Red RC » R On Road

February 28, 2026

New electronics for Matsukura as ORCA departure announced

Multiple 1:12 and 1:10 Electric Touring Car World Champion Naoto Matsukura has announced his depart from ORCA, the Japanese star having been with the electronics brand since 2020. Having played a big role in ORCA’s recent pre World Championship preparations, including staying on for a number of days of testing with engineer Frankie Lui after his Asia Nitro Party win at Hongyu GDC last month, Matsukura made the announcement on his social media. He posted, ‘I started with Team ORCA in 2020, and after almost 6 years together, my contract will come to an end in February. I’m grateful for all the support and help throughout this time. Special thanks to Michael Lo, Frankie Lui and Keith!’ With the start of the IFMAR Electric Onroad World Championship just a month away, and the Infinity driver having shown some good pace when he TQ’d the opening round of qualifying at the FEMCA Asian Championships hosted by the world’s track in December, it will be interesting to see which brand he will represent given the current battle of the electronics brands for supremacy.

Source: Naoto Matsukura [Facebook]

February 28, 2026

Volker tops seeding at MIBO International

Defending MIBO International Champion Ronald Volker has topped Touring Car seeding in the Czech Republic this morning, the Mugen Seiki driver fastest ahead of Xray’s Adam Izsay who had set the pace in yesterday’s five rounds of free practice. Making his MIBO debut, it was Volker’s young team-mate Sören Sparbier who completed the Top 3. In the first of the two seeding runs on the new for 2026 Racestar’s built track, it was a very Mugen affair at the top of the timing sheets with Volker fastest from Sparbier and last year podium finisher Patrick Gollner with Izsay only managing P4. With the track’s new carpet continuing to grip up, Volker would knock another 2/10ths off his time in SP2 with an improved Izsay the only on to manage to join him on 29-seconds for his 3-consecutive fastest laps. Gollner will carry the No.4 for seeding ahead inaugural 2023 MIBO podium finisher Oliver Havranek with the Yokomo of Christopher Krapp, who stripped a spur gear in SP2, completing the Top 6. In 17.5 Stock, Izsay continued to set the pace in Hrotovice, topping seeding from the Mugen Seiki of German Phil Langer and Austrian Tobias Sutrich.

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February 27, 2026

Zalewski & Izsay top first day of MIBO International

Xray’s Bartek Zalewski and Adam Izsay have set the early pace at MIBO International, Zalewski proving quickest in 2WD & 4WD Buggy while on the opposite side of the sports hall it was Izsay who mastered the onroad track to top both Modified and Stock Touring Car. A race concept that Michal Bok came up with when racing at the 2022 IFMAR ISTC World Championship in Italy, 2026 marks the fourth edition of MIBO International and has again attracted a capacity entry who this year have been treated to two new tracks prepared by Polish track builders Racestars. Switching from last year’s red infield to blue, drivers on both sides of the central drivers stand have been complimentary of the layouts created by Pawel Kowalski. With fresh new black carpet and completely new jumps, on the offroad track it was the Schumacher pairing of Michal Orlowski and 2WD Top Qualifier of the last two MIBO races Daniel Kobbevik who were closest to Zalewski over the half day of practice. Officially a 2 & a half day event, practice only gets underway at 15:30 local time to allow racers use Friday morning for travelling to Hrotovice in southern Czech. In Modified Touring Car it was defending Champion Ronald Volker and his Mugen Seiki team-mate Sören Sparbier who were closest to Izsay’s fastest 3-laps which he set in the 5th & final round of free practice.

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February 27, 2026

Power HD servos for Vogl

German 1:8 Onroad Nitro racer Max Vogl will use Power HD servos as part of his 2026 program, the leading servo manufacturer announcing the Mugen Seiki racer has joined its team line-up. The European Championship A Finalist and multiple ENS Finalist will use Power HD’s GTS-2 servos and on his new deal said, ‘I’m very happy and proud to be joining the Power HD team. I already tested the GTS-2 servo last year and I was really impressed with the performance! So I am very happy to have the full Power HD package in my car for the new season. I can’t wait to hit the track!’

Source: PowerHD [chd.hk]

February 26, 2026

Awesomatix adds iRacing World Champion Caruso

Awesomatix has announced that former iRacing World Champion & TITC Open Brushless Finalist Jordan Caruso as the latest addition to it 2026 team line-up. Coming from Sim racing, the Australian has already proven his ability to perform under pressure on the biggest virtual stage and now he is transferring that precision, focus, and racecraft into RC racing – the results already showing with him also the winner of the 2026 TRTF Masters in 13.5. For the upcoming season, Caruso will focus on the ultra-competitive 13.5 class in Australia, competing at the National Championship as well as the QLD, VIC, and NSW State Titles. On the announcement he said he was, ‘Really keen and very grateful for the opportunity to join Team Awesomatix! Looking forward to trying to compete and represent the brand at the highest level.’

Source: Awesomatix [awesomatix.net]

February 25, 2026

Takashima D-13 partners with top US talent Cruz

Having recently announced 2016 World Champion Ronald Volker had joined to assist with brand development and product performance testing, aftermarket onroad parts & accessories manufacturer Takashima D-13 has announced the signing of top US touring car talent Jacob Cruz. One of the stars of the 2024 IFMAR ISTC World Championships at Finishline RC Raceway in California, where he made the A-Main on his Worlds debut, the 17 year-old Mugen Seiki driver is a major signing for Takashima D-13 who just recently announced Randy Caster’s 1up Racing as its exclusive US distributor. Cruz is already working closely with 1up Racing who sell ‘Cruz Missile’ branded Tyre Additive and Grip Activator.

Source: Target RC [targetrc.com]

February 23, 2026

Another double for Payne at latest British 1:12 Nationals

Xcelerate RC’s Ollie Payne claimed another BRCA British National Championship double as he won Round 9 & 10 hosted by the West Bridgford Model Car Club over the weekend. Kicking off 2026 with wins in January at the Dorset Model Car Racing Club hosted National double header, Payne secured Saturday’s Round 9 TQ with his final qualifying effort ahead of Schumacher’s Finley Whitelock and Awesomatix’s Mark Stiles and would go on to win the final by 5-seconds from Whitelock while fourth place qualifier Sam Coult completed the podium with his Schumacher. Again taking the TQ on Sunday, this time ahead of team-mate Morgan Williams, in the 8 minute Round 10 final Payne won by half a lap from Louis Parker and Williams.

Image: BRCA [Facebook]

February 23, 2026

2026 IFMAR 1:10 IC Track World C/ship Stage 1 Report

IFMAR, the World governing body of RC racing, has published the Stage 1 report for the 2026 1:10 Nitro Touring Car World Championship which will be hosted by Club Automodellistico 5 Colli a decade after the iconic track staged the previous European hosting of the race. The 11th running of the championships, it will take place from September 4th to 12th in the medieval town of Gubbio in central Italy and given the nations unofficial title as ‘the world capital of nitro onroad racing’ it is expected to attract a large and competitive entry. In 2016 it was Dominc Greiner who became World Champion with a flawless drive ahead of then Serpent team-mate Alessio Mazzeo, who gave the local crowd plenty to cheer about, with then reigning 1:8 World Champion Simon Kurzbuch completing the podium for Shepherd just ahead of Bruno Coelho. Since then the track has hosted the 2022 IFMAR ISTC World Championship, Coelho taking the win on that occasion, with the club highly regarded for its strong organisation and presentation of races. The previous two 1:10 Nitro Touring Car World Championships where staged in Thailand, the 2024 race held at Huge RC in Bangkok after original host Costa Rica hit issues surrounding noise. Jilles Groskamp would take a hugely popular victory at the former ISTC World Champion Surikarn Chaidajsuriya owned track, to become only the second driver to win the biggest prize in both Electric and Nitro Touring Car. View the full 2026 Stage 1 Report here.

Source: IFMAR [ifmar.org]