October 23, 2024

Senesi to race 1:10 Electric Touring Car with Yokomo

Reigning 1:8 GT European Champion Natanaele Senesi is to race 1:10 Electric Touring Car with Yokomo announcing that the GT specialist is to join Yokomo Italy as an official driver.  Finishing fourth at last year’s IFMAR 1:8 GT World Championship in Australia, the Italian then took his own car creation to victory at this year’s EFRA European Championship held at the Naxos World track in Sicily, Italy.  Announcing the signing of the 25-year-old, Yokomo said, ‘We are truly honoured to introduce Natanaele Senesi to as new Yokomo Italy official team-driver for the 1/10 TC class.  We believe it is a truly great pleasure that the reigning European Champion and eleven-time Italian Champion of the 1/8 GT class wants to compete in the 1/10 TC with us.  It is certainly a new challenge, not an easy one, but we are happy that Natanaele had faith in our newborn MS1.0 to undertake this journey.  Thanks Natan and good luck!’

Source: Yokomo [teamyokomo.com]


October 23, 2024

MIBO International 2025 – Announcement

Counting Michal Orlowski, Ronald Volker, Bruno Coelho and Joern Nuemann among its previous winners, MIBO International returns for a third edition in 2025 with former international touring car racer Michal Bok confirming February 07-09 as the date for the Czech based event.  A long time dream of Bok to host his own major international event in Hrotovice, the indoor event finally came to fruition in 2023 bringing together both electric onroad and offroad racing on two tracks build side by side by the team from Mibosport.  The first edition of MIBO International saw the Mugen of Volker crowned the inaugural Touring Car Champion and Coelho’s Xrays take double buggy honours at the Sport V Hotel venue.  The 2024 edition would see Orlowski steer his Schumacher to the Touring Car victory while on the offroad track Neumann’s Sworkz took the 2WD honours and young Bartek Zalewski took 4WD from Xray team-mate Martin Bayer.  With everything from the track, restaurant, bowling alley and hotel rooms all under one roof, the venue is always a hit with racers.  With a capped entry limit the relaxed schedule also means plenty of time in the evening to wind down and socialise over dinner after each day’s racing.  Officially a two and a half day event, the event gets underway on Friday evening with practice to allow for travel Friday morning.  The full list of Onroad and Offroad Classes, plus the opening of registration, for the 2025 MIBO International will be announced shortly.

Source: MIBO [mibosport.com]


October 22, 2024

2024 Speed King Tour Rd5 – Report

Round 5 of the popular Japanese based Speed King Tour 2024 sponsored by Rakusei Model was held at Twin Ring Honguu in Aichi prefecture.  Although the day was cloudy and the conditions were difficult with occasional rain showers, the high level of racing attracted spectators with hotly contested battles in all three classes.  In the TC0 class (Modified) A-Final, Infinity driver Ryosuke Yamamoto showed outstanding car control and drove a race that was unmatched by any other competitor to take the win.  Xpress’ Masaya Okazaki took second while the Tamiya of Takara Sano got last position of the podium.

Continue reading here


October 21, 2024

Serpent Nitro GT Series Hong Kong Rd2 – Report

The second round of the Hong Kong Serpent Nitro GT Series took place over the weekend at the Tom Racing Circuit.  The event was held under favourable weather conditions, contributing to a successful race day.  In the Open class, while Fei Hung earned the TQ position, it was Sam Kwong who showcased an impressive performance, leading the race from the beginning to the end.  The battle for second and third places was intense, especially in the last 10 minutes of the 45-minute final with Ricky Yim managing to secure second place just 10 seconds ahead of Simon Chan.  The Sport GT class saw Jason Choi dominated the race, leading from start to finish without any significant challenges.  The real excitement was the battle for second with Felix Ling coming out top of with Kin Wai Chan completing the podium.

Report: Justin Wan


October 20, 2024

Sobue wins Asian Onroad Championship in Korea

Axon star driver Akio Sobue was the winner of this year’s single round Asian Onroad Championship held over the weekend at the impressive newly renovated GRC Raceway in Korea.  While defending Champion Nicolas Lee headed the entry for Yokomo, it was to be Sobue,  a three time winner of the Korean stop on the multiple race Asian Onroad Championship,  who stamped his authority on this year’s race.  Securing the TQ by topping the opening two qualifiers he started on pole ahead of the Infinity of Viktor Wilck, who took Q3, with Lee completing the Top 3 ahead of Sobue’s team-mate Hayato Ishioka.  In the finals, Sobue made perfect starts in A1 & 2 before quickly gapping his rivals and adding another AOC Korea win to his tally.  With Wilck winning A3 to secure P2 overall, Xpress’ Yugo Nagashima would come through from 5th on the grid to finish 2nd in A3 and snatch the final step of the podium on the tie breaker with Lee.

Source: Asian Onroad Championship [aocrc.com]


October 20, 2024

MonTech New York Grand Prix Chassis Focus Index

Last weekend Red RC travelled stateside for the 6th edition of the MonTech New York Grand Prix at the nicely presented 360V2 indoor track in New Rochelle.  The first US onroad race we have covered since the final running of the Reedy Race of Champions back in 2019, it was great to catch up again with the country’s leading racers and get to experience the MonTech NYGP first hand – there aren’t too many races you can attended that with just a 20-minute train ride have in you the centre of one of the most iconic city’s in the World.  While the big battle of the 2024 edition of the race was 1:12 Modified, Kemp Anderson taking victory for Awesomatix, during our coverage of the race weekend we photographed cars from a number of classes contested.  While we were unable to photograph Mod Touring Car winning Keven Hebert’s Xray as it had parts from the upcoming T4 ’25 kit release, we did feature 4 different class winning cars which form part of our last Chassis Focus index.

View Chassis Focus Index here


October 15, 2024

Elias crowned 2024 Brazilian 1:8 Onroad Champion

Flavio Elias is the 2024 Brazilian 1:8 Onroad National Champion, victory at the season finale over the weekend giving the Capricorn driver the title once again.  The 2nd and final round of the Championship at the AARC track in ABC, Santo André, São Paulo offered double points meaning the championship title was wide open. In the 1-hour final it was Elias who took the win over the similar car of Eduardo Dulac and that was how they also finished up in the overall championship standings. In 1:10 Nitro Touring, Infinity driver João Hélio took the win over Luis Gustavo Lima with Issao Takara completing the podium which was enough for Takara to claim the title. In 1:8 GT the title would go to WIRC driver Hernan Uner as he took the Round 2 victory ahead of Cesar Passaretti Hong Nor.

Source: Flavio Tamashiro


October 14, 2024

Jefferies wins EWS season opener

The latest season of the popular & long running Essex Winter Series kicked off over the weekend with Awesomatix driver Olly Jefferies taking the win ahead of the Schumacher of reigning Champion Elliott Harper.  Qualifying for the opening round of the 5 race series, which is presented by Ruddog/Iris, would see Harper open proceedings with a TQ hitting the top of the times again in Q3.  Taking Q2, Jefferies would however take the overall TQ was he laid down the fastest time in the fourth & final qualifier.  Returning to race action former British National Champion Kyle Branson would line-up third ahead of British Nitro Onroad Champion Alex Thurston.  In the single 5-minute A-main, the Top 7 would finish as they started with Jefferies registering maximum points 1.5-seconds up on Harper with Branson completing the podium a further 1.3-seconds back.  In Stock, Zak Finlay secured the TQ and win while in the FWD class the win went to the Iris of Top Qualifier Adam Southgate.

Image: Kyle Branson