January 19, 2026

O.S. Speed confirms Yokoyama for Nitro Party

O.S. Engines has confirmed that it will now also be official represented on the track at Hongyu GDC’s inaugural Nitro Party race this coming weekend (Jan 24/25th) with the addition of multiple World Championship finalist Sinnosuke Yokoyama to the entry list.  The iconic Japanese engine manufacturer was already committed to attending Asia’s brand new high profile nitro onroad event with trackside technical support for O.S. Speed engine users but has now added their factory driver to the race’s impressive international entry.  Also a multiple Japanese National Champion, Yokoyama joins a stacked field that includes compatriot & World Champion Naoto Matsukura from Infinity, Serpent’s 2025 1:8 Onroad Worlds’ Top Qualifier Andrea Catanzani, double reigning IFMAR 1:8 GT World Champion Alessio Mazzeo, European GT Champion Natanaele Senesi, Xray’s Italian young gun Filippo Domanin, and Genius Racing’s very experienced Bernard-Alain Arnaldi.  The first edition of what the 2026 IFMAR 1:12 and ISTC World Championship host venue plans to build into a major annual event on the international nitro racing calendar, Red RC are looking forward to kicking off a busy season of race coverage by travelling to the city of Foshan and returning to this very impressive venue to cover the Nitro Party which will see the facility echo to the sound of nitro engines.

Source: Hongyu GDC [Facebook]

January 9, 2026

Serpent’s Catanzani confirmed for inaugural Nitro Party

Currently one of the fastest Nitro Onroad racers in the World, Serpent’s Andrea Catazani is the latest top international driver to be confirmed for the inaugural Nitro Party race in Foshan, China, later this month.  The 20-year-old Italian, who was the Top Qualifier at both the IFMAR 1:8 Onroad and the 1:8 GT World Championships at the end of the last year, joins the already stacked entry in making the trip to the new Hongyu GDC facility for its first major nitro onroad event.  The reigning Italian GT Champion, he joins compatriots Alessio Mazzeo, Natanaele Senesi, and Filippo Domanin for the first edition of what the 2026 ISTC World Championship host venue plans to build into a major annual event on the nitro racing calendar.  Other confirmed entries for the January 24-25th race include Infinity’s Naoto Matsukura and Genius Racing’s Bernard-Alain Arnaldi.

Source: Hongyu GDC [Facebook]

January 6, 2026

Infinity confirms Matsukura for inaugural Nitro Party

Infinity has confirmed they are sending multiple World Champion Naoto Matsukura to the inaugural Nitro Party race which takes place later this month at the new Hongyu GDC track in China.  The Japanese driver holds one of the most impressive World Championship records in our sport winning 6 World Championship title over three different classes, 1:12, ITSC, and Nitro Touring Car, and has appeared in World final across numerous disciplines including 1:8 Onroad and 1:10 Electric Offroad.  Fresh from racing at the FEMCA Asia Championships, TQ’ing the opening qualifier, at the impressive Hongyu GDC facility in December in preparation for the upcoming ISTC World Championships, the Japanese ace will return to the city of Foshan on January 24-25 for some nitro action.  With the Nitro Party race creating great excitement within the Asian nitro onroad scene, the race has also attracted international attention with newly crowned 1:8 GT World Champion Alession Mazzeo one of a number of Italians already confirm for the first edition.

Source: Hongyu GDC [Facebook]

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]

December 11, 2025

’25 1:8 Onroad World Championship Chassis Focus Index

Another season of IFMAR World Championships wrapped up in Chile last weekend with 1:8 Onroad the fourth & final race of 2025.  While IFMAR’s original World Championship would attract a small entry, that didn’t take away from the racing at the front with qualifying ending with cars from four different manufacturers making up the new for 2025 Direct to Final Top 4 qualifiers.  For the 1-hour final that number would grow to 5 as Shepherd’s Tim Wood won the Last Chance Qualifier to represent the now British owned brand as the 11th car on the grid.  Statistics compiled by IFMAR, this the 24th running of the title race, would show Mugen Seiki as the most popular chassis ahead of Capricorn and Shepherd who tied for second.  Racing around the very large CACH, the most common source of power came from Ielasi Tuned followed by Max Power, who thanks to Shoki Takahata make it back to back engine World titles.  In terms of radios used, Sanwa was the choice of over 50% of the drivers.  With 2 X Mugen Seiki, 2 X Capricorn, 2 X Shepherds, and one Serpent and Xray each, we managed to get our hands on 8 cars from the five manufacturers represented in the final.

Shoki Takahata (Q4/World Champion) – Mugen Seiki

Simon Kurzbuch (Q5/P2) – Mugen Seiki

Andrea Catanzani (Top Qualifier/P3) – Serpent

Maxime Ripoll (Q2/P8) – Xray

Toni Gruber (Q3/P4) – Capricorn

Thilo Diekmann  (Q6/P11) – Capricorn

Tim Wood (Q12/P9) – Shepherd

Alex Esser (Q15/P17) – Shepherd

December 6, 2025

Chassis Focus – Shoki Takahata (Mugen Seiki)

Chassis: Mugen Seiki MRX7
Engine: Max Power 351R
Exhaust: Max Power /EFRA 2183
Radio: Sanwa M17S
Servos (Steering/Throttle): Sanwa PGS-XR II
Body: Xtreme Hyper Diablo
Tires (handout): Matrix
Fuel (handout): Energy

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