July 16, 2024

Giaimo crowned Italian GT Champion at Vallelunga

Schepis Model driver Rosario Giaimo is the new AMSCI Italian 1:8 GT National Champion after taking his second consecutive win at the season finale held at Miniautodromo Vallelunga over the weekend.  Winner of Round 2 at the Naxos World track in Sicily in May, Giaimo would qualify second at Round 3, the TQ going to the Genius Racing chassis of defending Champion & World Championship Top Qualifier Alex D’angelo.  In the 45-minute final, Giaimo would lay down the fastest lap the race to take the victory from newly crowned European Champion Natanaele Senesi.  Having qualified a lowly P8, Senesi was just 4-seconds off Giaimo with D’angelo completing the podium.  In the GTE category it was Senesi who wrapped up his 5th consecutive Italian National Championship title.

Image: Genius Racing [Facebook]


July 15, 2024

Krapp latest driver confirmed for eSIC

After the success of the inaugural running of the Electric Singapore International Challenge (eSIC) last September, the organisers have just announced another top international driver with Christopher Krapp confirmed for the second edition.  The World Championship runner-up, will join his factory Yokomo team-mate and event co-organise Nicolas Lee at the RCMC race track in Singapore on 14-15th September as they take on strong international team line-ups from Infinity, Xpress and defending Champions Mugen Seiki.  Ronald Volker took the win last year ahead of Lee and Naoto Matsukura and the former World Champion is already confirmed to defend his title.

Source: eSIC [Facebook]


July 14, 2024

Hoppe wins ENS Round 2 in Austria

Shepherd Micro Racing’s Lars Hoppe took the win at the second round of the Euro Nitro Series, the German winning the final in Aigen, Austria, ahead of reigning Champion Toni Gruber.  In qualifying it was the Mugen Seiki of 2024 Championship leader Simon Kurzbuck who took the TQ.  Winner of the season opener in Ettlingen, Germany, the former World Champion topped 3 of the 4 qualifiers with Hoppe the only other driver to top a round with the fastest time in Q2 to secure P2 on the grid.  In the 45-minute final, Kurzbuch looked to have the race under control leading from Hoppe and the Capricorn of third place qualifier Gruber however the Swiss driver’s engine would stop approaching the 20-minute mark.   Taking over the lead, Kurzbuch losing over 4-minutes in the pits, Hoppe would see off the challenge of Gruber eventually winning by 3/4 of a lap from the Gruber with the Infinity of Teemu Leino completing the podium a further 8-seconds back.  Kurzbuch would finish P8.  In 1:10 it was the Infinity of Jilles Groskamp who took the win from the TQ spot ahead of the Capricorn of reigning Champion & Round 1 winner Melvin Diekmann.  Infinity’s Milan Holthuis completed the podium.

Image: Lars Hoppe [Facebook]


July 14, 2024

Huge RC in Thailand new hosts of Nitro Touring Worlds

Following the cancellation of the 1:10 Nitro Touring Worlds in Costa Rica due to noise issues earlier this week, IFMAR has announced that event will now take place in Thailand at the Huge RC Circuit in Bangkok.  With the FAMAR Blok informing the World Governing Body that it was unable to host the 10th running of the Worlds for the category, previous hosts FEMCA, as per IFMAR’s own General rules, was contacted about staging it.  As a previous host of the championship, former Electric Touring Car World Champion and Huge RC track owner Surikarn Chaidajsuriya quick off the mark in offering to take on the event which is less than 5-months out, the original dates remaining unchanged.   The decision to award the championship to Huge RC is a safe option for IFMAR who have had a challenging 2024 season in terms of World Championship events.  Earlier in the year Brazil failed to get permits to run the 1:8 Offroad Worlds resulting in its cancellation before the Redovan track in Spain, hosts of the previous Worlds, was awarded the race – a first in the history of the sport of a track hosting back to back Worlds for the same category.  Last week IFMAR also had to deal with the complete cancellation of the Large Scale Worlds.  This will be the fourth time Thailand and the city of Bangkok has hosted the 1:10 Nitro Touring Worlds.  RC Addict hosted the 2012 & 2022 editions and now Huge RC, where in 2014 Alexander Hagberg took the title , will run the race for the sport’s greatest prize for a second time.

View IFMAR announcement here


July 11, 2024

1:5 Large Scale FEMCA International – Announcement

New South Wales Radio Control Racing Car Club has announced the inaugural running of the 1:5 Large Scale FEMCA International at the John Grant Raceway in Sydney on October 23rd to 27th.  The club, which did a superb job of hosting the 1:8 GT World Championships last year, was due to host this year’s IFMAR Large Scale World Championship however due to low numbers of entries the race was cancelled.  A major disappointment for  the Asian Large Scale scene,  the club approached FEMCA with the idea that with all the fantastic tracks located throughout the Asia/Pacific that they would try to build 1:5 scale throughout the region, and allow their side of the world to travel to a championships with a lot less cost.  Making use of the racing facilities throughout the Asia/Pacific that would only otherwise be chosen on the IFMAR rotation cycle, and, as shown over the past 14 years then get underutilised as the European countries due to cost etc.  As a result NSWRCRCC will host the inaugural 1:5 FEMCA International at its track on the week the Worlds was due to be held, providing all competitors who booked tickets/ accommodation a big race meeting.

Continue reading here


July 9, 2024

1:10 Nitro Touring Worlds in Costa Rica – CANCELLED

The IFMAR 1:10 Nitro Touring Car World Championship which was due to be staged in Costa Rica in November has been cancelled.  In the last few hours FAMAR informed the World governing body, IFMAR, that due to issues surrounding noise from the track effecting local residences that the government will not permit the running of the event.  Red RC was aware of the noise issues but was informed that host club ADDAP had planned to build a sound barrier wall after concerns were raised about the high noise levels for the duration of the Worlds.  IFMAR is now scrambling to seek an alternative host so the 10th running of the Worlds for the category can hopefully still go ahead this year.  As the last host of the 1:10 Nitro Touring Car World Championship in Thailand in 2022, the FEMCA Blok has been offered the opportunity to host it again but with the date only 5-months out this could be a challenging time frame for any tracks interested.  It has been a very challenging 2024 for IFMAR, first with the 1:8 Offroad Worlds in Brazil being cancelled before being moving to Spain and then last week the Large Scale Worlds in Australia was cancelled.

View IFMAR statement on cancellation here


July 9, 2024

Rossetti wins Italian TC National Trophy – Report

The 2nd edition of the Touring National Trophy of the Italian Motorsport and RC Car Racing Federation ACI Sport concluded at the renowned “ASD Minicar Lucca” track near the picturesque Tuscan city.  The high-speed course with technical sectors recently received a complete asphalt refresh, offering excellent grip for the competing cars.  While changing weather conditions challenged the organisers, forcing adjustments to the qualifying and final heat schedules, the competition successfully completed all its stages, crowning deserving champions in the prestigious federal title race.  The Touring Modified class witnessed a major upset, with a young talent stealing the show.  At just 11 years old, Alberto Rossetti from Team Xray – B Racing delivered an impressive performance, securing both the morning’s Pole Position and the overall victory in the 2024 National Trophy finals.  Rossetti’s achievement comes as no surprise to those who have followed his growth, ably supported by his father Michele, who mentors and maintains his car.  Rossetti’s potential was evident in earlier events, including his win at the second round of the Coppa Italia di Zona Centro in May.  Earning the runner-up spot was Emiliano Dagliana, who displayed remarkable skill in the third final, navigating the rain-slickened track with exceptional dexterity.  The ever-consistent Daniele Pacini of the Team Awesomatix – Marka secured third place.

Continue reading report here


July 8, 2024

Xpress team confirmed for eSIC

Having announced last month that inaugural Electric Singapore International Challenge Champion Ronald Volker is to return to the RCMC race track to defend the title, the organisers have now confirmed Xpress is to send its factory team to this year’s event.  Taking place on 14-15th September, one week before the Formula 1 Singapore Grand Prix, 1:12 World Championship podium finisher Yanagisawa Yoshiyasu and former Snowbirds Champion Yugo Nagashima will attend the event for the first time.  Reacting to the teams confirmed entry, co-organiser of the event and Singapore’s top international driver Nicolas Lee said, “We would like to warmly welcome top Japanese drivers, Yugo and Yoshi, to attend this year’s edition of eSIC race later in September.  The Japanese duo represent Xpress team and will be aiming to mount a strong challenge for the win with their latest touring car.”  The aim of eSIC to bring back racing in style in Singapore with the creation of one big exciting weekend for the onroad racer with the first edition last September successful setting the stage for the annual event to grow.

Source: eSIC [Facebook]