Manufacturer Statistics

IFMAR have released the official manufacturer statistics for this year’s 1:8 Onroad World Championship, the sport oldest and longest running category. In terms of equipment being used by the 97 racers taking part in the Japanese event it is the host nation that is the most popular choice in the four main categories of chassis, engine, tyres and fuel.

Defending Champions Mugen make up over half the field here at the Keitune Racing Speedway with 49 MRX-5 chassis’ in use.  Currently fastest with 4 of the 6 scheduled rounds of qualifying complete, Serpent are the second most popular brand with 17 of their 977’s being raced.  European Champions Team Shepherd are next up with 10 drivers followed by KM Racing who are represented by 8 drivers including the only former World Champion in the event Adrien Bertin.  Welcomed new comers to the Formula 1 class of RC racing, HB have come to the event with four R8 chassis. One interesting car is that of French racer Maxime Tenet called the J-Max which was created together with his friend Adrien Bertin before he signed for KM Racing.

In terms of power it is OS Speed who are the No.1 choice with 43 drivers counting on the Japanese made engine. A total of 11 different engine brands are in use this week with reigning World Champions Novarossi the second most popular with 15 drivers. Based on an OS engine, the hand tuned Maxima engines are next up with 9 users followed by Picco with 7 drivers including the two Sahashi brothers.

This year’s World is the first to see the use of controlled tyres with five brands signing up with IFMAR to have their foam available to drivers. ZAC Project is by far the best represented with 66 drivers counting on them to keep their cars stuck to the track. Italian brand Matrix are the No.2 choice with 12 racers followed by Ulti, the tyre brand of top Japanese racer Masao Tanaka with 9 users, one of which is Tanaka himself. Italian brands Hot Race and Contact, winners in Miami, are the other supplier with 6 and 4 users respectively.

In terms of fuel Cosmo, which is part of a main stream Japanese petrol company whose fuel stations can been seen on the drive to the track, is being used by over half the drivers.  Thailand’s Maxima, which is being used by the majority of the European racers here in Chiba, is the second largest supplier with 32 drivers.  Like the tyres the fuel is controlled with drivers getting their respective choice of the four brands of fuel in the same area as they get their tyres.