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February 20, 2025

Rheinard top seed at TITC, Orlowski posts identical time

Marc Rheinard is the top seed at the TITC, the Awesomatix driver improving from P2 in the first controlled practice to jointly top CP2 with the Schumacher of Michal Orlowski. After tyre gluing issue on his first timed attempt, on tie break Orlowski will be seeded No.2 for this evening’s opening qualifier. With the first official day of the event normally dedicated to practice, unusual weather has forced the organisers to bring forward the timetable to ensure they get at least one qualifier in the timing system should the rain they have suffered over the last few days return. After topping the first seeding round, Lucas Urbain would improve on that time but so did everyone else and he ended up third fastest ahead of Bruno Coelho, this the order they will line up for Q1. Overall it was again Coelho who had the best 5-minute pace with only Rheinard, Orlowski and Aki Sobue able to join him on 21-lap runs. While 3rd fastest over 5-minutes, Sobue’s Axon was again 4th fastest over the counting 3-consecutive laps ahead of his team-mate Hayato Ishioka meaning the Japanese duo will carry the No.4 and 5 race numbers in qualifying.

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February 20, 2025

Urbain sets opening pace at TITC

Celebrating his first year as a full time professional racer at this year’s TITC, Awesomatix’s Lucas Urbain marked the occasion by setting the pace in the opening controlled practice for the legendary Bangkok based race. Over 3-consecutive laps it was very close at the top with Urbain fastest from his team-mate Marc Rheinard and the Axon of 2020 Champion Akio Sobue, the trio covered by just 0.06 of a second. On his debut for Infinity, Bruno Coelho kicked off his title defence with the 4th fastest time with the second of the factory Axon drivers Hayato Ishioka P5 and Ryosuke Yamamoto’s Infinity completing the Top 6. Last year’s Top Qualifier Ronald Volker got the 21st edition of the race underway with the 7th fastest time 6/10th off that set by Urbain, the German describing his pace so far as ‘not super fast’. Making his TITC debut and therefore finding himself in the third fastest heat for the 2 controlled practice rounds, unglued tyres was Michal Orlowski’s main issue in the first one as he had to pull off after 2-minutes in which he recorded the 8th fastest time.

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February 20, 2025

Bruno Coelho – Can the TITC Champion make something ‘Speciale’ happen in Bangkok?

The 2025 TITC or Thailand International Touring Car Championship, to give it its full title, is looking like a special one in the history of the legendary race but there is one driver who could achieve something very ‘Speciale’ come Sunday. Already tied with Atsushi Hara as the most winning driver of the Bangkok based race, Bruno Coelho is back at the Infinity RC Addict track looking to make it win number 5 of the race the 3-time consecutive World Champion himself calls the most difficult in the world. A statement all his rivals are happy to agree with him on, a fifth win from the Portuguese driver would, however only be part of the story of the 21st edition of the TITC given the scale of everything else he has going in getting to this weekend. Gone are the blue t-shirts that have been a key part of his wardrobe for the last decade, replaced with Infinity t-shirts. Previously a driver with one of the busiest race schedules of all time, racing across multiple onroad and offroad classes, it is now two months since he last raced, his Xray touring car farewell being the FEMCA Championships in Foshan, China, in December. The longest racing break of his professional career, apart from Covid lockdowns, his highly anticipated debut with the Japanese manufacturer also brings something new to the table in the form of the ‘Speciale’ project, a brand new prototype car that he and his team-mates have had just two months to hone and master. While testing appears to be going well, nothing unearths any weaknesses in a car better than straight up racing against your opposition and given this year’s occasion they have not only turned up at the TITC but they have come with the best of best each aiming to claim the biggest annual title on offer in Electric Touring Car. While time ultimately tell, we grabbed a rather late night call with Bruno to get his take on where he feels he and this brand new project are at as the TITC race weekend has finally arrived.

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February 19, 2025

Michal Orlowski – the TITC Rookie!!

Think Electric Touring Car racing and one name that’s going to come to mind immediately is Michal Orlowski. It is widely acknowledged that the Schumacher driver is one of the, if not the, fastest drivers in the World but as we get ready to officially go into battle tomorrow (Thursday) at one of the most prized race titles after the World Championship, the Polish driver finds himself with the unusual status of being a Rookie at the 21st running of the legendary TITC. Given the unique challenges this race presents to drivers, most giving it the title of the world’s toughest race, with its ever changing track conditions this is one race where experience carries huge weight and so its going to be exciting to see how the ‘Rookie’ rises to the challenge of his TITC debut. Interestingly given the amount of World Championship events the country has also hosted, this year’s TITC appearance also marks Michal’s first time to Thailand so starting our conversation by asking how is finding Bangkok, Michal replied, ‘This is my first time on this part of the globe and it’s an amazing experience so far. The city is crazy, I have never seen as many scooters.’

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February 18, 2025

Ryan Maker – 12 months on is he still living the dream of being a car manufacturer?

One year ago the very likeable Australian Touring Car racer Ryan Maker revealed to the world that he was going to take the brave step of turning his very successful aftermarket RC parts company RC Maker into a full fledged car manufacturer. In doing so he was aiming to realise a childhood dream, but he didn’t just announce these plans with some CAD drawings, he turned up with a self designed first prototype under his arm to race at one of touring car racing’s biggest and toughest stages – the famous TITC in Bangkok, Thailand. Having done a feature piece on Ryan in the build up to our coverage of last year’s TITC, as part of the lead into our coverage of what is looking like being the greatest edition yet of this unique event, we caught back up with Ryan to discover, if 12-months on, he is still living the dream as the second batch of SP1 kits are currently making their way around the world to new customers. Spoiler alert, always a pleasure to chat to due his infectious passionate and positivity, he concluded our conversation with the very clear, ‘I am living my dream that’s for sure, it’s pretty damn cool.’

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February 18, 2025

Energy Speed Evo Onroad Fuel

Energy, the well known nitro brand of Italian fuel producer Pepe Group, has released a new formula of its popular onroad fuel. After 6 months of intensive testing, they have introduce the new Energy Speed Evo for the 2025 season. An evolution of the previously offered Speed formulation, in creating Speed Evo they have worked hard to optimise fuel efficiency and make the product even easier to use with it offering better lubrication for superior engine protection.

Source: Pepe Group [pepegroup.net]

February 17, 2025

Branson wins EWS Round 4

Kyle Branson registered his first win of the current EWS season taking victory at the fourth & penultimate round of the established British Winter series. In qualifying it was the Schumacher of reigning Champion Elliott Harper who took the TQ ahead of the Awesomatix of Round 1 & 3 winner Ollie Jefferies with Branson, top qualifier at the previous round, lining up P3. In the one day event’s single 5-minute A-main, that order got reversed at the 1 and a half minute mark with Branson going to the front where he would stay until the finish. 1.6-seconds back Jefferies would finish second with a 1-second advantage over Harper. In Pro Stock, Zak Finlay maintained his perfect record for the season with his fourth win in a row while in the FWD Adam Southgate was the winner.

Image: Kyle Branson

February 17, 2025

RC Maker SP-1 Option Parts

RC Maker has released a number of new option parts of its SP1 1:10 Electric Touring Car platform. After rigorous testing across multiple tracks and conditions they have introduced optional ‘soft’ upper arms. These arms provide more caster flex which makes the car less aggressive initially but overall generates more traction in the corner. Also new from the Australian manufacturer are new optional brass battery hooks. Manufactured from brass with black oxide coating, they add weight (12 grams each) down low right next to the battery which is particularly useful when using ULCG Batteries where extra weight is required for correct balance. They can be used on their own in replacement of the kit carbon hooks, or can be used in conjunction with 5014 or 5016 Full Size or Shorty Weights to further increase the amount of weight on the battery side. The other new optional are Short ULCG Battery Posts for the SP1. Manufactured from 7075 T6 Aluminium with black anodising they are intended for use with Low ULCG Batteries Under 20mm in height.

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