November 23, 2019

Chassis Focus – Natanaele Senesi

Chassis – Gimar GTZ
Engine – Gimar Demon GT
Fuel – Maxima
Tires (handout) – GQ
Radio/Servos – Futaba/Futaba
Body – Gimar XXX12

Remarks – Italian brand Gimar are present at the SIGP with team driver Natanaele Senesi to test their new GTZ GT chassis in preparation for the World Championships in Florida. Unlike some of their competitors the GTZ is not using a buggy base but instead has been built specifically for the GT class.  This new iteration sports a thicker 4mm chassis plate but which is narrower by 60mm than its predecessor which finished 2nd and 3rd at the most recent Euros. The car also uses a new engine, the Demon GT, which is also being used to good use by overnight TQ Felix Law. Completing the package is the XXX12 bodyshell, which is one of the only four bodies approved for the World Championships.

Image Gallery

November 23, 2019

Sobue to start 2nd in Mod as Quek secures Stock TQ

Akio Sobue won the battle to start 2nd behind Bruno Coelho in this afternoon’s triple A-mains. While it was the World Champion who once again took the top spot to make it 4 from 4 in qualifying, behind it was Sobue that took 2nd with his Infinity prototype while Dominic Quek, who had been poised to start 2nd, could only get 17th for the round. The Singapore driver spun his Xray coming onto the straight and flipped, losing him close to a lap. Afterwards he said he felt that the sugar water that they had sprayed on the track was still wet but was still positive about starting 3rd in such a competitive field. Behind, fellow Singaporean Nicholas Lee will set off from 4th on the grid, while his Yokomo team mate Meen Vejrak completes the top half of the grid.

In the Hobbywing class, things were a lot better for Quek as he secured the TQ spot thanks to his 2 TQ runs yesterday, the Xray driver only managing 2nd this morning. Taking the final round, German Max Machler made his intentions known for the A-finals as he ended up some 4 seconds clear at the front and will start just behind Dominic in 2nd. Stick King will start from 3rd for Serpent while Hobbywing team manager Salton Dong will set off on 4th. Simon Wang completes the top 5.

View the complete event results here.

View our event image gallery here.

November 22, 2019

Q2 Update

As light faded here in Xiamen and racing switched to being run under the floodlights it was Meen Vejrak who once again topped qualifying to take his 2nd TQ of the day and most importantly during what is expected to be the fastest conditions of the 3 rounds of qualifying. The Maxima driver topped Q2 by over a second once more from top seed Kim Ki Heung, the Shepherd racer recovering from a slow start to put in the fastest lap of qualifying on his way to 2nd. Behind it was Merlin Depta who finally had a solid run when it mattered, the Serpent driver beating out Mugen driver Motor King in 4th and team mate Jeff Hamon in 5th, the Australian running out of fuel on the final lap.

View the complete event results here.

View our event image gallery here.

November 22, 2019

Chassis Focus – Meen Vejrak

Chassis – Infinity IF8
Engine – Maxima Racing 20
Fuel – Maxima
Tires (handout) – Matrix
Radio/Servos – Sanwa/Power HD
Body – Xtreme Super Diablo

Remarks – Meen Vejrak is doing double duties this weekend, also running at the sharp end in electric touring, but it is in Nitro where he is performing his best, topping the opening 2 qualifiers today. His first time running the stock Infinity chassis, which was selected by his Maxima team, he feels it is more consistent and has more traction than previous cars he has tried but has similar steering to its competitors. His engine is the Racing 20 from Maxima, an OS based motor that has more torque than its predecessors.

Image Gallery