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May 7, 2025

Hobbywing adds Wahl to team line-up

Hobbywing has announced that 2023 TITC Open Brushless Champion Tim Wahl has joined its team line-up and will their ESC and motors to power his touring car campaign. One of Europe’s top electric touring car drivers, the German driver is a multiple ETS podium finisher and is also a highly respected mechanic, having supported his Awesomatix teammate Simon Lauter in securing the IFMAR Spec Touring Car World Championship title in 2024. On the announcement Hobbywing said, ‘His professional expertise, extensive knowledge, and outstanding character make him the ideal member Team Hobbywing seeks, and we take immense pride in his decision to join us. We look forward to achieving even greater milestones together with Tim in the future.’

Source: Hobbywing [hobbywing.com]

May 7, 2025

Morganti wins KO Propo Grand Prix

Diego Morganti took the big win at the 15th annual KO Propo Grand Prix which took place at Homestead RC Raceway in Miami over the weekend. One of the majors on the US onroad nitro racing calendar, this year’s race attracted 111 entries and in 1:8 Onroad it was the Serpent of reigning US National Champion Bryce Butterfield who took the overall TQ on tie break. With two of the 5 qualifying rounds to count, the Shepherd of Lazaro Alonza Jr also TQ’d two rounds but ended up P2 while topping Q2 Morganti’s Capricorn completed the Top 3. In the final rain would see the race red flagged and on resuming action it was Morganti who chased leader Butterfield. Unfortunately Butterfield would encounter transmission issues that ended his quest for another KO Propo Grand Prix win with Morganti able to cruise to victory ahead of Joachim Bruneau, who qualified 4th, and Alonza Jr. In 1:10 Touring Car it was Infinity’s DJ Apolaro who took the TQ and win while in 1:8 GT Serpent’s Jose Almonte came from P8 to win the final from top qualifier Carlie Lopez.

Image: Diego Morganti [Facebook]

May 6, 2025

Thurston takes first win of BRCA title defence

Reigning British 1:8 Onroad National Champion Alex Thurston took the first win of his title defence at the second round of the championship over the weekend which was hosted by Cotswold Model Car Club. Having opening his season with a 3rd place at the season opener last month at Brooklands, Thurston and his Nova Engines powered Mugen Seiki pulled off a clean sweep securing the TQ, the win and the fastest lap, For Round 1 winner Tim Wood it was to be a troubled final as late engine issues dropped the Shepherd driver to fourth. In the half hour final Thurston led from start to finish and on having established a lead just control the race from the front for a repeat of his 2024 season opening win at Cotswold. Behind, Karl Dransfield would work his way from 5th on the grid to finish second while Shepherd team-mate John Carr completed the podium. Round 3 of the 7 round BRCA Championship will take drivers to the Adur track in 2-weeks time (17-18 May) where last year Thurston took the win ahead David Spashett with Wood in third.

Image: Alex Thurston [Facebook]

May 5, 2025

Nicholson wins WA Electric Onroad State Titles

Schumacher driver Simon Nicholson has won the Western Australia Electric Onroad State Titles which was hosted by West Coast Model RC over the weekend. The back to back Australian National Champion arrived late to the event after a cancelled flight and missed half a day of practice. In qualifying RC Maker’s Jeff Hamon would take the overall TQ. Topping the opening qualifier Hamon took three of the five rounds with Nicholson taking the other two. In the triple A-Main, Nicholson would take the first one from Jeffrey Mackie as Hamon struggled with tyres and dropped down the order. A better A2 would see Hamon get the win from Nicholson by a big margin setting the stage for an A3 decider. Unfortunately a mistake by Hamon saw him clip Nicholson with Mackie getting the win but overall it was Nicholson who took the title from Hamon with Mackie completing the podium.

Image: Simon Nicholson [Facebook]

April 30, 2025

IFMAR drops Superpole from IC World C/ship format

IFMAR, the World governing body of RC racing, has announced that for all IC track classes the decision has been taken to retire Superpole from the race format and return to 4 direct qualifiers. The format, in which the participating 4 drivers can book a direct spot in the final alongside the Top Qualifier, had both its fans and its detractors and had its controversies too such as at the 2019 200mm Worlds in Miami. They have also announced for IC Onroad Worlds the introduction of a ‘Last Chance’ final for an 11th spot on the main final grid which is already a feature of the 1:8 Nitro Buggy World Championship race format. In its latest website update, IFMAR have also published updated rules for the upcoming inaugural 1:8 Electric Buggy World Championships set to take place in Portugal from August 26-30 and the 1:8 GT World Championships in Chile which will happen from September 14-20th. Drivers can familiarise themselves with the rules for 1:8 eBuggy here and 1:8 GT here.

Source: IFMAR [ifmar.org]

April 28, 2025

2 from 2 for Urbain in French Nationals

Having opened the French National Championship with a win last month, Awesomatix Lucas Urbain made it 2 from two with another win this time at the MRC Longvic track near Dijon. Wrapping up an early TQ ahead of RC Maker’s Antoine Brunet and the Mugen Seiki of multiple National Champion Remi Callens, in the triple finals Urbain found himself under more pressure. With Callens taking A1 from Brunet and French Touring Car stalwart Cyril N Diaye, Urbain bounced back to take A2 after being pushed hard by Brunet. With A3 the decider, Urbain managed to again keep Brunet at bay to claim maximum points towards the 5 round championship. With his A1 win Callens claimed 2nd on the tie break with Brunet. In 13.5 Pro-Stock Enzo Rousselin took both the TQ and the win ahead of Benjamin Elbisser and Alexandre Duchet.

Image: Lucas Urbain [Facebook]

April 28, 2025

Balestri wins opening Italian National encounter

Infinity’s Dario Balestri took the win the at Round 1 of the two round Italian 1:8 Onroad Nationals held at the Pista Leno track over the weekend. In qualifying the reigning Italian, European and World Champion would secure the TQ after topping the opening 3 of the 4 rounds. Team-mate Carmine Raiola took the final qualifier to secure P2 with Serpent’s Andrea Catanzani completing the Top 3 ahead of Mirko Salemi’s Capricorn, the Top 4 going direct to the Main Final. In that 45-minute encounter it Balestri led from start to finish with Xray’s Filippo Domanin coming through from 6th on the grid to finish second 4-laps off the lead. Having won the Last Chance Final having failed to progress through the Semi Finals, Lamberto Collari came from 11th to complete the podium with Riola, Catanzani and Francesco Tironi all retiring from the race. In the Sport Category it was Luca Ielasi who took the TQ and the win ahead of Alessio Forgnoli and Antonio Romano. The second of the championship races takes place at the end of September at the Fiorano track.

Image: Lamberto Collari [Facebook]

April 28, 2025

Jefferies wins BRCA Round 1 at Halifax – Report

The opening round of the 2025 BRCA Electric Touring Car British National Championship took place at Halifax over weekend with Awesomatix’s Olly Jefferies taking the first win of the season from reigning Champion Elliott Harper. This year sees a new 2-day format for the championship with practice and two rounds of qualifying on Saturday and the remaining three qualifiers on Sunday plus triple leg finals for everyone. Another change is dropping to two classes this year – Open 17.5 Blinky and Modified. In Modified, it was the battle of the champions, with former Champion Jefferies taking the overall TQ with three round wins, from Harper’s Schumacher with two round wins. Next up in third was Chris Grainger with a second and three thirds with his private Awesomatix with Matthieu Dambrine completing the second row with his Schumacher. In the Finals, with a win and a second apiece going into the third leg, the battle for the overall win was between Jefferies and Harper, and in the end it was Jefferies who came out on top with the win with Elliott in second. It was a tie-break for third with Matthieu getting the nod over Chris.

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