May 28, 2026

2026 IFMAR ISTC World C/ships Stage 1 Report – Huge RC


Just announced over the weekend as the new venue & host of the 2026 IFMAR ISTC World Championships, Huge RC in Bangkok, Thailand, has published the Stage 1 report for the 13th running of the 1:10 Electric Touring Car World title race.  Taking place from November 8-14th, the report outlines the basics around the replacement event and general details around the 60m X 30m indoor asphalt facility which has previously hosted two IFMAR Nitro Touring Car World Championships, the most recent of which was in 2024.  In terms of officials, as was planned for the original hosting of the event in China, Australia’s Clive Silva from IFMAR with be the Race Director.  As yet no tyres or additive brands has been announced for the race, with more specific details around the event to be confirmed in the Stage 2 report that Surikarn Chaidajsuriya and his team will present.  In terms of entries, IFMAR has stated that priority will be given to existing registrations and requested that racers please make it known to their BLOC should you wish to attend (or to not attend).  For those who did not have a previous entry, IFMAR expect there will be some spots made available with interested racers asked to contact their local federation or BLOC to indicate their interest.

View Stage 1 Report here


May 25, 2026

First French National win for Baranger

Shepherd driver Fabien Baranger claimed his first Elite Class National win over the weekend with victory at Round 3 of the FFVRC 1:8 Onroad National Championship.  Having finished P2 behind reigning Champion Maxime Ripoll last month in Châteaubourg, young Baranger would go one better at the RSMA track near Paris.  In qualifying it was Mugen Seiki’s Christophe Louis, podium finisher at Rounds 1 & 2, who secured the TQ ahead of Ripoll’s Xray with Baptiste Jimenez third and Baranger fourth.  With Baranger winning his Semi Final he would bump up a spot to start P3 for the 45-minute final.  With Louis leading early on, the race would see dramas for many racers including the leader, Ripoll and Baranger who suffered a flame out while in the lead.  In the end strong pace, only himself & Ripoll posting 16-second lap times, would allow Baranger recover to take the win and end Ripoll run of race wins, the World Championship finalist recovering from his issues to finish 2nd.  Louis would not be able to keep his run of 2026 podium finish going finishing fourth as Simon Bergoin, who initially took over the lead from Louis, claimed the final step on the podium.

Image: Shepherd Micro Racing [Facebook]


May 25, 2026

Matsukura takes Japanese 1:8 Onroad title

Naoto Matsukura is the new 2026 JMRCA 1:8 Onroad National Champion, the Infinity driver taking the title from reigning World Champion Shouki Takahata.  Racing at 2023 World Championship host circuit Infinity International RC Speedway in Suzuka, the annual stand alone championship event would be effected by rain on Saturday causing the action to be cancelled.  Managing to resume racing on Sunday, qualifying would be reduced to two rounds with Takaaki Shimo’s Infinity securing the TQ with his time from Q1.  Topping Q2 ahead of Matsukura, Takahata’s Mugen Seiki claimed P2 with Matsukura ending up third.   Having to come through from the Semi Finals Matsukura woould win his ahead of 2 time World Champion Tadahiko Sahashi.  The other Semi final was won by the other half of the famous Japanese siblings Yuya Sahashi.  In the 45-minute Main, 2024 Champion Shimo led from the front for the first 84-laps before Takahata took over at the front but he wouldn’t be able to repeat his 2025 win, as Matsukura found his way to the front where he would stay to win by just 4/10ths of a second.  Setting the fastest lap of the race Shimo completed the podium on the same lap with Yuya Sahashi finishing P4.

Image: Infinity [Facebook]


May 25, 2026

DAS Speed 1:28 Low Profile LiPo Plugs | Tabs

DAS Speed has introduced this new Low Profile LiPo Plugs & +/- Plug Tabs intended for 1:28 racing applications.  Designed specifically for racers looking for a clean and compact installation, the low-profile gold-plated plugs help reduce unnecessary bulk around the battery area while maintaining excellent electrical contact and low resistance characteristics.  The matching plug tabs make battery connection and removal easier, especially in tight chassis layouts where accessibility can become an issue during race day battery swaps.  According to DAS Speed, the system was developed to provide a more practical and refined battery connection solution while also adding a premium visual touch to the electronics layout, much like the larger-scale connector solutions commonly seen in bigger RC categories.

Source: Das Speed [Facebook]


May 25, 2026

Power HD servos for EC Kim

Power HD has announced that top South Korea Electric Touring Car racer EC Kim, has joined its officially Factory Racing Team.  Having joined Xray at the end of the 2025 season, Kim is a 10-time Korean National Champion, multiple TITC A-Main Finalist, multiple AOC Podium Finisher, and Electric Singapore International Challenge (eSIC) A-Main Finalist.  On joining the leading servo manufacturer, Kim said, ‘I am truly honored to join Team Power HD.  Having run the GTS-2 servo for quite a while now, I can say it never fails to deliver that rock-solid, razor-sharp steering response.  I’m incredibly excited to work closely with the team and push for more victories together!’

Source: PowerHD [chd.hk]


May 24, 2026

IFMAR announces Huge RC as replacement ISTC World C/ships host

After 2-months of working behind the scenes to negotiate & secure a new host for the cancelled 1:12 & ISTC Worlds in China, IFMAR has announced Huge RC in Thailand as the replacement track that will stage the 2026 ISTC World Championships.  The 13th running of the 1:10 Electric Touring Car World Championships is now scheduled to run from the 10-14th of November, with two International Practice Days (IPD) running at the indoor asphalt track on November 8 & 9th.  With the multi track facility Hongyu GDC in Foshan originally having been selected to host back to back 1:12 and ISTC World Championships in late March/early April, IFMAR are still working to secure a new venue for the 22nd edition of the 1:12 Worlds.  Overwhelming feedback received from existing entrants following the cancellation of the event on the Hongyu GDC carpet track, expressed a strong preference for the 1:12 racing to be kept on carpet which was something that was not a viable option for Huge RC.  Located in Bangkok, while the track has successfully hosted two previous Nitro Touring Car World Championships (2014 and 2024), staging the Electric Touring Car Worlds will special moment for the track owner, 2002 ISTC World Champion Surikarn Chaidajsuriya.  The new dates means exactly 2-years after winning a record equalling 3rd ISTC World title in Bakersfield, California, Bruno Coelho will official begin his quest for a fourth consecutive title, a feat that would see him become the category most crowned World Champion.  Winning the 2024 title with Xray, now racing with Infinity, Coelho shares same tally total honours with Marc Rheinard, the 2004, 2008, 2010 World Champion set to make his World Championship debut with Xray at Huge RC after joining the Slovakian manufacturer last week.

Read full IFMAR announcement here


May 22, 2026

South Korea gets new track – AC Speedway V2

Having places to race is vital for the growth of RC racing so it is always exciting when new tracks open and this weekend South Korea newest track, AC Speedway V2, stages its first race.  While a brand new built and location, the track replaces on a much bigger scale the original AC Speedway which was opened in Busan in 2017 by Ahn Jung Hyun who is a dedicated Touring Car racer who has competed at the legendary TITC every years since 2013.  Now located 15-minutes from the location of the old track, the city of Busan in the south east of the country known for its beaches and mountains, the V2 has almost doubled in size with the track now measuring 60m x45m.   The new location can also cater for more racers with the drivers stand and pit area also containing a track side RC shop.  A factory driver who has also become a major race promoter in Asia, Xray’s Nicolas Lee is among the drivers who will race the first laps of the AC Speedway V2 this weekend.

View more images here


May 19, 2026

FEMCA Nitro Onroad C/ships 2027 – Announcement

FEMCA, the governing body for RC racing that represents 15 nations in Asia and Australasia, has announced that the 2027 Asia Nitro Onroad Championships are to be stage in Brisbane, Australia.  This is the second major international race awarded to England Park Raceway who stepped into host the 2026 Asia 1:8 GT Championships which where originally to take place in Vietnam.  With each FEMCA Asia Championships stand alone race events that crown the ‘Champion of Asia’, the Onroad Championship will crown the 1:10 200mm and 1:8 Onroad Champions with the race scheduled to run from March 11 – 14, 2027.  While based in Asia, the championships are open to drivers from around the world with the current FEMCA Electric Onroad Asia Champions both being Europeans.   In 1:12, Schumacher’s current World Champion Michal Orlowski holds the title while in Touring Car the title is held by Infinity driver & 3 time back to back ISTC World Champion Bruno Coelho.

Source: FEMCA [Facebook]


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