A decade on – life is different, but the drive & focus on winning in Chile are the same for Kurzbuch

2025 marks a decade since Simon Kurzbuch became the Champion of the World.  A driver Red RC have had the pleasure of following on his journey up through the ranks and into 1:8 Onroad racing history books, we first got to know him through the early days of the Euro Nitro Series and as one half of the talented Swiss racing duo that was himself and Silvio Hachler.  Unfortunately we would miss him claiming the biggest prize the sport has to offer.  Brazil in 2015 was the only 1:8 World Championship we have missed since going online in 2006.  Thankfully Simon being the super nice guy he is hasn’t held that against us and just before he caught his long flight to Chile we had a quick chat with him to get his thoughts on where he feels he is at as he attempts to become only the 3rd driver to win IFMAR’s original WC category more than once.  If he can pull off that feat he would also be the first non Italian to ever do so.  While legend of the category Lamberto Collari won’t be in Santiago for a chance at a 10th World title, and defending Champion Dario Balestri’s chances of a hat trick on hold, Simon did address the big talking point around this year’s 44th running of the 1:8 Onroad Worlds – the absence of the entire Infinity team.  ‘I am disappointed that the Infinity drivers are not coming, it is a real shame for Kenji that none of them are coming, but no Infinity does not affect anything from my side in how we approach this race.  In the end there are still very good drivers there and you need to beat them and to beat them you need to work properly before the race in your preparations and then work hard when you get to Chile.  I have a really good focus on the race so from this side it does not change anything if Infinity are there or not.’

Now 33-years old, on where he expects his main competition to come from, without hesitation he replied, ‘Toni, Shoki and Catanzani, Catanzani is fast and someone to really watch.  Maybe there will be some other surprises but we will see but I think these are the guys.’  Asked the difference between the Simon of then (Brazil, 2015) and the Simon of now he replied, ‘There is not a big difference I would say.  A lot of things are the same, of course my focus outside of racing is a bit more into work.  Back at that point of my life I was studying and also had a great time with Silvio Hachler, who is a really good friend.  We studied together and could manage to do as much racing as we wanted to and it was an amazing time that time which also boosted us for good results and everything.  That is the main difference.’  He added. ‘On the other hand my father is still there racing with me and supporting me a lot.  Alex (Kempe) was also there in Brazil as support for Shepherd and now he is helping my father so we are looking forward to defend the title of South America.’  While the same dream team that helped him secure the TQ honours at the last World Championship in Japan 2-year-old, and this year’s European Championships biggest Simon said it’s not quite the ultimate dream team this time round, his brother having partnered his day in executing the many pit stops en-route to becoming the World No.1 in Brazil.

Asked if 1:8 Onroad and its high revving little 3.5cc engines have notably evolved since the last Worlds, the class having had almost 50 years to perfect the concept, he said, ‘I think the engines made a big step again the last two years.  The cars have developed a bit also. I see the difference with my new Mugen but also the other manufacturers have worked to get more from their cars so it for sure a bit faster.’ On engine and in particular his own program with Ielasi Tuned, owner Daniele Ielasi a rival in Brazil but now one Simon’s key sponsors along with Energy Fuel, who supplied the control fuel for both the 1:8 GT and now 1:8 Onroad Worlds, he said, ‘reliability is now on a really really good level compared to what we had over the past 10-years in our sport.’  He added this is the result of ‘development but also hard work from Daniele.’

Showing that their is no doubts over his outright speed in terms of being one of the fastest drivers on the planet taking the the TQ’d in Japan on Infinity’s home ground only for a wing issue and engine tuning to thwart his effort in the final, Simon said, ‘this year at the Euros I could manage to TQ against all the Infinity guys and everyone so the speed is there yes, for us it is important to have a clean final. That is the main focus and it’s been the focus for the last weeks and months in preparation to have more consistency there. Even though in the last ENS it was not the perfect final race practice but things that happen you learn from them and they are over’. Suffered a flameout in the last fuel stop at the ENS finale, he explain this was the result of a ‘quick & messy pit stop and lets say a lot of fuel came out and the engine flame out due to that.’

On going to Chile armed with the new Mugen Seriki MRX7, it three years to the month since he made the switch from then German brand Shepherd after a long stint to the Japanese manufacturer, Simon gave the upbeat reply, ‘Actually it was a great season for the new car. I could use it since ENS Ettlingen so I have a lot of experience. Durability and everything is as Mugen always was. I think we could make another step forward with the car in the last month before that I couldn’t spend too much time on the track practicing due to other reasons. We will also get so much practice in Chile I think we will improve the car even further. There is a lot to discover still.’

Having not yet sampled the track (at the time of our chat), asked his thoughts from what he has seen he replied, ‘It looks like Fontana (2018 WC host track). I think the grip level will be more suitable for me than it was in Fontana because that was super high grip. The layout in Chile looks good, and fast, so I think it will make for a proper World Championship.’

Red RC’s coverage from Chile, which is presented by Capricorn, Radbody, T-Works, and IFMAR, will start on Tuesday (Dec 2nd) with four rounds of seeding practice and continue through to Saturday’s title deciding 1-gour Main,.