Red RC » R On Road

May 25, 2023

Mattia Collavo joins Serpent Factory team

Following on from the significant announcement that Oliver Mack has joined the brand, Serpent has added experienced 1:8 Onroad specialist Mattia Collavo to their factory line-up. Making the move from Mugen to Serpent, Collavo will campaign the company’s latest 990 1:8 Onroad chassis with Ielasi Tuned engines for power. Commenting on news, the personable Italian said, ‘I am very happy to join the serpent team, i see it as the beginning of a nice and long cooperation, i will do my best at national and international race, thank Serpent and Star RC for the opportunity.’

Source: Serpent [serpent.com]

May 24, 2023

Wood leads Velox 1-2 at British Nationals

A hot and sunny Wombwell Circuit welcomed Round 2 of the British 1:8 Onroad Nationals where Tim Wood would lead a 1-2 for the Shepherd Velox. Attracting the highest entry of drivers seen for a long time, qualifying at the super-fast and technical track would see Round 1 winner Wood with his Hasi Tuned powered Velox secure the TQ closely followed team-mate John Carr and the Capricorn of Andrew Hastings. In the 30-minute A Final, Wood led from the start to make it 2 from 2 and extend his lead in the championship with fourth place qualifier Karl Dransfield having a great drive to second for a Zen-Shepherd Race team 1-2. Sam Snell would complete the podium ahead of John Carr who was to have some minor issues during the race. Next month’s third round will take drivers to the Halifax circuit.

Image: Shepherd [team-shepherd.com]

May 22, 2023

Gens Ace to power Nicholas Lee

Gens Ace batteries have announced that Nicholas Lee has officially teamed up with the Gens Ace Factory Racing Team where he will join Yokomo team-mate Christopher Krapp. The multiple IFMAR ISTC World Championship Finalist and 2017 TITC Runner up will compete in Modified and Stock Touring Car, with his main focus being on the Modified class. Commenting on joining Gens Ace, the Singapore driver said, “I ́m happy and delighted to announce that I have joined Gens Ace and will be using their powerful Redline batteries in all my cars. I’m well aware of their excellent quality as I’ve won my first big event with them at the 2013 TITC in the open boosted class. I am looking forward to racing with the Redline batteries. Thank you to everyone at Gens Ace for this opportunity.”

Source: Gens Ace [gensace.de]

May 22, 2023

Electric to run as ‘World Cup’ at IFMAR 1:8 GT Worlds

The organisers of the IFMAR 1:8 GT World Championship in Sydney, Australia, have announced they will have a 1:8 Electric GT class as a supporting ‘World Cup’ race during the event from October 8-14th. Having also run as a ‘World Cup’ race at the inaugural 1:8 GT Worlds in Homestead in 2020, the electric class will continue as a support race given the low numbers achieved last time. While expect slightly higher numbers at John Grant International Raceway than the 18 that was achieved three years ago in the US, IFMAR says this is not enough to warrant a true IFMAR World title. While the official Warm-up Race run by the hosts New South Wales Radio Control Racing Car Club was effected by rain, several drivers have tested on the Monday after that event to check tyre wear for the 1 hour main final and it was confirmed that the Q3 tire from PMT, which is the controlled tyre for this event, can make the 60 minutes without any problems. More news on the Sydney event will be available in the 2nd Stage report which should be available end of June.

Source: IFMAR [imfar.org]

May 22, 2023

Hamon lifts Mod Touring Car NSW State Title

Jeff Hamon lifted the Australian NSW State Titles in electric Touring Car over the weekend at the Newcastle On Road R/C Car Club. Better known for his nitro onroad exploits, the Serpent team driver took the Modified title with victory over the Xray of Top Qualifier Ari Bakla with multiple champion Simon Nicholson completing the podium for Yokomo. Racing on the tight track, Hamon, winner of the recent 1:8 GT Worlds Warm-up race, qualified third behind Nicholson with John Puse fourth. Opening with the win in A1 of the triple A-Mains A2 would see a DNF as Bakla took the win. All to play for in A3, Hamon got to the front early and despite Bakla having the fastest car on track, he kept him at bay to win and secure the title.

Image: Jeff Hamon [Facebook]

May 22, 2023

Oliver Mack joins Serpent

Serpent has announced that Oliver Mack will represent the brand in 1:8 Onroad racing. The signing of the popular German racer is a major signing for the brand who have suffered some key driver departures and have been very quite on the driver market. Interrupted by a stint with Infinity, Mack was a long time driver for Team Shepherd, who unfortunately will close their doors next month, and his move to Serpent is a positive boost for the pioneering 1:8 Onroad manufacturer with whom his racing career started out. Commenting on the news the 2015 European Champion said, ‘I am happy being back after such a long time, the brand where it all began, back to the roots. I am absolutely motivated to show good results and to give my best for Serpent. I am really looking forward to that journey together.’

Source: Serpent [serpent.com]

May 15, 2023

Branson wins British Touring Car National opener

Xray’s Kyle Branson got his BRCA National Electric Touring Car title defence off to the best possible start over the weekend taking victory at the opening round in Stafford. In qualifying it was new Yokomo signing Alex Thurston who took the first round from the Schumacher of Zak Smith. Branson responding to go quickest in Q2 again with Smith second fastest. All to play for in Q3, multiple British Champion Chris Grainger popped up to take the final round with his Schumacher from the Xray of Ben Cosgrove. With Branson in third, that was enough for him to take the pole position. Cosgrove’s second place was enough to give him the tie-break for third over fellow Xray runner, Harley Eldridge. In the finals, it was Branson, who came, saw and conquered, taking all three legs of the final for the overall win. Behind him it was Smith with two seconds and a third, and Harley Eldrige took the third podium spot with a brace of thirds.

Read 13.5 & 17.5 Class reports here

May 15, 2023

2023 1:12 World Championship Stage 1 Report

The organisers of the 2023 IFMAR 1:12 World Championships have just published the Stage 1 Report for the 21st running of the title which will be decided at Beachline Raceway in Cocoa, Florida, from December 4th to 9th. The largest indoor racing facility in the state, this will be the seventh time these World Championships are hosted in the US and mark only the second running of the title since it separated from being part of the same World Championship week as 1:10 Electric Touring Car after South Africa in 2018. The most significant information from the Stage 1 Report is the tyre information with Jaco tires the official controlled foam for the event with their Magenta front and Pink rear. These tyres will be available to competitors for practice from late June. Beachline Raceway, which recently hosted the ROAR Electric Carpet Off-Road Nationals, will run a Warm Up Race on November 24-26. With the last 1:12 Worlds held in 2020 in the UK just before Covid hit the World, with Marc Rheinard taking the title for a second time, the return of the championships is set to be extra interesting following the news that reigning back to back Touring Car World Champion Bruno Coelho will make his first attempt at the title. Red RC will travelling to Florida in December to cover the unfolding of the fourth and final World Championship of the 2023 season.

View Stage 1 Report here