Hobbywing announced a new version of their Outlaw Bandit Brushless Motors. Who has a desire for high performance in 1/10 Outlaw competition, makes everything right with the Xerun Bandit G4 engine series. Up to 18% more powerful and 12% more efficient, this motor shows up compared to its G2R predecessor. And with fully-adjustable timing from 20 to 60 degrees, the Bandit G4’s full potential is awakened. The motor uses a fully exposed stator core structure. So the outer stator core is directly exposed to maximize dissipation of generated heat.
Features:
More power than the Xerun Bandit G2R series
Dual sensor design for optimal wiring in the RC car
Young talents are important for every sport around the globe – and so it is also in the world of RC racing. Phil Langner from Rellingen (close to Hamburg) is our interview guest today, and we like to find out some facts about the young man who had a serious impact onto the Orca 21.5 Stock class at the last ETS race in Austria where he finished second on the podium after a great drive!
ETS – Hi Phil, we hope you had a good trip home from Austria with your father Marc. How did it feel to bring home the 2nd place trophy?
Phil – I didn’t notice much of the journey home because I was asleep most of the time. I was really happy about it, so I woke my mum up at night to show her the trophy.
Before the race in Aigen probably nobody had you on their radar. It was very impressive to watch you driving in all your qualification and final runs. Were you nervous when you realised “hey, I can race at the front here”, or was it “all easy” for you?
I’m always nervous, but after the great qualifying heats I was even more nervous before the first final than I usually am. But when I was standing on the driver’s stand it got better again.
You even won the first A final in the Orca 21.5 Stock class. How did that feel? When you compare the finals at an ETS race with A-finals from other races, what is the biggest difference for you?
Indescribably great, especially because so many people have congratulated me there too. Because it’s a much bigger event with more participants and spectators, the excitement is even greater. Especially when Scotty comments on the whole thing.
The Euro Touring Series is currently the most important racing series for 1:10 electric onroad. But of course there are also numerous other, smaller racing series. Where else do you race? We’ve seen you a lot on off-road circuits recently 😊
With the touring car and the Fronti, I still occasionally race TOS and anything else I can fit into my schedule. In Nitro Offroad I do the SK races to qualify for the German Championship. If time allows, I like to do other big races, the last one was 3 weeks ago in Denmark for the NXC in Hillerød.
Do you remember where and when you did your first RC car race?
My first race was in 2017 with a 1:8th scale electric buggy near Rendsburg at the Schietschmietern Bistensee.
How did you get into our great hobby? Through friends at school, or was it your dad Marc who showed you the hobby?
I think dad is to blame, as the whole basement is full of RC cars and when the time is right the whole family almost always goes along to the races.
What was your first RC car?
My first RC car was a Losi Shourt Course that I still occasionally race with my friends in the car park.
Do you go to practice very often or less often? Which race tracks are the best to get to for training?
In winter we train almost every weekend in Hasloh at the Megadrom. In the summer there is almost no time to train, because there are so many races and we also have to wrench the cars in between.
Do you have a favourite race track? If so, tell us about that track and why you like it better than others?
In Onroad, my favourite tracks are Aigen😉 and Andernach. In offroad I like to drive at the L.A Speedway in Landshut and in the past the old track of Big Hamburg which unfortunately doesn’t exist anymore (but we are building a new one 😁).
You are currently on the track with an Awesomatix. Why Awesomatix, and what cars do you use in your off-road races?
I race Awesomatix because it is the most raced car in our area, so we have had the most help and support. In offroad I drive a Sworkz S35-4 buggy which I also like a lot.
Adjusting a modern touring car is not that easy and you always need someone to learn from! Who have you learned the most from so far?
I’ve learned most from my dad, but we also get tips from many others in the pits. Thanks for that 😊
Do you have a favourite driver or role model in RC car racing? Multiple answers are allowed 😊
I don’t have a favourite driver but to be as successful as Ronald Völker, Marc Reinhard or Bruno Coelho would be great.
When you talk to your friends about your RC car hobby, how do you explain to them what exactly you do when you go to Austria or Luxembourg to pursue this hobby? What do they think?
I’ve been showing my friends the cars in the basement and we race the short course in the car park every now and then. I also make videos of the races and put them in my WhatsApp status and I get messages that they think it’s cool.
Do you have any other hobbies besides RC car racing that you do in your spare time? Or does racing take up more than enough of your time?
I play football as well. But as racing and football matches are usually both on weekends I always have to choose one, usually it’s the races.
What goals have you set for the ETS season #16 2022/23? Which races do you still want to take part in?
Definitely to have fun and, if things go well, maybe to achieve some more great results. So far we are planning to go to Arena 33, Hann. Münden and Daun.
Phil, thank you very much for this great interview and for your time. We are very happy to call you part of the ETS family. We wish you only the best, and most of all good luck and success on the track!
Thank you too and I am happy to be part of the ETS family. The races are always a lot of fun.
The 2023 EFRA 1:10 scale electric touring car european championships took place at the nice and flowing (and very fast) track of the MCC Türkheim in Germany. Four classes had been on the line: Modified Touring, Spec Touring, Frontwheel, and Formmula 1. Against a very bad weather forecast, it stayed dry for most of the days and all races could happen in fair and equal conditions.
Modified
Coelho (Xray) wins third consecutive TC euros title
The Modified class was a real close affair in practice, qualifying, and some parts of the A-Main finals. Bruno Coelho (Xray), Ronald Völker (Mugen Seiki), Eric Dankel (Mugen Seiki), Michal Orlowski (Schumacher), and Marc Rheinard (Awesomatix) had been in the top 5 of almost every heat and Coelho was able to take the TQ with a super-small margin from Völker. Orlowski, Dankel, and Rheinard completed the top 5 on the starting grid. A1 then saw Coelho pulling away after Völker had not the best start off the dirty line. Coelho was leading with 0.8 most of the time until Völker closed the gap to 0.3 at the end of the run with visually having the faster car. But Coelho standed his ground and won A1. The second A-Main was only a thirller until the sound of the tone, where Völker spun out immediateley. This handed a comfortable situation to Coelho who made no mistakes and won A2 to seal the overall (and well-deserved) victory at the 2023 EFRA european championships. Völker and Orlowski battled it out for second overall in A3 with the better ending for Völker. Behind the podium finishers Coelho, Völker, and Orlowski, the top 5 got completed by Marc Rheinard (4th), and Eric Dankel (5th).
SPEC
Lauter (Awesomatix) takes SPEC class title from Ratheisky and Bultynck
The SPEC class (better known as (Stock) was in the hands of Simon Lauter. He took TQ after qualifying and also won the first A-Main. Simon then made a huge mistake in the last minute of A1 and rolled his car on the roof. Jan Ratheisky took the win in A2 and the decision for the overall win was shifted to A3. Ratheisky had a bad start in A3 and was out of contention immediateley. Lauter cruised to the win and celebrated another EFRA title in this class – congratulations Simon. Jan Ratgheisky and Olivier Bultynck joined him on the podium.
Frontwheel
Pöhlmann wins the Fronti title for Awesomatix in Türkheim
A cery strong driving Daniel Pöhlmann (Awesomatix) took the win in the FWD class ahead of two time ETS FWD champion Stefan Schulz (Xray), and ETS Daun race winner Sören Sparbier (Mugen Seiki). A very strong performance from Pöhlmann who is normally better known for his touring car racing (instead of FWD). Congratulations to all FWD racers and thanks for a great show!
Formula 1
Schumacher`s Stiebler wins Formula Euro Cup
The Formula class was only called a “Euro Cup” and not an official EFRA european championships – and nobody really understands why. However, Schumacher driver Andreas Stiebler was very dominant and showed once again that he is currently the best Formula racer in europe. Stiebler won the Euro Cup ahead of Gergö Valent and Michael Lipperheide. Congratulations Andreas Stoebler – please feel like a real EUROPEAN CHAMPION which you are 🙂
Yokomo has released a new entry level 4WD touring car kit called Rookie Speed RS1.0. To reduce costs for beginners, Yokomo has replaced many carbon and alloy parts with plastic and epoxy components. However, the kit offers a full adjustability and is a great platform to get into 1:10 scale touring car racing without spending a huge amount of money.
The Rookie Speed RS1.0 will be available around the world very soon!
T-Work`s has released two versions of battery mounting sets for the Yokomo BD12 and Xray X4 platforms. The set is available with an aluminum base part, as well as with a more heavy brass part to add more weight to the battery side when running light battery packs (for example in the modified class). The brass parts add 8,8g to the Yokomo car, and 11.6g to the Xray car.
The easy snap system allows drivers to mount the battery pack quickly into the car and no hexdriver is needed to fix any screws. The system is fully adjustable andcompatible with all 2S LiPo packs on the market.
T-Work`s part numbers: TW-TE-257-BD12-B T-Work`s Easy Snap Brass Battery Mount Set (Yokomo BD12 / BD11) TW-TE-257-BD12 T-Work`s Easy Snap Battery Mount Set (Yokomo BD12 / BD11) TW-TE-257-X4-B T-Work`s Easy Snap Brass Battery Mount Set for Xray X4-2022 / X4-2023 TW-TE-257-X4 T-Work`s Easy Snap Battery Mount Set for Xray X4-2022 / X4-2023
Enjoy a quick review from our amazing second race of the season. Hanno van den Boogaard produced some nice video content during the ETS weekend in Austria. Enjoy some impressions and let us take you back to the action and experiences on the grund of the MAV Aigen-Schlägl. ETS RD2 was a BLAST!
After the second race of ETS Season #16 2023/24, it is time to look at the overall standings of the championship for the first time. There is still a long way to go but now the tables are a little more meaningful than after RD1 in the Netherlands.
Matrix Modified
Rheinard and Awesomatix leading, tied on points with Mugen Seiki`s Dankel
In the Matrix Modified class, Marc Rheinard is leading the championship after his win in Austria. He has collected the same amount of points as second placed Eric Dankel, but the TQ from Apeldoorn puts Rheinard ahead of Dankel in the list. Rheinard is in the best position he was since many years after the second race of the season, and all he wants is to win the title at the end of the actual campaign! Eric Dankel is on a high since his podium in Apeldoorn, and he was as close as never before to win the Modified class at the ETS. Let´s see how the rest of the seaosn will go for him. Christopher Krapp is in a good third position, followed by Ronald Völker and Simon Lauter. Völker will need a good recovery after finishing off the podium two times in a row, while P5 for Simon Lauter is simply an amazing result in his first complete Modified saeson so far.
Actual situation: Good chance for Rheinard to win his second ETS title. Völker needs a magic recovery, Dankel is currently tipping the scales, Urbain and Orlowski coming back soon!
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Awesomatix Pro Stock
Bultynck one point ahead of Izsay
Olivier Bultynck from Belgium is leading the Pro Stock class with the small margin of one point from Adam Izsay. Will these two drivers battle it out for the overall title until the end of the season, or will we see Lukas Ellerbrock, Dominic Vogl, or Tim Benson be able to intervene in the fight for the championship? Olivier Bultynck is a very experienced racer and has won many races in his carreer, while Adam Izsay is a mega fast young gun who looks very hungry for success at the ETS. Right now, the chances are 50/50 and we can not name a favourite for the overall title in the Awesomatix Pro Stock class.
Actual situation: We expect a battle between Bultynck and Izsay to the end of the season!
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Hobbywing Frontwheel
Does Izsay already have one hand on the big trophy?
After two wins from pole position, Adam Izsay has already built up a gap of eleven (!) points to second placed Max Weffers in the championship. If Izsay will continue to race in the FWD class until the end of the season in his current form, it should be almost impossible for his competitors to snatch him the title away. But as nothing is impossible in racing, Max weffers, Kevin Sparbier, and all the others will not back off until the decision is finally made in the Hobbywing Frontwheel class.
Actual situation: Clear advantage for Izsay!
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1up Racing 40+ Masters
Kölbel, Thalheimer, Stankowitz, Schmitzer, and Zierold – five hores race going on right now!
The 1up Racing 40+ Masters class is still wide open as five drivers are only seperated by five points after RD2 in Austria. René Kölbel is leading, tied on points with Thalheimer. Kölbel`s TQ from Apeldoorn is putting him on top of the field now. Thalheimer had two strong results but is still missing his first win in the 40+ Masters class. On a perfect day he can do it. Reigning champion Stankowitz is third, followed by Werner Schmitzer in fourth place. Michel Zierold, who won in Austria, is sitting in fifth place which he will try to improve for sure. In Aigen he showed that the speed is definateley there to fight for the title.
Actual situation: 5 drivers within 5 points – the rest of the season will be a great show, and a hard fight!
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Orca 21.5 Stock
Bergheim in comfortable position after ETS Austria
Tristan Bergheim is sitting first in the championship of the Orca 21.5 Stock class. The young and quick German driver won the season opener in the Netherlands, and finished third in Austria – enough to put seven points between himself and second placed Tobias Baumbach. Timo Siebert is ranked third, followed by Karl Heinz Moritz and young Emely Ratheisky. If Bergheim will continue to score constant top 3 results, he can win the title at the end of the season.
Actual situaton: Comfortable lead for Bergheim makes him overall title favourite!
ToniSport Formula
Stiebler the man to beat
Andreas Stiebler won both races of the season. One from TQ (Aigen), the other one from third on the grid (Apeldoorn). Stiebler is driving the most consistant races at the moment and that has put him on top of the championship rankings. Jan Ratheisky is 5 points behind him, but he is a driver who is always able to turn things around by winning some races in a row. David Ehrbar struggled a little bit in Austria, but he will not stop to push hard for claiming victories.
Actual situation: Stiebler can defend his title but needs to beat Ratheisky and Ehrbar two more times!
Mugen Seiki Europe has released two different aluminum eccenters for the MTC-2 and MTC-2R touring car. They are super light, and stronger than the plastic ones from the kit. They are available in a “standard” and in a “low” version which allows you to run Diff and Spool 1mm lower in the car. A ,ust have for every Mugen Seiki MTC-2 or MTC-2R racer.
ETS RD2 in Austria is history! It was an amazing weekend of RC car action and we saw many many happy people saying goodbye to us after the trophy ceremony. Thank you all for coming and enjoying a great time with us in Aigen-Schlägl. Today we like to inform you about the 5 things we have learned from ETS RD2 Season #16 2023/24. Read about the MAV Aigen-Schlägl, the Modified TQ spot, Xray`s Pro Stock victory, young Phil Langner, and first time podiums for Iris and Schumacher.
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1) MAV Aigen-Schlägl is a top notch facility that fulfils the wishes of all racers
After ETS RD1, we hailed the AMC Apeldoorn for hosting a fantastic event. Now we MUST do the same for the MAV Aigen-Schlägl! ETS RD2 was another fantastic event and the club did an outstanding job. Last year`s race in Aigen was organized perfectly, and the club has not rested on this. Drivers shouted out huge compliments for the technical inspection, the cafeteria, the nice meals at lunchtime, and of course for the amazing racetrack. The atmosphere was brilliant all day long and that was the merit of the MAV Aigen-Schlägl under the leadership of Martin Mayrhofer. THANK YOU for hosting us!
2) Being Modified TQ currently brings no luck
Last season, five of the six races in the Matrix Modified class saw the TQ taking the win from the best place on the grid. The only driver winning from second on the grid was Yannic Prümper in Apeldoorn. This means, that the TQ has therefore won the race 83% of the time. After 2 races of the current season this win rate has now crashed down to zero percent. Marc Rheinard was top qualifier at RD1 in the Netherlands with his Awesomatix car, and was only able to finish in P7 after the triple A-Mains while Michal Orlowski took the win from second on the grid. Rheinard had some tough luck and was very frustrated after the race as the win was so close. In Aigen-Schlägl, Rheinard was able to recover from the bad Apeldoorn result and took an impressive win. But how was it possible?
Well, TQ Ronald Völker suffered from an almost similar portion of bad luck in Austria. Völker was able to put his Mugen car on TQ after looking very strong in qualifying, but in the triple A-Mains the racing luck disappeared from Völker`s hands. He had a bad start in A1 where his teammate Dankel culd pass him after the sund of the tone, and ended only fourth in A1. In the second and third final, he suffered from spinning once, and flying off the track in the last final – P8 for Völker in the end. A nightmare for the Mugen Seiki team and the record ETS champion Völker. Two races, two times no winner from the TQ spot. The next race at Arena33 in Andernach will show whether this is just a snapshot, or if the TQ has been put under an evil curse.
3) After very long time – Xray back on top of the Pro Stock podium
Xray was a dominant force in the history of the Euro Touring Series with winning many races and championship titles in the past. Marek Cerny, Jan Ratheisky, Alexandre Duchet, Bruno Coelho – all these names are connected with winning ETS titles. Would you have known that Xray has not won a race in Pro Stock since 11 races? We also had been surprised about this as we checked the results. The last eleven Pro Stock races all had been in the hands of Team Awesomatix around Max Mächler, Simon Lauter, and Olivier Bultynck.
This past weekend in Aigen, Xray driver Adam Izsay from Hungary was able to turn the tables and finally won the Pro Stock class for Xray after Alexandre Duchet did it the last time 2021 at Arena 33 in Andernach. Adam Izsay was on a mission all weekend long and took a well deserved TQ. He made a big mistake in A1 but got his nerves togehter and won A2 and A3 to seasl the deal for himself and the slovakian manufacturer Xray. Congratulations to Adam for a great drive. Let`s see if he will be able to challenge Aweosmatix for the win now frequently.
4) Driver of the weekend – Phil Langner is one to watch
Phil Langner was the “driver of the weekend” through the eyes of our ETS reporter. He did a great job and took his Awesomatix car to second place overall in the Orca 21.5 Stock class. Phil drove great lines, had a lot of patience and overview, took one round of qualifying, and won the first A-Main. Not bad for such a young man against so many experienced racers including former ETS champion Daniel Pöhlmann. Beside his great touring car result, Phil raced in Hobbywing Frontwheel as well and finished 15th out of 41 drivers. Another great result.
The cherry on top of the cake was certainly that he also had his birthday on Sunday and was able to enjoy it with the ETS family. His father Mark was watching his son racing, always being nervous and so proud. Keep up the good work guys – see you hopefully in Andernach for ETS RD3.
5) Iris ONE and Schumacher FT8 celebrating first ETS podiums
To design a new and quick car is not an easy task at the top end of the RC racing industry. Last weekend, we saw two relativeley new cars making it onto the ETS podium for the first time. In the 1up Racing 40+ Masters class, Manuel Stankowitz took a great third place with his Iris ONE touring car. Manuel won the 40+ masters ETS title last season, before he switched teams ahead of the new campaing as he just wanted to “experience something new”. The whole Iris team around designer Andreas Myrberg worked really hard and the first podium is a result of their dedication to racing. Congratulations for the great result!
Another driver placing a car onto the podium for the first time was Schumacher`s Andy Murray. The 2020 1:12 scale Spec IFMAR World Champion raced the new Schumacher FT8 FWD car and took a hard fought third place in thr Hobbywing Frontwheel class. It was a huge improvement for him and the car as he “only” managed to finish on P10 at the season opener in the Netherlands. Congratulations to Andy and Schumacher for the podium in Austria!
T-Works has released a new Motor Mount Weight Set for the actuel Yokomo BD12 touring car. The set includes a 25g weight and another 5g weight which drivers can use to balance out their BD12 perfectly. The 25g weight replaces the carbon fibre brace from the kit and is a perfect fit especially when using lighter batteries in the Modified class.
TE-BD12-A Brass Motor Mount Weights Set 25+5g ( For Yokomo BD12 ) *Optionally add 5g counterweight and fix with screws; Easy to install and remove*
