January 5, 2026

Mazzeo confirmed for inaugural ‘Nitro Party’ race

The organisers of the inaugural ‘Nitro Party’ race, which takes place later this month at the new Hongyu GDC track in China, has announced that newly crowned IFMAR 1:8 GT World Champion Alessio Mazzeo will travel to the city of Foshan for the brand new Asian nitro onroad fixture.  Taking place at the 2026 IFMAR ISTC World Championship host track on January 24-25, the Gimar team driver is one of a number of new European entries confirmed for the race which Hongyu GDC has plans to grow & establish into one of the regions major nitro onroad events on the annual international racing calendar.  With European GT Champion Natanaele Senesi previously confirmed for the Nitro Party, the latest drivers to join the race also includes Xray’s Filippo Domanin and Attilio D’Angelo, Spanish GT Champion & European Finalist Raul Daras Anton, and Hot Race tyres owner & accomplished 1:8 Onroad racer Nicola Marrone.  Racing on the world class facility’s 80m X 43m asphalt circuit, the event has attracted huge interest in the region and beyond, with future high profile entries expected to be announced shortly.  Having covered the recent FEMCA Asia Electric Touring Car Championships at Hongyu GDC, Red RC is excited to returning to the very impressive venue to cover the inaugural Nitro Party and to hear it echo to the sound of nitro engines.

Source: Hongyu GDC [Facebook]


January 5, 2026

Takashima D-13 X4 | Speciale 1.2mm Spring Steel Chassis

In its latest release of 1.2mm spring steel chassis for electric touring cars, Takashima D-13 has now expanded their offering with chassis designed for the Xray X4 and the Infinity IF14 Speciale after completing sample testing.  With excellent feedback from that testing, all the chassis offerings in the range are produced from a specially selected steel that offers an optimal balance of strength and durability. The chassis features ultra-flat precision grinding with nanometer-level accuracy and a mirror-finish surface treatment for exceptional performance and consistency. Designed to be used with 120-degree flat head screws, this greatly improving cost efficiency and ease of availability, Takashima D-13’s own customised 120-degree, 12.9 grade carbon steel screws work perfectly with their chassis.

View nore images here


January 2, 2026

Hong Nor X3GTS’26 1:8 GT

World Champion manufacturer Hong Nor has released images of their latest 1:8 Nitro GT kit the X3GTS’26.  Due for release at the end of January, the ’26 is an evolution of the WC edition which was released after Toni Gruber’s 2023 World title win in Australia.  The most significant upgrades are increased rigidity from the new 4mm 7075-T6 chassis.  The kit also features a new radio tray design, Carbon Top Deck, and CNC Machined Chassis Brace Mount, with the combined overall result of the new parts being improved corner speed.  Running a 13/44T Spiral Bevel Gear, the’26 also gets a new fuel tank that has been fitted with a fuel pick up that can also function should the car flip.

View more images here


January 1, 2026

ORCA signs Sawada

Electronics brand ORCA has announced the signing of top Japanese Touring Car driver & recently crowned 2025 FEMCA Asia Touring Car Spec Champion Shin Sawada.  The Xray team driver, who finished fifth at the 2024 IFMAR World Championships in the Spec Class and previously ran for Hobbywing, will join the likes of Naoto Matsukura, Akio Sobue, and Lucas Urbain, in representing the ORCA brand in 2026.  A World Championship year, Sawada will be one of ORCA’s key challengers for the Spec title at the Hongyu GDC track in China next April.

Source: ORCA [orcarc.com]


January 1, 2026

Butterfield joins Team Associated

Having announced his departure from Serpent last week, multiple US Nitro Onroad National Champion Bryce Butterfield will race for Team Associated in 2026.  Racing both nitro and electric programs during his 5-years with Serpent, the 24-year-old will now form part of Team Associated’s Electric Touring Car team, the US manufacturer only returning to competitive racing with the TC8 which went on release in April of 2025.  Sharing the news on his social media, Butterfield who finished runner-up at the 2025 ROAR Modified Touring Car Paved Championships, said, ‘2026 brings a new chapter, Team Associated!  Super excited and proud to be a part of this iconic brand!  Thank you to BT and everyone behind the scene for allowing me to represent.  I’m looking forward to working with the team with a focus on the TC8 and onroad with some off-road sprinkled in here and there.  It’s gonna be a great, but busy year!  Feel free to come check out my TC8, and hit me up online if you have any questions regarding Team Associated products.  See everyone at the track!

Source: Bryce Butterfield [Facebook]


December 31, 2025

Genius XR5.26 1:5 Touring Car

Italian Large Scale and 1:8 GT chassis manufacturer Genius has unveiled its latest 1:5 Touring Car, the XR5.26.  They say the XR5.26 represents the most advanced evolution of their 1:5 platform developed through over two years of design, simulation, and intensive on-track testing under real race conditions.  The project was developed from a blank sheet, with the goal of creating a dynamically more efficient car, capable of delivering consistent performance, ease of setup, and a high level of control for the driver.  Featuring a completely new, it is designed to operate with controlled and uniform flex along its entire length.  The introduction of the new centralised engine mounting system, developed specifically for the Diablo R engine, allows for optimal mass centralisation and a significant lowering of the centre of gravity.  The new chassis architecture enabled a complete redesign of the suspension geometry, with particular focus on the management of the front and rear roll centres.  The steering assembly has been redesigned with new Ackermann angles and optimised linkages making the steering response more direct yet more predictable.

View more images here


December 31, 2025

Pietsch leaves Mugen Seiki after 16-years

Having brought them World Championship success both as a driver and then as a designer, Robert Pietsch has announced that he is leaving Mugen Seiki after 16-years working together.  The German Nitro Onroad racer won the 1:8 Onroad World Championship in Miami in 2011 and was Top Qualifier in 1:10 Nitro Touring Car a year earlier among a host of other successes before taking up the role of designer with the Japanese manufacturer.  His most recent design work the MRX7 won the 2025 World Championship on its debut in Chile with Shoki Takahata who used Pietsch’s previous design to win the 2019 title.  Pietsch has also been instrumental in Mugen Seiki’s Electric Touring Car programme also regularly accompanying Ronald Volker to races around the world.  Having had the pleasure of working with Robert both as a World class racer & a designer, and being there to witness him winning the biggest prize in our sport in 2011 and all the other highs & lows of racing along the way, Red RC wish him well with his ‘new challenge’.

Read Robert’s full post here


December 29, 2025

SkyRC Supa Agile 1:10 Drift Motor

New from SkyRC comes the new Supa Agile 1:10 sensored brushless motor which has been developed specifically for RC drifting.  Available in 10.5T and 13.5T variants, Supa Agile focuses on smooth throttle response, predictable power delivery, and precise control at high steering angles.  The motor features a fully rebuildable modular design, CNC-machined aluminium heatsink case with rear venting, high-purity copper windings, a precision-balanced rotor, and 200°C high-temperature neodymium magnets. Standard 3.5mm gold-plated terminals allow solder-free installation, while adjustable timing supports fine tuning for different tracks and driving styles. Designed to integrate seamlessly with SkyRC ESCs and the SkyRC Motor Analyzer, Supa Agile targets competitive RWD drift drivers seeking consistent, controllable performance.

View more images here


Mibosport
VP Racing
T-Works