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September 12, 2022

“My goal is now more focused on win than just making A-Main”, Krapp confident for World Champs

14-years on from making your World Championship debut some might wonder if you can still have the same level of hunger and mental drive to compete at the highest level of your sport. In a category that requires extreme precision and 110% concentration for intense 5-minute periods, electric touring car is full on from start to finish – no time for easing yourself into it! A class, especially in more recent years, in which it has proven difficult for newcomers to crack the establishment, one driver to progress into the top ranks and be a consistent race contender is Christopher Krapp. Now entering into his 7th World Championship, it is two 4th-place World Championship finishes that make this German more motivated that ever to become IFMAR’s 9th different ISTC World Champion this week in Italy.

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September 12, 2022

Raiola wins ‘Gara dei Costruttori’

Mini Autodromo Jody Scheckter in Fiorano played host to the annual Italian ‘Gara dei Costruttori’ race over the weekend with Carmine Raiola taking a narrow victory over Silvio Hächler. The popular manufacturers trophy race, saw ARC driver Hächler take the overall TQ after he topped all four rounds of qualifying. Infinity driver Raiola would secure P2 with young up & coming talent Filippo Domanin, son of former European Champion Fabio, securing third on the grid. In the half hour final while Hächler would set the fastest lap of the race, strong pitstops from Raiola’s crew would allow him to work his way to the front and cross the finish just less than 3-second in front of the Swiss driver. All finishing on the same 119 laps, Domanin would complete the Top 3 one lap up on Francesco Tironi with Alberto Picco claiming fifth.

Image: Silvio Hächler [Facebook]

September 10, 2022

“I always want to add another title”, Rheinard excited about WC return

Six years ago the electric touring car scene looked very different. We still had one of RC’s best known brands fielding a high profile factory race team. Tell anyone you race RC cars and they’ll most likely reply ‘I used to have a Tamiya’. Unfortunately the TRF squad is gone from being a major force in A-Mains around the globe but the driver who lead them on one of their most successful streaks is back for his first World Championship battle since Beijing 2016. The Touring Car World Championship without 3-time champion Marc Rheinard was a strange experience but that’s what happened in 2018, the German missing his first Worlds since bursting onto the scene with victory on his 2004 debut in Kissimmee, USA.

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September 10, 2022

Ongaro defends title to make World Champ history

Davide Ongaro today made history in Spain as he became the first ever driver to successfully defend the 1:8 Offroad World Championship title. The Team Associated driver dominated proceedings at the 18th running of the IFMAR championship, first securing the TQ honours, then winning his Semi Final to secure pole position for the 1-hour final. Starting out the final and pulling away initially, the Italian would not have it completely all his own way however as 2016 Champion David Ronnefalk came up through the grid after a tough Semi to take the fight to the Perth 2018 winner. Ronnefalk would lead for a time with the duo swapping back and fort until an error in the dying minutes cost the newly crowned European Champion Mayako driver hopes of becoming the categories first multiple World Champ this century (Maurizio Monesi winning in 1988 & 1994). The error gave Ongaro the breathing space he needed and also meant his final lap was a victory lap as Ronnefalk’s clock had already stopped. Crossing the line to give Team Associated their 31st World title, joining him and a visibly gutted Ronnefalk on the podium would be crowd favourite Juan Carlos Canas with his Sworkz. A track layout that was always going to favour the Europeans, it would be Mugen’s Ryan Maifield who would be best of the US drivers finishing fourth followed by the Xray team-mates Ty Tessmann and Bruno Coelho.

Image – Davide Ongaro [Facebook]

September 9, 2022

“No pressure” as Volker carries Mugen hopes on ISTC World Championship debut

Ronald Volker says there is “no pressure” despite the German carrying the hopes of Mugen as they make their electric touring car World Championship debut in Italy next week. After a hugely successful run of seasons with Yokomo that finally culminated in him claiming the sport’s greatest prize in China in 2016, Volker believes he goes into the 11th running of ISTC Worlds “a better all round driver”. The years of the Umino and Ronald partnership at Yokomo were the envy of many. Ronald simply drove the car that was meticulously engineered & prepared by Yukijiro Umino.

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September 8, 2022

Defending Champion Ongaro is Worlds Top Qualifier

Defending 1:8 Offroad World Champion Davide Ongaro is the Top Qualifier of the 2022 World Championships in Redovan, Spain. Having opened qualifying yesterday with the fastest time in Q1 and again in the day’s 3rd encounter, the Team Associated wrapped up the overall TQ when he returned to the top of the time sheets today in the 6th and final round of qualifying. Behind the Italian, America’s Dakotah Phend ended up P2 overall despite a tough finish to qualifying today. The Team Losi Racing driver managed a TQ run in Q2 along with a second in Q3 and third in Q4. Home star Juan Carlos Canas took his Sworkz to the fastest time in the first of today’s qualifiers which together with a P2 in Q2 and three P3 runs secures the Spaniard third overall. Producing the biggest surprise of qualifying would be Berkan Kilic, the German TQ’ing the penultimate round with his Mugen to secure 4th overall. Making it six different manufacturers in the Top 6 at the end of qualifying, Xray’s Bruno Coelho takes 5th with a best run of P2 in Q3 followed by former Champion David Ronnefalk, the Mayako driver having his best performance in Q3 when he posted the third fastest time. View timing here.

Images credit – Team Associated [Facebook]

August 31, 2022

IFMAR 1:10 IC Touring Car World C/ship Stage 2 Report

With 2022 an exciting year for racing with the return of World Championships following its 2-year Covid break, details of the final Worlds encounter of the year have been released by IFMAR. The World governing body has published the Stage 2 report for the 1:10 IC Touring Car World Championship (click here to view). Taking place from November 3rd to 13th, the 9th running of these championships it will be its third time travelling to Thailand with this the second time RC Addict in Bangkok has hosted the race. Home to the famous TITC event that traditionally kicks off the international electric touring car calendar, on the nitro TC Worlds’ last visit to the track in 2012 it was a home win for then KM Racing team driver Meen Vejrak. A hugely popular victory, he was joined by Atsushi Hara and a controversial 11th place starter Francesco Tironi on the podium. RedRC are excited to be making the trip to Thailand in November to bring you full coverage as Naoto Matsukura looks to defend the title he won in 2018 in Miami with Infinity.

Source: IFMAR [ifmar.org]

August 29, 2022

Clean sweep for Orlowski at British Nationals finale

Michal Orlowski wrapped up the British 1:10 Offroad National Championships in style over the weekend when he completed a clean sweep at the season finale at Robin Hood Raceway. With both title’s having been decided at the previous encounter, Orlowski claiming the 4WD title and Associated’s Neil Cragg the 2WD crown, it didn’t deter the Polish driver from adding to his season’s winning tally. On Saturday the factory Schumacher driver secured the TQ before going on to take win number 3 of the season ahead of team-mate Josh Holdsworth with the Associated of Tommy Hall third. Sunday was to be a repeat performance in 4WD. While Yokomo’s Lee Martin topped Q1, Orlowski would go fastest in the next 3 rounds of qualifying. From the TQ, the former European Champion won all three A-Mains for another Schumacher 1,2, Ben Smith finishing 2nd, with Martin completing the Round 6 podium.

Image: Michal Orlowki [Facebook]