualifying, Serpent’s Anthony Wasson would work his way up through the field to complete the podium ahead of Bartolozzi.

Image: Jeff Hamon [Facebook]