February 20, 2025

Bruno Coelho – Can the TITC Champion make something ‘Speciale’ happen in Bangkok?

The 2025 TITC or Thailand International Touring Car Championship, to give it its full title, is looking like a special one in the history of the legendary race but there is one driver who could achieve something very ‘Speciale’ come Sunday.  Already tied with Atsushi Hara as the most winning driver of the Bangkok based race, Bruno Coelho is back at the Infinity RC Addict track looking to make it win number 5 of the race the 3-time consecutive World Champion himself calls the most difficult in the world.  A statement all his rivals are happy to agree with him on, a fifth win from the Portuguese driver would, however only be part of the story of the 21st edition of the TITC given the scale of everything else he has going in getting to this weekend.  Gone are the blue t-shirts that have been a key part of his wardrobe for the last decade, replaced with Infinity t-shirts.  Previously a driver with one of the busiest race schedules of all time, racing across multiple onroad and offroad classes, it is now two months since he last raced, his Xray touring car farewell being the FEMCA Championships in Foshan, China, in December.  The longest racing break of his professional career, apart from Covid lockdowns, his highly anticipated debut with the Japanese manufacturer also brings something new to the table in the form of the ‘Speciale’ project, a brand new prototype car that he and his team-mates have had just two months to hone and master.  While testing appears to be going well, nothing unearths any weaknesses in a car better than straight up racing against your opposition and given this year’s occasion they have not only turned up at the TITC but they have come with the best of best each aiming to claim the biggest annual title on offer in Electric Touring Car. While time ultimately tell, we grabbed a rather late night call with Bruno to get his take on where he feels he and this brand new project are at as the TITC race weekend has finally arrived.

Starting the conversation by asking Bruno how was the break, he replied, ‘honestly I cannot remember the last time I had a 2-month break apart from during Covid.  If you remove Covid it is already many many years ago that I don’t have a race for 2-months but it was needed break to prepare everything.  A break is probably making it out like the last two months has been a holiday but it’s been far from that, ‘We have been super busy getting everything ready, changing brand is not like changing shoes that you remove and put on another pair, it’s a lot things happening in the background that people cannot see and people can’t imagine and when those things start to work it involves a lot of people.  When we work on such a big project like this with such importance we need to make sure everything is work properly before we come out to any race.’

Asked how progress with the Speciale project has been, he responded by saying, ‘It’s not that I have any doubts about the project itself but again my mentality coming here was of course to win the race and to make the best result possible but we need to be realistic.  This is a brand new project, we are coming here with a full prototype where most of the parts are prototype parts and not production parts competing against the competition that comes here with full market ready cars.  Of course they may have one or two prototype parts but they are working on a basis they know for many years coming to TITC and coming to many other races.  We on the other hand are working on a brand brand new car so we have a lot to learn, a lot to know, and coming to such a difficult race that for me is the biggest and hardest race in the world for touring car it’s very complicated.’

While all the top drivers at Infinity will race the new car, known in prototype form as the Speciale, asking Bruno if much has changed on the car since he first drove it in Thailand shortly after the official news of his switch from his only previous career chassis sponsor Xray to Infinity, he said, ‘there are small differences and changes made but the base is exactly the same, just small adjustments.  Again when you have a new car many things work well, many things don’t work at all and you need always to make adjustments.  The market doesn’t stop, the calendar doesn’t stop and we need to constantly work for this.  I think the best case would have been to start work in October than starting in January but because of the contracts and everything you can’t do it so we had a very short time to prepare everything when only starting in January.  So we needed to make everything in a rush for the most difficult race in the world.  It’s very complicated but up to now it has been really really motivating and enjoyable with the new team and everything.’

Asked how he was finding working in a new team having spent that last decade working with the same people, he replied, ‘of course it is nice to be with the new people.  On one side it is kind of weird to look at team-mates from the past, it’s strange to wear a different t-shirt to them now but it have been really good.  There is a different mentality and a different way to approach stuff.  They have a different opinion to what we have and vice versa and we start to know each other which is nice.’  On the specific build up to his TITC title defence weekend he added, ‘everything is working really really good, we are really happy with the car.  The track is changing everyday so we need to adapt to everything and are still trying to find out new things on the car.  We have a disadvantage over our competition as we don’t have the full package for the car like all parts in different compounds but this is not an excuse for us, we are here to work and give our best.  We are fighting with the guns we have and until now it is going very very well.’

Asked about the resurfacing of the track that happened after last year’s TITC and if it made any noticeable difference he replied, ‘not really, honestly everything is maximum bumpy which is very particular to the TITC, I have never known to the TITC to be flat.  When we come here we know what we are coming here to.  I think that’s what makes this race so particular because it is so different than everywhere else, the traction is crazy high, it’s super hot and super humid, and everybody is working every day to make and find that small 1/10th at the end of the day.  That’s what makes the TITC so special.’

With his key World title rival Orlowski making his TITC debut this year asked what he thought the Schumacher driver can expect, Bruno said,’of course even though it’s Orlowski’s first time you expect him to be on the top.  I don’t expect Orlowski to be in any other position.  The top will be the usual guys but every year the track is completely different which makes it so hard.  Everyday you see some heats some guys are super fast, other heats nothing special.  Even today (Monday) Hara was super fast, I was super happy to see Hara on the top and it’s a very good moment for all of us to have Hara suddenly ‘boom’ on the top.  I think this also added to how special the TITC is.’

January 29, 2025

Xray confirms Champions return for MIBO International

Xray has confirmed that two of its MIBO International Champions will return to the third annual running of the Czech indoor onroad/offroad race early next month.  Inaugural Pro-Stock Champion Adam Izsay returns and the recent GP3F winner will not only look to retake the Pro-Stock title Xray has won at the previous two editions but he will also step up to compete in the Modified class against the likes of Schumacher’s reigning Champion Michal Orlowski and the Mugen Seiki of inaugural Champion Ronald Volker.  In Offroad, defending 4WD Champion Bartek Zalewski, who really made a name for himself at last year’s MIBO International, heads the Slovakian manufacturer’s quest for a third consecutive 4WD title on the offroad track.  Bruno Coelho was the winner at the first running of the event that is organised by former top international Czech touring car racer Michal Bok and his well known RC company Mibosport.  A sell-out event, the 2025 MIBO International will be very much a family affair for Xray with company founder Juraj Hudy one of 5 of the Hudy family’s three generations who will be racing at the Sport V Hotel based event on February 7-9th.

January 22, 2025

Mugen Seiki confirm Volker for MIBO International

Inaugural MIBO International Champions Mugen Seiki has confirmed that their lead driver Ronald Volker will return to the Czech race for a third consecutive year next month.  In 2023 Volker won the first edition of MIBO International and last year returned finishing runner up to victor Michal Orlowski, the Polish racer already confirmed for his attempt retain his Touring Car title and add an offroad title at the February 7-9th race.  Hosted by Mibosport, which is owned by former top international Czech touring car racer Michal Bok, MIBO International is unique event in that two side by side tracks bring together both onroad and offroad racing.  The 3rd edition of the event, which is staged in the Sports V Hotel in Hrotovice, the 250 entries includes factory team drivers from Schumacher, Sworkz, Yokomo, Team Associated, Mugen Seiki and Xray.

January 15, 2025

Associated confirm Kaerup for MIBO International

Team Associated has confirmed they will be represented at the upcoming MIBO International Race in the Czech Republic with the news that their teenage offroad star Marcus Kaerup will make his debut at the third edition of the event on February 7-9th.  The multiple European Champion and World Championship finalist is set to take the challenge to Sworkz’s defending 2WD Champion Joern Neumann and Schumacher pairing of Michal Orlowski and Daniel Kobbevik.  Having been denied back to back European 2WD Buggy titles by Orlowski last September in Swedend when EFRA hosted the European Championship indoor on carpet, the 17-year-old Dane will be looking to prevent the reigning MIBO International Touring Car Champion from doing the double as the Polish ace races on both the onroad and offroad track this year.  In 4WD he will take on the Xray of fellow teenager and reigning champion Bartek Zalewski.  Red RC is looking forward to kicking off its 2025 World tour of race coverage by making the trip to Hrotovice once again to report on the action.

December 15, 2024

Ongaro beats impressive Polito as Italians dominate SIGP

Team Associated’s Davide Ongaro has won the SIGP in Xiamen, China, the World Champion being made to work hard for his latest race victory by a very impressive Mattia Polito.  Describing the race himself afterwards as the ‘the hardest final of the year’, Ongaro and the Sworkz’s Polito provided all the entertainment as they quickly established themselves the class of the field in the 45-minute final.  With Xray pairing Bruno Coelho and David Ronnefalk no match for the Italian duo, Top Qualifier Polito led the way from Ongaro with the first lead change coming during the second of fuel stops, the drivers one lap apart in stopping.  With the pair running nose to tail and at times side by side, the middle third of the race would get plenty of reactions from the crowd.  With Polito leading as the race entered the final 15-minutes, the 21-year-old would suffer a roll over that handed Ongaro a lead he would relinquish and second mistake later in the lap cost Polito a total of 6-second which despite a valiant effort he wouldn’t recover.   In the end just 10-seconds would separate them while 2-laps down Coelho crossed the line to complete the podium at the 3-circle ARC International RC Racing Track.

Reacting to his win, Ongaro said, ‘that was definitely the hardest final of the year for sure.  I think also harder than the main of the Worlds in Spain but anyway it was good, it was a great fight with Mattia.  We were super close together and faster than the others too so we are super happy as a team for Matrix, and for me because everything was on point today.’  The 23-year-old continued, ‘From where we started on Tuesday today was better for sure.  It was not an easy race here but we did our best.’  Asked about his late mistake, the evening light beginning to fade, he replied, ‘I couldn’t see the car cause it was a little bit dark and there was traffic, but anyway it was a great final.’

Impressing many with his performance this weekend, Polito summed up the final with, ‘It was good.  Ongaro was fast but we fight from the start to the finish.  I made three mistakes but this track is difficult so I am really happy with this result’.  Having claimed 3rd place in eBuggy on this his first visit to the SIGP, he said, ‘2 podiums for my first time here is great so I think maybe we will be back next year.’

With the SIGP bringing to a close a busy two weeks in China for Coelho, him winning the FEMCA Touring Car last weekend in Foshan, on the final he said, ‘It was a very tough final, the conditions are super difficult out there, it was a very hard 45-minutes.  I was super tired, the muscles in my hand felt a lot of pain.  I don’t normally drive that much.  I drive 15-minute a day normally in electric, today I was 10 minutes for each of the eBuggy races, then 10-minutes warm-up, 25 for the Semi plus 45 in the final, I was really super tired.  Half of the final I could not feel my hands and I felt a little dizzy so it was pretty intense.’  Asked about his car he replied, ‘we lacked a bit of something that we still have not figured out but the guys up front they were one step ahead of us.  Even without all the mistakes I did it wasn’t possible to fight with them cause they were one step ahead of us.’

Enjoying the win in eBuggy ahead of Ongaro and Polito, on the Nitro final Ronnefalk said, ‘Well it was better than the Semi Final for sure cause in the Semi I really had a tough time but then at the start of the Final I felt in the warm-up the car was definitely better yet no grip.  We tried to stay in it but at one point it looked like they had a lot more traction than us in the Main so no chance.  You are trying so hard to make the perfect line but then the car is just moving around and doesn’t go forward.  Looking at the best lap after it’s pretty clear they had an advantage over us today in the afternoon.’  The former World Champion continued, ‘I was trying many times to reset and refocus but it was really tough as even when I was making clean laps it was just slow and I didn’t make up any ground.  It’s what it is, I am still pleased with the win I got in eBuggy.  I’m happy about going back home and finishing off the year with at least one win, it’s always a good feeling moving in to 2025.’

View our event image gallery here.

December 13, 2024

Polito tops seeding at SIGP in China

Sworkz’s Mattia Polito is the top seed at the SIGP Offroad Race in Xiamen, the Italian fastest in both Nitro and Electric Buggy on the return of China’s biggest annual offroad race after a 5-year break.  Over 3-consecutive laps of the challenging 3-Circles track, overnight repairs making for improved conditions for today’s two seeding rounds, Polito would go fastest in both ahead of Xray’s Bruno Coelho.  It was however the first round that was the fastest for the 21-year-old who had 1.6-seconds on Coelho.  With Coelho’s fastest time coming from CP2, the margin on that occasion was down to 2/10ths of a second as Polito’s best was 7/10ths slower than his earlier attempt.  Behind Davide Ronnefalk took his Xray to the 3rd fastest time with his CP1 time ahead of Davide Ongaro, the reigning World Champion improving by over a 1-second in CP2.  WIRC’s Gabriel Astorino and Mayako’s Joseph Quaqraine completed the Top 6.

With this his first visit to the SIGP, Polito was pleased with his performance in seeding describing it as ‘pretty good’.  The 2021 Italian National Champion is also liking the track layout if not the surface adding ‘it’s bumpy but the racing line I like.’   Switching to a different Matrix tyre for the second practice run, he said, ‘It was not fast like the previous one so we go back for the first quali’.   Having been Ongaro’s main title challenger in the Italian National Championship the last 3-seasons, looking towards qualifying he said he confident that he can transfer his seeding pace to a consistent 7-minute qualifier.

Summing up his seeding performance as ‘pretty good’, Coelho added, ‘we are still trying some tyres.  The car is working pretty good now so we are just trying to find out the tyres.  In the morning the track is a bit wet and during the day it starts to become drier and the compounds change completely the grip.  I was changing the tyres during the run and at the end I was able to run 3 pretty good laps’.  Using Hotrace’s Bangkok tyre, he said ‘from super soft to medium it works pretty ok depending on the time of the day so we need to find the best solutions for this.’  Having admitted yesterday that the track was challenging he feels, ‘today seems to be easier to drive than yesterday, I think they fixed some jumps which was the biggest trouble yesterday, this has made it was drivable and more, lets say more, racing that before.’

His first Nitro Buggy race since the World Championship in Redovan, Ronnefalk said, ‘I tried tyres in both rounds, the first round I came into pit and tried different compounds, I ended up liking the second one better which was the (Hotrace) Bangkok Super Soft.  Then for the last one I decided to try something else on the tyres, a different compound again just to see because we don’t have a lot of tyres between Bruno and myself.  We have to make sure we have enough for the whole race.  So I just checked how another one felt but in the 2nd seeding is was not really working well.  The car felt good and everything but I had no lap time speed cause I had not traction.  The car was been feeling good today after some changes this morning.’   Asked if he noticed the track repairs, the Swede said, ‘the first couple of runs in the morning has always been nicer than the last few, it seems the grip is a little higher in the morning when the track is a bit damp but as soon as it dries out those small little bumps get sharper again and its difficult towards the afternoon to drive.’   Looking to Q1, having taken the opening eBuggy qualifier, he explained, ‘I was able to TQ eBuggy and I am running the same set-up on both cars so it is just a matter of collecting data we have had so far from all our tyres tests because it looks like the tyre is making the most difference out there, of course the shock package and everything is important but the track gets kind of polished after lunch so then you have a lot less grip than in the morning.’

Without out his father as his pitman this weekend, former World Champion Adrien Bertin filling that role here, Ongaro said, ‘We struggled a little bit with the set-up compared to two days ago.  We started with a good base but then after one practice the car start to make strange things so we struggle a lot with the set-up.’   Second fastest in the opening eBuggy qualifier, he continued, ‘Now we change for the eBuggy and it seems like the car was really really better, I feel I can push so I will put the same setting on my nitro for Q1 and see if that makes he difference.  If yes we start from that point again.  I think now changing a few small things makes a huge difference, the consistency was much better than before.’