‘We don’t have to show to anyone who we are’ – Ongaro

Two years ago Davide Ongaro reigned in Spain making history as the first driver to defend his IFMAR 1:8 Offroad World Championship, the previous 17 Champions who went before him unable to execute a successful title defence.  Having been forced to wait double the length of time to defend his 2018 Perth victory due to the global Covid pandemic, the likeable Italian again finds himself in a unique title defence situation.  Originally set to travel to Brazil to chase the title hat trick, São Paulo was cancelled, and now he is this week lining up on the very same dirt he skimmed across for an hour 2-years ago en route to his historic feat of winning 1:8 Nitro Buggy’s biggest prize for the second time.  Now a 23-year-old veteran of the sport, this year marks a decade since Ongaro announced himself to the World on his championship debut in Sicily.  Having added a 1:10 Offroad World title to his CV last year in Arizona, putting himself into a very exclusive driver’s club, many a driver might find the prospects of lining up for an attempt at three in a row daunting.  However with Ongaro one might ask is the Team Associated star a master poker player and just one of the most laid back kids on the block?  While Davide was making his final preparations ahead of travelling out to Spain we took the opportunity to have a quick chat with him on the story so far and get his take on where things are at for the second coming of the Worlds at RC Redovan.

While his 2016 performance was the real warning shot of what was to come, it was his first World’s experience two years earlier on home soil that gave the first indications of the talent within.  The then 13-year-old would line up in the the same 1/4 final as 2010 World Champion Cody King (who went on to make the Main).  Sending the local crowd crazy when he took the lead of that race, unfortunately engine issues ended his impressive Worlds debut but his efforts had set the wheels in motion.  Davide said from this performance his journey to where he is today began,  ‘In Italy I had a fight with Cody King in the 1/4 final and then from that Ricky Acciari (former Red RC photographer), who you know, started to speak about me and this was what kick started what was to become my job.’  On his subsequent performance in Las Vegas, where he took the fight to eventual Champion David Ronnefalk, he explained,  ‘I was close to David but I had a problem with the pressure tube from the fuel tank going to the engine.  I didn’t flame out but I needed to go into the pit to repair it so I finished 6th overall.  I mean it was still a good result.’

Asked how the then 15 year old has evolved as a driver in the eight years since, Davide replied, ‘the biggest change between then and now is my driving style.’  Driving a Mugen Seiki in Sicily and Vegas, he then switched to current sponsor Team Associated adding, ‘the main thing for sure was changing the car as I changed my driving style because it was different.  Also I am older now and I know what to do with the car and stuff.  Mainly I think the driving style but personally before for me it was just say going there and having fun.  I am having fun also now for sure but for me now it’s my job so I have to do it like a real job.  I have to dedicate more time preparing everything at home, go for testing training with the others so it is different but it’s still for me about having fun, that’s the first thing.’

On the pressure of the three in a row, Davide replied, ‘there is no pressure, for sure it will be a special event because we won there but also maybe it will special for Canas because he won the Euros there last year.  To go back to the track you won at before is not easy but we will see, just go there, work harder, have fun, no pressure.  We don’t have to show to anyone who we are, just drive well and if everything works good, we have everything to do well.’  Asked if he will approach anything different to how he did last time he said, ‘It was the same for me last year when the Euros was at same track I won the Worlds so no for me it’s no problem.  They changed the layout so it is new for everyone so approach doesn’t change.’  Of the three World titles he has already racked up asked if any stood out more than others he replied, ‘for me the most important one was the one in Spain because we arrived just after the Covid so after 4 years without any World Championship and big events it was the hardest one.  Also because I won four years before so it was not easy for me. It will be not easy this year for sure but we go there without pressure, we go there and see what happens.

In the time Red RC have known Davide, one thing that has always stood out with Team Ongaro is relationship between Davide and his parents, and in particular his father Mauro.  Hanging out with them away from the track at the Philippine Masters earlier this year they seem more best friends than father & son.  Davide says, ‘I think like everyone we also had difficult times together because sometimes I want to do a thing and he wants to do another thing but then at the end we are super super close like you see us.  I think it is a good family hobby.  My mam comes to the races sometimes when she can so it’s a good thing but with my dad it is always a close relationship and I think this makes us strong on this side.’

Asked how he would sum up his 2024 season so far as preparation coming into the Worlds, Davide replied, ‘So far it’s good apart from the Euros, it is always strange racing in your home track, apart from that race it’s a good season so far.  We won the first two nationals, we have the third round after the Worlds, we won the eBuggy Euros in Montpellier, which ok is e-Buggy, but it is still a European Championship title.  We are happy but we need to work for sure like everyone, now the level is very high but so far we are proud.’  Asked if the dynamic has changed much as Davide gets older he said, ‘I also do a lot more work on the car now.  At home I always work on car and then at the races my dad wrenches the car.  I help gluing tyres and stuff but the set-up and everything he wrenches for me.’

With tyres a much talked about aspect of these Worlds, Davide’s view is, ‘honestly I think it will be like 2022 because we will start with a new surface with some glue on it and then the last 2-3 days the track will be different so it will be a tyre game for sure, 100%.  Also the run time for fuel because the track is really huge so the tyres and let’s say strategy will be difficult for everyone.’

With back to back European 1:8 Offroad Champion Juan Carlos Canas being the widely tipped race favourites for RC Redovan we asked Davide if that’s something he focuses any attention on to which he replied, ‘I think like everyone we have a rival in our thoughts but if we are there it is because we are all fast.  Sometimes it works for him, sometimes its works for David, sometimes it works for me so for sure he will be a rival at the race but we have to consider other drivers that are fast, Bruno and the others.  I think it’s a new race for everyone so we will see how it will be.’

2024 IFMAR 1:8 Offroad World Championship coverage presented by Ruddog

The first of three World Championships Red RC will attend this year, our coverage from 1:8 Offroad in Redovan is being supported by Ruddog.  This German based company is steeped in offroad racing history being a distributor for 32 times World Champion manufacturer Team Associated and iconic offroad tyre brand JConcepts to name but a few.  Founded in 2006 by Sven Rudig, himself an avid offroad racer, they have developed their own product ranges such as Ruddog Racing which offers a line of electronics and engines.  They are also behind Revolution Design Racing Products which has established itself as a designer & producer of high-quality tuning parts and are popular upgrades among offroad racers.