Red RC » R On Road

February 1, 2026

Volker wins ETS Daun

Ronald Volker has ended a four year victory drought in the ETS, the Mugen Seiki driver securing both the TQ and win in Daun, Germany, over the weekend. With his last ETS victory achieved back in 20222, Volker made the weekend his own starting out by topping seeding for the indoor race before going onto to secure the TQ honours ahead of Awesomatix’s Marc Rheinard and the Schumacher of defending ETS Champion Michal Orlwski. Volker was fastest in the opening and closing qualifiers with Rheinard taking the second of the four rounds while Orlowski set the pace in Q3. Behind them Serpent’s Dominic Greiner completed the Top 4 for the grid. While pushed hard in the finals by Rheinard, Volker would seal the deal in A2 with back to back wins ahead of his compatriot. With Rheinard winning A3 from Orlowski, this would be how they would complete the podium with Greiner, who had a coming together with Orlowski in A2, finishing fourth. Alexander Hagberg would be the top Xray contender finishing 5th with Sören Sparbier competing the Top 6 for Mugen Seiki. In Pro Stock it would also be a win for the Top Qualifier, the Awesomatix of Louis Kretschmer claiming the top step on the podium but only after recovering from a bad A1 in which he finished P7. The winner of A1, Xray’s Adam Iszay would finish second overall with the Awesomatix of Olivier Bultynck, the Belgian the top seed after practice, completing the Top 3. Fresh from signing for Schumacher, Denmark’s Jesper Rasmussen was fourth ahead of Sparbier and Xray’s Jan Ratheisky.

Image: LRP [Facebook]

January 30, 2026

2026 Asia Nitro Party Chassis Focus Index

Last weekend Red RC kicked off our 2026 race coverage by travelling to China to the impressive Hongyu GDC track in Foshan for the inaugural running of the Asia Nitro Party. A brand new nitro onroad race providing an international stage for the category, it attracted a stacked international entry that only looks set to grow after a successful first edition. With newly crowned IFMAR 1:8 GT World Champion Alessio Mazzeo and his Raptor leading the biggest category, 1:8 GT, in 1:8 GP it was IFMAR 1:8 Onroad World Championship Top Qualifier Andrea Catanzani and his Serpent who led the entry. Come the finals however the Italians couldn’t put their name on the race’s opening role of honour, that instead going to France’s double European Champion Bernard-Alain Arnaldi and Genius in GT and Infinity’s Naoto Matsukura in 1:8 GP. Over the busy weekend of high revving racing action we managed to get our hands on 8 cars from 6 different manufacturers and for those who missed the any of these chassis focuses as part of coverage from the Asia Nitro Party we have compiled them in our first Chassis Focus Index of 2026.

View Chassis Focus Index here

January 28, 2026

Morganti joins Mugen Seiki Racing

Mugen Seiki Racing, the US distributor for the World Champion Japanese manufacturer, has announced the signing of top American nitro onroad racer Diego Morganti. Son of veteran 1:8 Onroad racer Paolo, the 21-year-old was the winner of 2025 KO Propo Grand Prix driving a Capricorn but goes into the 2026 season with a completely new program. Announced as joining Ielasi Tuned engines at the end of 2025, on campaigning Mugen Seiki’s newly released World Championship winning MRX7, Morganti said, ‘I’m very excited to announce my new collaboration with Mugen Seiki Racing! I can’t wait to get to the track and start testing the new MRX7. Thank you so much to Brian Thomas and to the entire Mugen Seiki team.’

Source: Mugen Seiki Racing [Facebook]

January 27, 2026

Rasmussen joins Schumacher

Schumacher Racing has announced the return of leading Danish racer & Spec Touring Car World Championship Finalist Jesper Rasmussen who will represent the British manufacturer in both onroad and offroad. The move comes after 11-years of racing for Team Associated in offroad and a one year stint with IRIS for his onroad program. Kicking off his new chassis sponsorship this weekend in Stock Touring Car at ETS Daun, on the announcement Rassmussen said, ‘I’m super happy to be back “home” after more than 10 years away from team. Looking forward to work together with team in On road and Off Road. I plan to do all ETS races in 2026, European Championship and World Championship in On Road, National races in On road and Off road fit in my race schedule. My first race will be ETS Daun with my Mi9.’

Source: Schumacher [racing-cars.com]

January 27, 2026

TITC to revert to ‘Classic Layout’ due to concerns over new layout

With just over 2-weeks to go to the 22nd running of the famous TITC (12-15 Feb) in Bangkok, host track RC Addict has announced a revised track layout due to safety and track flow concerns around the layout they had prepared for the 2026 edition. Have created an anti-clock wise layout that featured a very short back straight, today they have published that the layout will revert to a ‘classic layout’ in the clockwise direction featuring a full length straight. In announcing the revised layout RC Addict posted, ‘Due to safety and race flow concerns combined with local and international popular demands, the TITC 2026 layout will be changed for the Addict Classic Layout Clockwise direction. Since we didn’t race it for a very long time, let’s bring it back this year. Thanks for your understanding and support. See you at the track soon!’.

Source: RC Addict [Facebook]

January 27, 2026

Baldes joins Ielasi Tuned

Promising young German 1:8 Nitro Onroad racer Thilo Baldes has joined Ielasi Tuned engines for 2026. The 14-year-old Serpent Team Europe driver will use the Ielasi Pista.21 Team Edition with Energy fuel in his Serpent 990 R. From a well known family of nitro racers, Baldes’ 2025 season included becoming German Vice-Champion and finishing 16th in the overall standings of the Euro Nitro Series. For the 2026 season, the youngster plans to compete in the European Championship, ENS, and German Championship. Having raced the last three season with engines from Reds Racing, on the announcement Baldes said, ‘I am very grateful to Sabrina and Daniele Ielasi for supporting me on my journey. Daniele provides exceptional support on the race track, and his engines have proven themselves to be of outstanding quality for years – exactly what I need for the next steps. I can’t wait to finally drive the first laps with the new engines and start the new season. I am very grateful to Reds Racing for supporting me since 2023 and contributing significantly to my successes so far.’

Source: Ielasi Tuned [ielasituned.com]

January 26, 2026

2026 West Coast Indoor Championships – Report

The Lemo Foundation in Redwood City, California, hosted their annual 3 day trophy race, the West Coast Indoor Championships presented by Awesomatix USA over January 16-18. The race drew 171 entries in the second year of the event. 1up Racing Modified Touring saw track designer Stuart Mason take the overall TQ and win, with the 2024 IFMAR World Championship Finalist Jacob Cruz in 2nd and Lex Tyler in 3rd. In Hobbywing 21.5 Touring Car, it was Lex Tyler taking the overall TQ and the win in A1. Ed Whitecotton took the win in A2, leaving it down to A3 between the two drivers. Whitecotton led early, but a late bobble allowed Tyler to take the overall crown with Kellen Yamamoto taking 3rd overall. Whitecotton would redeem himself in the 25.5 class dedicated to the late Jaime Manzanilla, taking advantage from the 2nd spot on the grid to win A1 and A2, with TQ James Joiner finishing 2nd and Angel Fernan finishing 3rd overall.

Continue reading here

January 26, 2026

Cayote motors & batteries for European Stock Champion

Reigning 1:10 Electric Touring Car Spec and 1:8 GT Electric European Champion Adam Izsay completes an all new electronics package with the news that he has joined Team Cayote for 2026. Last week the Hungarian was confirmed by Czech ESC manufacturer Elceram, and now with Cayote motors and batteries, he emulates fellow Xray racer & full time employ Martin Bayer with his electronics sponsors. With the announcement Izsay posted, ‘Full fresh electronics package for 2026! I’m delighted to join Team Cayote for batteries and modified motors to pair up with my Elceram ESCs. Thank you to Leo, Oscar and everyone for making this possible. Ready to race at the ETS this weekend.’

Source: Team Cayote [cayote.com]