January 2, 2025

IFMAR announces China to host 2026 1:12 & ISTC Worlds

IFMAR has officially announced China as the host of the next 1:12 and 1:10 Electric Touring Car World Championships, 2026 seeing the two events being brought back together for the first time since South Africa in 2018.  The titles will be decided in the city of Foshan on two different tracks with the GDC Indoor track the location for 1:12 and a brand new outdoor asphalt track being built for ISTC.  For the passed two years the GDC track has played host to international racers with World Champions Bruno Coelho, Naoto Matsukura and Ronald Volker racing at the impressive facility’s FIRC event which for 2024 was given FEMCA Championship status.  Marc Rheinard, Jilles Groskamp and Atsushi Hara also paid the track a visit in December watching Coelho take the FEMCA title, with the trio very complimentary of the race venue owner Gavin Kwok has created.  Under the guidance of Kwok the FEMCA Championship was a mini rehearsal for the World Championships with a very impressive opening ceremony, and he will be joined by Rick Wang in bringing the 2026 World Championships to fruition.  Wang played a key role in China’s successful hosting of its previous two IFMAR World Championships – 2016 ITSC in Beijing and 2017 1:10 Offroad in Xiamen.  With China recently removing Visa requirements for many European visitors, the championships are scheduled for March 27 – April 5, 2026, with the Stage 1 report expected in the next few months.

Source: IFMAR [Facebook]


January 2, 2025

Cayote announces Orlowski signing

Electronics newcomer Team Cayote has announced the signing of World Champion Michal Orlowski to its already impressive team line-up for the 2025 season.  The factory Schumacher driver, whose race program includes a busy international calendar of electric onroad and offroad racing including making his TITC debut this year, moves to Cayote from electronics market leader Hobbywing and joins Marc Rheinard, Atsushi Hara, Jilles Groskamp and Christopher Krapp in representing the brand on the global stage.  Commenting on the announcement Orlowski said, ‘Since Team Cayote entered the RC market, I’ve been following their progress. The achievements they’ve made in such a short time have left a deep impression on me. Truly excited to be part of this great team.’

Source: Team Cayote [cayote.com]


January 1, 2025

Orlowski leaves Hobbywing and Sunpadow

While social media has been filled with news of driver departures from various sponsors, one of the hottest properties in electric racing in recent years, Michal Orlowski, has just announced the end of his very successful relationship with Hobbywing and Sunpadow.  The 23-year-old Polish driver joined Hobbywing for the 2022 season, also announcing at the end of 2021 he had joined Sunpadow batteries, and in that time took his first World title winning the 2023 IFMAR 1:12 World Championship.  He also finished runner-up at the ISTC Worlds in November to fellow Hobbywing driver Bruno Coelho.   In offroad he also achieved a 1:10 Offroad Worlds podium finish with both manufacturers and he is the reigning European 2WD 1:10 Offroad Champion.  Making the announcement, Orlowski posted, ‘As of 31st December 2024 I am no longer a Hobbywing and Sunpadow team driver.  I would like to thank both of these companies for the tremendous support over the past 3 years that we have worked together and their belief and trust in me.  These have been the most successful years of my life thus far, however I am extremely excited for what the future holds for me.  Look out for my new electronics and battery sponsors in the next few days!

Source: Michal Orlowski [Facebook]


December 31, 2024

PowerStar HV Low Profile Digital Servo

PowerStar, a brand of Vapon which also owns VP Pro and Team Saxo, has updated its PM-1805 Brushless Motor HV Low Profile Digital Servo.  The new version has inherited the high precision and high torque output characteristics of the PowerStar actuator, and can respond quickly and accurately to various control signals to provide accurate and reliable steering control.  The servo features a high efficiency brushless motor, double ball bearings and stainless steel teeth all housed in a high strength CNC all aluminium case with heat sink.   A high precision potentiometer is adopted to allow the use under wet or rainy conditions.   Suitable for 1:12 and 1:10th use, there will also be an aluminium steering arm for the servo made of high quality aluminium alloy material for excellent strength and lightweight characteristics.

Source: PowerStar [powerstar-racing.com]


December 30, 2024

Atomic MRX ‘Master Edition’ 1:28 pan car

1:28 specialist manufacturer RC Atomic is kicking of 2025 with the release of the MRX ‘Master Edition’ chassis kit.  Based on the double PNWC 2024 title winning chassis MRX, the Hong Kong manufacturer has further refined the design of the car and made the centre of gravity extremely low.  This kit allows users to choose between from the traditional horizontal battery and the straight battery configurations.  In horizontal configuration, battery and equipment’s mass are more centralised and car handling will be more aggressive, and it is suitable for small tight tracks.  In Straight battery configuration, mass will be slightly moved away from the centre line and the centre damper is at its lowest position.  This configuration makes the car more difficult to flip over from traction roll and more stable in high-speed flow tracks.

View Features & more images here


December 27, 2024

Krapp to use Cayote electronics for 2025

Electronics newcomer Team Cayote has announced the addition of Christopher Krapp to its team for the 2025 season.  The 2022 World Championship podium finishers joins Marc Rheinard, Atsushi Hara and Jilles Groskamp at the ambitious new brand and the deal will restart a long term working relationship Krapp previous enjoyed with Cayote frontman Oscar Jansen.  At Team Orion, the pair successfully worked together when the then up & coming German racer made his first World Championship final in 2010 as a Kyosho/Team Orion driver with further successes following.  Recently announced as continuing with Team Yokomo as a factory driver and also filling the role of European Team Manager for the Japanese manufacturer, on the announcement Krapp said, ‘I’m excited to join Team Cayote!  I’ve tested their products and I’m very happy with the results.  Thank you to Cayote for this amazing opportunity – I’ll give my best in the upcoming season.’

Source: Team Cayote [cayote.com]


December 26, 2024

Brunet joins RC Maker

After a host of Australian driver signings Australian Touring Car manufacturer newcomer RC Maker has announced top French racer Antoine Brunet has joined its team.  Following a single season with Yokomo in 2024 after racing with Xray for a number of seasons before that with whom he achieved MIBO International and ETS podium finishes, Brunet will kick off his campaign with the SP1 at the GP3F race in Longwy followed ETS Daun and the legendary TITC in Bangkok, Thailand at the end of February where Ryan Maker debuted the SP1 prototype this year.  Making the announcement RC Maker posted, ‘We are beyond excited to work with such an accomplished and professional driver, and are looking forward to developing the SP1 and moving forward together to achieve the best results possible! Welcome aboard Antoine!! ‘.   On joining RC Maker’s exciting new touring car project Brunet, ‘A new adventure begins! I’m super excited to join the RC Maker team. Im looking forward to contributing to grow the brand in Europe and all around the world! I want to say a big thanks to Ryan for the opportunity and trust in me. I’m sure the best is yet to come!’

Source: RC Maker [rcmaker.com.au]


December 23, 2024

Power HD GTS-2 Super Low Profile Servo

Power HD is wrapping up 2024 with the announcement of the addition of the GTS-2 to its popular high-voltage brushless GTS series servo range.  Over half a year in development, the GTS-2 weighs only 47-grams despite its full metal CNC case and metal gear with Power HD saying it sets a new benchmark for the lightweight servo in the RC industry.  The output gear is made of TC4 titanium alloy, which is 4.5 grams lighter than 303 steel gear and increases 50% hardness and toughness.  The servo height is 3 mm, shorter than the traditional low profile servo and is offered in two versions.  The 6 cm version features reverse wire output – the wires output from the bottom of the case, making the receiver placement space more abundant making it ideals for 1:10 Electric Touring Car.  The 18 cm version uses normal wire output which is better suited for 1:10 Electric Buggy, 1:10 Nitro Touring Car  and 1:8 GP.  Compatible with the high-speed mode of major radios and the i-BUS2 protocol of FlySky Radio, it can remotely setup parameters and sense the temperature data on the FlySky NB4+ Pro Radio.  The GTS-2 servo has clear characteristics, more prominent driving feel, and a “combination of stability and sensitivity”

Source: PowerHD [chd.hk]