Red RC » R On Road

October 24, 2023

Lin wins 2023 Futaba/O.S. Cup

Taiwan’s largest event of the year was held over the weekend at the Erchong Floodway track in New Taipei City, where Hong Nor’s owner Hsiang Lin took the win in 1:8 GT. The annual Futaba/O.S. Cup attracted almost 80 drivers from Taiwan and Singapore, and just back from Australia after watching his team driver Toni Gruber claim the IFMAR 1:8 GT World Championship with their X3-GTS, Lin took his own explain to both the TQ and win. Making it back to back wins of the event, Lin was joined on the all Hong Nor/Ielasi tuned podium by Su Jiahong and 3rd placed Liú Qiáozhì.

Image: Hong Nor [Facebook]

October 19, 2023

Peru set to host 2025 1:8 GT World Championship

After a very successful second running of the IFMAR 1:8 GT World Championship in Sydney, Australia, last week, the third edition of the race is to travel to South America in 2025 with Peru set to be announced as hosts. Headed up by Michael Stone, New South Wales Radio Controlled Racing Car Club did a superb job of hosting the 2023 event helping to raise the profile of IFMAR’s newest World Championship considerably compared to the inaugural event held in Florida in early 2020. With the raised profile, Peru looks set to bolster the class further given the large following for the category in the region. The Miniautodromo Polo Bracale in Lima, Peru, is lined up as the host circuit and already has a strong track record having hosted the recent RCtarget backed COPA America race. Located in the Magdalena del Mar district, next to the beach and very close to the most popular districts of Lima, the track length is 280 meters, with a 50 meters straightaway and an average width of 5 meters with the surface a fine grade asphalt. Speaking to RCtarget/IGT8 boss Paolo Morganti during his participation at the Worlds in Sydney, the highly experienced international racer believes the track is a perfect setting for a Worlds and has the people required to put on a World class event. He also said costs associated with being at a race such as eating out are low. An official announcement on the host of the GT Worlds is expected from IFMAR shortly.

Image: APERCAR [Facebook]

October 18, 2023

Olly and Harry Jefferies join Awesomatix️

Awesomatix has announced the addition of Olly Jefferies and his son Harry to their Factory Team. The 16-time BRCA Champion and multiple A-finalist at ETS, European and World Championships brings a wealth of experience and knowledge to the team. Olly will not only drive himself, he will also be chief mechanic for their young gun Harry Jefferies. Commenting on the announcement Harry and Olly said, ’We are both extremely happy to be joining Awesomatix. We have always been impressed with the quality and forward thinking designs adopted…..can’t wait to get to the track!’

Source: Awesomatix [Facebook.com]

October 18, 2023

’23 1:8 GT World Championship Chassis Focus Index

With our first ever 1:8 GT World Championship now in the books (well published online at least), we have put together a full index of all the chassis we photographed for our ‘Chassis Focus’ during our time in Sydney. Only the second running of an IFMAR World Championship for the category, it was exciting to have such a variety of manufacturers represented at the race with the cars having come along way from their beginnings as modified 1:8 buggy chassis. Hong Nor become the second World Champion manufacturer, Sworkz having taken the inaugural title in 2020. In 2025, GTe looks set to get full World Championship status giving manufacturers the opportunity of achieving Worlds double.

View Chassis Focus Index here

October 17, 2023

1:8 Onroad Worlds coverage presented by Infinity

After our trip Down Under to cover our first ever 1:8 GT World Championship in Sydney last week, Red RC is excited to announced that the next stop on our World Championship tour, 1:8 Onroad in Japan, will be presented by Infinity. In less than 2-weeks time the sport’s original World Championship category will descend on the Infinity International RC Speedway where the 23rd IFMAR World Champion will be decided. A category through which our own interest in RC racing came about, the first World Championship we covered here on Red RC was the 2007 1:8 Onroad Worlds in Argentina so it’s a category which has a very special place in our hearts. Nine years ago, the last time Japan hosted the event, we where on hand to tell the story of Tadahiko Sahashi home victory and last year when Infinity also made our coverage possible we where able to see Tadahiko add the 1:10 Onroad title. Our coverage from Japan will begin on Monday, October 30th, starting with news from control practice and how the story unfolds over the next 5 days.

October 17, 2023

2023/2024 Schumacher Winter Series Rd1 – Report

The 2023/2024 Schumacher Winter Series presented by the Louth Radio Control Car Club got underway over the weekend with the first round of the popular championship attracting a strong capacity entry. The stock class for this year saw rule freeze from the previous seasons with everyone now in a single 17.5-turn category. This created great racing through the field, with a much larger field and closer racing. Four rounds of fast paced qualifying would see the Xray of Chris Lovely take the TQ spot, taking three rounds in the process. Defending Champion Alex Brocklebank would take a TQ run to secure second on the grid. Daniel Burks would place his Destiny in 3rd place, chased hard by the Awesomatix duo of Paul Sleight and David Sedgewick. Daniel Leonard would round out the top six positions with his Xray. In the final it was clean start for all the drivers as Chris lead The field around, himself and Alex would gap the field until the 2 minute mark when Alex would drop back and be caught by a hard charging Daniel. It was close behind between Paul, Dave and Dan Leonard. Chris would see it as a flag to flag victory, as Alex would hold off late pressure from Daniel. Dave would have a race long field and hold off Paul to flag and Daniel Leonard would round out the field.

Continue reading here

October 16, 2023

Senesi Motorsport GT5 1:8 GT Engine

During the 1:8 GT World Championship in Australia, Senesi Motorsport unveiled their new upcoming GT5 engine release for the category. With a custom WC head graphic, Natanaele Senesi used the engine to good effect posting a TQ run in the fourth round of qualifying. After qualifying he stripped down the OS based 5-port engine to allow Red RC a preview. Featuring a piston & liner that is hand tuned by his mechanic Michele Baruzzi, the engine is equipped with a unique plastic back plate which reduces friction compared to the aluminium version usual associated with engines. With less friction, the top speed is increased along with reducing wear on the conrod. Having invested a lot of time into testing different plastic materials to find best option in terms of offering the lowest friction, Senesi is protective of the specific material used to make the final product. With the GT5 using the R2104 crankcase, the back plate will be available separately for those using OS or OS based engine brands in both onroad and offroad.

View more images here

October 16, 2023

Branson wins EWS season opener

Xray’s Kyle Branson took the win at the opening round of the Essex Winter Series presented by Ruddog over the weekend. The opening round of the popular British indoor series which runs over 5-rounds, the race attracted a capacity entry with back to back Champion Branson leading the Modified Touring Car entry. In qualifying the Champion stamped his authority on proceedings with TQ runs in all five rounds. Behind Yokomo’s Alex Thurston, winner of the last season’s finale, would secure P2 on the grid ahead of the Schumacher of racing returnee Elliott Harper and Hayley Eldridge. With a single A-main, Branson would convert his pole position into the win with the Top 5 remaining unchanged over the 5-minutes. In Pro Stock, Zak Finlay took the TQ & win from Tony Broad while in FWD it was also a win for the Top Qualifier with Ben Moorey taking max series points ahead of Aaron Rose.

Image: Kyle Branson [Facebook]