Red RC » R On Road

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.

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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]

January 25, 2026

Arnaldi takes GT victory at Asian Nitro Party

With the 1:8 GT Final bringing a successful inaugural Asian Nitro Party race to a close under the lights at the Hongyu GDC track, it was Genius’ Bernard-Alain Arnaldi who took the win in China. It was to be a drama packed start to the 45-minute final with World Champion Alessio Mazzeo calling a time out during the warm-up due to an engine issue. With that time out expiring, as the rest of the field headed to the grid after complete a restarted warm-up, Mazzeo’s car only making its back onto the starter having been fitted with a new engine that still needed to be tuned. With this hastily done by Gimar’s Giovanni Crea to try not miss the start, the Italian would have to begin from the pit lane. With that immediately putting him half lap down, Italy’s quest for victory was struck a blow for a second time as Top Qualifier Natanaele Senesi would flame just 2 corners after the start. He would rejoin two laps down as Spain’s Raul Anton led the way in front of team-mate Arnaldi, who had had a mistake at the first corner. Anton would soon allow the Frenchman to go to the front, giving Arnaldi plenty of room to execute a pass at the end of lap 6. Once there that was where he would stay til the finish. With Mazzeo’s Raptor the fastest car on track, it did look like we might be in for a showdown in the closing stages of the race. Getting the gap down to 3-seconds, unfortunately damage to his body would in turn lead to it cutting into his tyre and causing his pace to drop right off and allowing Arnaldi to build back up his advantage to win by 16-seconds. All the time, as the Mazzeo tried to chase down the leader, Senesi was working his way back up through the field to salvage a podium finish.

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January 25, 2026

Matsukura gives masterclass in China to win Asian Nitro Party

Infinity’s Naoto Matsukura gave his rivals a masterclass on how to execute a perfect 45-minutes of driving, the Japanese driver turning around a difficult qualifying to win the inaugural Asia Nitro Party at Hongyu GDC track in China. After qualifying 14th, he gave the first hint of what was to come in the Semi Finals coming from 7th on the grid ahead of the Mugen Seiki of JJ Wang who started on pole. Lining up second for the Main event behind the Mugen Seiki of Top Qualifier Sinnosuke Yokoyama, Matsukura would get jump on his countryman off the line and once in front never looked back. Unfortunately Yokoyama’s impressive qualifying performance wouldn’t be rewarded in the final, the OS. Speed factory driver having a difficult race and suffering a flame out and also needing to do a body change during the race. He would finish 8th 15-laps down on the winner. While Matsukura controlled the race, Xray’s Filippo Domanin would keep him honest, the former Nitro Touring Car World Champion’s 7-second advantage over the Italian teenager never enough to allow him to completely relax. Having made a good start from 5th on the grid after winning his Semi Final, Domanin also had to watch his back with Serpent’s Andrea Catanzani only 3-second behind at the finish. Competing the podium, Catanzani set the fastest lap of the final but having to tune his engine in the early part of the race prevented the World Championship Top Qualifier from challenging for the win. Fourth place would be decided in the final stages of the race between Wang, who impressed in qualifying with two TQ runs, and Hotrace tyres owner Nicola Marrone. With both drivers having limited race mileage in recent years, Marrone would get by in the final 2-minutes of the race as Wang ran out of tyres. Afterwards both drivers looked very stiff following their first 45-minute final in a number of years.

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