The first three rounds of ETS Season #18 2025/26 are fixed. Due to the great demand from our racers, we are going to the exact same race tracks as in the current season – Apeldoorn, Aigen, and Luxembourg. With rolling out the race dates as early as possible, we hope to help all our racers in terms of planning their family vacations and off days from work to join us!
The past races at these venues were great successes for the clubs and also for us as organisers. Won’t it get boring coming to the same places at some point? Well, you might think so, but Formula 1 also returns to Monza, Silverstone and Au Dhabi every year, for example.
The vision – a rolling system
What we are aiming for in the future, however, is a rolling system consisting of more than three venues for our outdoor races. It would be great to be able to swap one venue for another every year. Each organiser would then always take part two years in a row (important for planning security) and then have a year off.
But as we are not that far yet, we are now looking forward to the three exciting races in 2025 that will take us to Apeldoorn, Aigen and Luxembourg – to 3 of the best 10 RC car race tracks on the planet!
You want to organise an outdoor ETS?
Interested clubs and track operators who have the necessary infrastructure and manpower are also welcome to contact us if they are interested in organising an ETS race in the coming years. Important are a good accessibility of the facility, hotels nearby, a large and covered pit area, the possibility of catering, and of course a beautiful race track!
We wish you now a wonderful time going into the weeks ahead of christmas and we are looking forward to see you in Daun 🙂
Doesn`t it feel like an eternity since the last car crossed the finish line at our last ETS race in Luxembourg? Yes it does but on the other hand it is also nice to have a little break from ETS racing to be beack in full force when we will head into our mega event in Daun at the end of January 2025. Today we like to let you know that the plannings for Daun are already in full swing and we also like to take a look on some things which will be interesting on the way to Daun…
1) IFMAR World Champions crowned – ETS racers with amazing results in California
Since the last ETS in Luxembourg, the IFMAR ISTC Touring Car World Championship took place in Bakersfield, California (USA). Many ETS racers attended the show to battle for the biggest prize in our world of racing and it was a spectacular event with great racing on track. Let’s see how the drivers will perform for the rest of the season now that the pressure of the World Championship has lifted from their shoulders.
Awesomatix driver Simon Lauter was able to clinch the worlds title in the Spec Class ahead of his teammate Max Mächler, and Xray`s Jan Ratheisky. A hugy victory for Lauter who was the runner up behind Alexandre Duchet at the last World Championship in Italy.
In the premier Modified Class it was Xray`s Bruno Coelho who made history when he won his third consecutive title – an achievement which nobody was able to clinch before in the touring car class. Reigning ETS champion Michal Orlowski (Schumacher) was TQ after qualifying and had to settle for second place after intense battles on track with Coelho, third placed Marc Rheinard (Awesomatix) , and Mugen Seiki driver Ronald Völker.
Many new cars and prototypes had been running on the tricky high-bite track in Bakersfield during the IFMAR worlds. The new released Xray X4`25 won the title, RC Maker was in the mix with their new SP1, Team Associated showed their unexpected TC8 for the first time, the new Tamiya car was in competition, as well as many prototype cars from Mugen Seiki, Serpent, and Axon. So many new cars – great news for all interested customers around the globe!
As always at a world championship, teams and drivers aim for the perfect performance on track with the best possible package. The car (chassis) is the most important factor to shine on track and in Bakersfield we saw some new cars and prototypes on track.
Xray won the Modified title with their “all new” X4`25 touring car platform which was released to the public shortly before the event. Coelho and Hagberg showed a great pace in Modified, and Jan Ratheisky was the quickest Xray driver in the Spec Class finishing third overall on the podium. A perfect debut for the new Xray car and the Xray customers can rely on a race-proven and championship winning car for 2025.
Mugen Seiki showed up with a completeley new prototype car called MTC-3. It was not allowed to take pictures of the car as it really was the first time the team used it on track. The more impressive was the pace from Ronald Völker and Jacob Cruz who were racing the two prototype cars at the worlds. Ronald Völker lined up third on the grid and was close to Orlowski and Coelho in qualifying while Jacob Cruz was the sensation of the worlds making the A-Main on home soil. Asked about the new car Völker said: “We are back! Robert (Pietsch) is a genius and the new car is a major step forward over the MTC-2R which we have used before!” Mugen customers can look forward to something new!
RC Maker was in attendance for the first time at the IFMAR worlds with their own car. Company owner and driver Ryan Maker said: “It was a dream which became reality now. I was always dreaming about competing at the worlds with my own car. It was and still is a lot of work but I am happy where we are now with our first car as it performs very will on track”. Ryan Maker raced the SP1 together with 1up Racings Randy Caster and some other guys – let`s see how the RC Maker team will look in 2025 as they will announce some new teamdrivers soon!
Serpent brought their updated touring car version to the race with Dominic Greiner flying the flag for them making it into the A-Main. A great achievement for them without having a super big team . Jeff Hamon from Australia and Bryce Butterfield from the US completed the Serpent factory team running the new car as well. Asked about the car, Greiner said: “It is a big improvement. We still need to find a bit of pace to close the gap to the front but we are happy with the car for now and we will continue to push!”
Axon also raced with a new (and hidden) prototype car at Finishline RC Raceway. Akio Sobue finished sixth overall and Hayato Ishioka won the B-Main. The Axon team wanted a bit more but the pace from Akio Sobue and Hayato Ishioka was really good and they will for sure release a high quality race car to the public once everything is ready!
Team Associated brought their (unexpected) new TC8 touring car and surprised the world with a touring car comeback after several years. Rick “the Finger” Hohwart was the best Team Associated driver rocking his Reedy powered car. The event was like an early christmas for all Team Associated fanboys – a new car is about to come!
With ETS RD4 taking place at the end of January 2025, there are some events before which drivers can attend to practice in good conditions on ETS carpet. There is the Longwy Winter Series in France hosted by the famous MRC Longwy together with the huge GP3F taking place at January 18-19 the weekend ahead of the ETS in Daun.
Another racing series is the EWS (Essex Winter Series) in Essex, UK. Oli Meggitt and his crew is organizing world class races there since many years and it is for sure worth a trip to travel to one of this races to compete against the best drivers from the UK and other international racers as well.
The popular Rookie Speed, the entry-level model in the speed category, has been further developed to become even more affordable! Now available as the new RS2.0. Getting into touring car racing is now even easier and the performance is even better.
The main chassis and upper deck are made of resin for a smooth ride with strong ground contact. The front and rear harnesses are the same length, so the throttle response is only slightly affected, and the main feature is easy cornering. In addition, the RS2.0 has a completely new motor mount that allows it to be fitted with a brush motor. Compatibility with a wider range of power sources has also been extended, making it easier to use.
The most important point in improving driving performance is the new short shock absorbers on the front and rear axles. The overall length is around 10 mm shorter and the damper bridges have been lowered accordingly, resulting in a significantly lower center of gravity. The springs can also be used on current competition touring cars, which significantly extends the adjustment range.
Features of the Yokomo Rookie Speed 2.0
Short dampers and shock towers front and rear
Equally long belts front and rear
Mid-engine layout
Front and rear cone differentials
Front and rear cardan shafts
Turnbuckle upper wishbones and tie rods
Aluminum motor mount (compatible with brushless and brushed motors)
finally, we can confirm the date for our season finale in Wiener Neustadt, Austria. We are happy to announce that we will organize the last race of ETS Season #17 together with the 1. MRC Wiener Neustadt at the fantastic Arena Nova again. Last year`s season finale was outstanding and we are already looking forward to our second visit at Arena Nova. Please read the following information about the HOTEL BOOKING options for our great season finale!
HOTEL BOOKING
The following LINK will guide you to the website of the city of Wiener Neustadt where you can find the three Hotels which are closest to Arena Nova. There are blocked contigents for the ETS which you can book on this page for a slightly reduced price.
However, you can also book your accomodation without using this link if you are having a special status at one of the big hotel booking platforms!
Arena Nova is a huge event complex with 4 different halls. From sport events to cultural events and fairs, Arena Nova is able to host almost every event with capacities from 100 up to 5000 spectators. The ETS will race in hall number 4 which is different from hall 3 where we raced last time – but still big enough to host our event in style.
Hotels: There are many Hotels of each category around Arena Nova and it should be easy to find what you are looking for.
The Hobbywing XeRun XR10 Pro G3 sets new standards for competition ESCs and raises the performance level with many innovative features. Compared to its predecessor, the XR10 Pro G2S, the ESC is now equipped with a frameless and improved fan. Additionally, the optimized LCG design has reduced the height by 2 mm, leading to a lower center of gravity and improved vehicle balance. Moreover, the XR10 Pro G3 features an integrated data logging module that can store up to 19 data sets of 20 minutes each, eliminating the need for a constant connection to the OTA Bluetooth module.
In addition to the integrated data logging, the G3 comes with many interesting new features! The freewheeling function ensures more efficient cooling by noticeably lowering the operating temperature compared to its predecessor. The new Disc Brake Mode allows extremely precise and linear brake force control, making braking consistent and controllable across all speeds. With over 44 programmable parameters and two adjustment levels, the settings can now be better tailored to any situation.
Features:
Integrated data logging (OTA/LCD required for analysis)
Optimized temperature control
Disc Brake Mode for precise brake control
44+ parameters
Softening 2.0
LCG design and optimized wiring
Built-in reverse polarity protection
Optimized for modified competitions
Technical Data:
Type:
Brushless, Sensored
Current (continuous/peak):
160A / 1200A
Input Voltage:
2S LiPo
BEC:
Switch Mode 5V-7.4V @ 5A
Motor Types:
Touring Car: 4.5T+, Buggy: 5.5T+, 3650 (540) Size 2-Pole Motor
Fan:
Yes, powered by the BEC
Programming:
LCD programming box, OTA programming module
Size:
35 x 33.6 x 30.3mm
Weight:
93g (without cables)
Applications:
1/10
Accessories (optional):
HW30502001 LCD programming box HW30850400 OTA programming module
Mugen Seiki factory driver Ronald Völker won the Electric Singapore International Challenge in Singapore last weekend. The anual event attracted many international top drivers to travel to Singapore to race on a unique, challengingm and bumpy asphalt track in the beautiful and spectacular city of Singapore.
Völker was TQ after qualifying, followed by Yokomo`s Nicholas Lee, the ARC of Brayden Stanley, and the Awesomatix of Lucas Urbain. Ronald Völker was able to seal the overall victory already in A2, while Brayden Stanley finished second overall ahead of Nicholas Lee, Yugo Nagashima, and Christopher Krapp.
we will open the entries for ETS RD4 in Daun on MyRCM on Friday, 13 September 2024at 20:00 MEZ. Yes, it is still a long time until Daun BUT we need to get a first feeling of the number of entries to expect. Daun is always record breaking, and we like to know in advance how we have to build the racing schedule for the long days at the Sporthotel Grafenwald. We will try to make it as coomfortable and efficient for all racers, even with knowing that Daun is always a real marathon for everybody – including the ETS crew!
If you already know that you will come to Daun (maybe you already booked your accomodation), place your entry as soon as possible. We appreciate this a lot as it really helps us to organize the best possible event again!
Event Date: 23.01. – 26.01.2025 Location: Sporthotel Grafenwald, Im Grafenwald 1, 54550 Daun, Germany Track: ETS carpet track (non permanent) Driving direction: Anti-clockwise Pit area: Crowded and packed pit area wih tables and benches 🙂 Catering: Tobias Baumbach and his crew will be there for you! Entries open: MyRCM from Friday, 13.09.2024 at 20:00 MEZ
Hotel Booking Information
If you already know that you will come to Daun, take the chance and benefit from the “Earld Bird” prices and save some money. We have prepared two PDF files (English and German) which are including everything you need to kow about the different hotel rooms and bungalows!
ToniSport will from now on sell all 1:10 scale electric related products from the CAYOTE brand. The partnership will see ToniSport acting as kind of a distributor for the products which Marc Rheinard is already using in his racing programme.
Official announcement
“ToniSport, the German based RC company behind the world famous ETS racing series and brands like MR33, is excited to announce a new and close partnership with the latest buzz of the RC Industry, Team CAYOTE.
ToniSport will proudly step into a close collaboration, acting as a European brand supporting role for 1:10 scale related racing products such as LiPo Batteries, Electronic Speed Controllers, Brushless Motors, and general accessories. ToniSport will not only promote Team CAYOTE products to dealers, but also to racers, as you would expect from Tonisport with its close links to RC events.
Therefore, customer, warranty, and Team support will be supported by official Team Cayote driver and 2024 European Champion Marc Rheinard, with his well-known brand MR33 connected to ToniSport already. Both, Team CAYOTE and Tonisport, as well Marc, are looking forward to this new adventure in giving track side service and warranty another new dimension in the RC competition market.
The first Team CAYOTE delivery will reach the ToniSport warehouse this month, stay tuned on more news!”
Max Mächler (Awesomatix Team Manager) is in second for the first time. But 2 points are nothing, nothing at all. XRAY definitely has strong drivers in the field, there’s no question about that. Because now the poker game begins, as each team can only field a driver a maximum of three times. The team managers are certainly running out of top guns 😉 Especially in Modified, Awesomatix has the stronger driver field. There is no XRAY points supplier. Unless David (Xray Team Manager) uses a joker for this or has he already used it? But if we look at the tech charts at 21.5 Stock, P1-P4 are occupied by XRAYs. So there is room for David to choose strong drivers from other classes.
We can assume that it will develop into a duel at the top.
Who else will finish on the podium?
At the start of the season, we assumed that Mugen Seiki would be able to stay within reach of the podium. At the moment, it looks as if Schumacher will not give Mugen Seiki a break and remain within striking distance. But here too. The rule 😉 that Michal Orlowski can only be entered three times also applies to Mr Points Supplier. The formula drivers or Frontis could perhaps help out with Schumacher here.
But to hold on to the podium, the Mugen Seiki drivers should step up their game a little. There’s certainly room for improvement. Ronald (Mugen Team Manager) will certainly already be working on various scenarios.
What remains?
Due to the change of some Yokomo drivers, ARC has a good chance of snatching 4th place. Especially as there will be ideal indoor training opportunities for some ARC drivers in the north of Germany. The ARC team will be prepared in Daun and Wiener Neustadt.
Who guessed what?
Fortunately, only one person knows 😉 That much can be said, now the strategic and forward-looking decisions for the last two rounds have to be made. It’s fair to say that at least two of the three of them are already a little bit in the dark. Mugen Seiki will certainly not allow third place to be taken away from them and Awesomatix will not be satisfied with second place in Wiener Neustadt. The last word has not yet been spoken.
But perhaps Schumacher will come up with that one brilliant tactical move and secure 3rd place. 60 points is quite a few, but as you can see from RD1 and RD2, it’s definitely achievable.
Background information
How are the points calculated?
The points scored by a team/constructor per ETS event are determined on the basis of the results of the individual drivers from the RC Manager and presented in a separate ranking list.
Why can’t I see the drivers of the team managers?
Currently, the team managers do not want the information to be published. Especially with regard to the Joker, it could lead to discussions in the respective team and these should understandably be avoided. The tactical procedure in such manager games is not always immediately clear and understandable.
Why do I only see the data two days later?
This will change from Daun onwards and the points will be displayed virtually in real time. As soon as new points are scored via the RC Manager, the ETS Constructors Championship table will be updated automatically.
The outdoor portion of ETS Season #17 is done and dusted after we had another great event last weekend at “Mini Circuit Ville de Luxembourg” which is one of the most iconic tracks for onroad rc racing in the world. The ETS circus will rest a bit now as the next race is scheduled for the end of January 2025 at the next famous place – DAUN…. Before we send you into the autumn break, we like to share our 5 things we have learned during ETS RD3 in Luxembourg with you!
1) Laguna Seca Corkscrew – made for pure racing and nice passes
The whole track in Luxembourg is amazing. Beautiful layout, super fast and steep left turn after the straight, a nice and flowing infield section with the beautiful curbs painted in luxembg colours, all ending with the entry into the most famous corner in the world of racing – the Laguna Seca Corkscrew section.
Drivers arrive at the entry of Laguna Seca after going full power on the short straight in front of the driver`s stand. Hitting the entry with the right speed is super important as the cars are getting unloaded for a short time when diving down the hill into the compression before turnign right and going uphill again. This section is a key to success in Luxembourg as you can simply gain or loose so much laptime there.
When the cars arrive on top of the hill, they get unloaded again when going down onto the straightway. Drivers just need to get the perfect feeling of how much they can attack the track , and when and where they just need to let the car “doing stuff by itself” before accelerating again.
No matter how difficult this part of the track is, some drivers didn`t fear the risk of riding an attack to the car in front of them. We saw some epic passes over the weekend with the best ones (we noticed) coming from Michel Zierold, Mark Valent, and Jacques Libar. Michel Zierold overtook David Ehrbar with a ball move going uphill in the last lap of A2 in the 40+ Masters class. Mark Valent did the same to Jacques Libar in A3 of ther FWD class to only lose the position again to Libar who was putting on a nice counter on Valent some laps later.
2) Steel chassis are coming into vogue
Since a couple of races, we can see some factory drivers using STEEL chassis plates on their touring cars. Yes, you read that right – STEEL! Until now, there are no production chassis available to the public as the teams are still testing to find out about the perfect dimensions of these chassis plates in case of thickness (flex) and overall weight.
What can be the benefit of a steel chassis? Well, as we expect them to be around 50% heavier than for example an alloy chassis (mostly around 100g), the center of gravity goes down a lot resulting in more corner speed and a better handling on track. Will be interesting to see how much of a difference it will make on carpet.
However, teams also have to find out which screws to use with the thin steel plates. The same counts for the material and the shape of the topdecks combined with the steel chassis to get the flex right. Everythign will take a moment to get released to the market but we can expect STEEL CHASSIS in hobby shops soon 🙂
3) Hara proves he is still world class with making the A-Main on super challenging track
There is no doubt that Atsushi Hara is one of the greatest drivers of all time. The two time IFMAR world champion, multiple FEMCA and Japanese champion, as well as record TITC race winner did not race a lot in the last years when he was with Infinity.
Since he is running Cayote electronics and Awesomatix cars now, Hara was at all three ETS races of the current season and got up to speed race by race.
Atsushi was in the front of the B-Main in Apeldoorn and Aigen, and always had the pace for the A-Main. Last weekend, he got the job done in qualifying and lined up seventh on the grid for the big show.
Hara finished sixth overall which made him the best driver who had not practiced on the very challenging Luxembourg track in the weeks before the event. A huge accomplishment for Atsushi Hara who is still a star of our sport and a fan favourite wherever he goes. Thanks for racing at the ETS Atsushi!
4) Driver of the weekend – Lukas Ellerbrock
Sometimes it is not easy to pick a “Driver Of The Weekend” -this time it was! Awesomatix driver Lukas Ellerbrock was the man of the weekend with a TQ and win in the Awesomatix Pro Stock class while also finishing P9 in the A-Main of the Modified class.
Lukas had his rear view mirrors full of his teammates Louis Kretschmer and Ollie Bultynck in each and every second of Pro Stock A1 and A2 and simply drove a perfect race. He never gave his competitors a chance for the win – what a great performance!
Ellerbrock also made his first Modified A-Main at the ETS in Luxembourg fighting with the top dogs of the sport in the finals. All in all a perfect weekend for Lukas Ellerbrock and his great performance earns him the “Driver Of The Weekend” honours this time. Well done Lukas, it was a pleasure to watch you on track at ETS RD3.
5) Racer`s LOVE the “Mini Circuit Ville de Luxembourg”
Last but not least, we like to thank the LMCC Luxembourg for hosting us. The club did a very nice job preparing everything perfectly, and supporting us in the best possible way. The atmosphere was always nice and friendly, even the rain could not take the fact away that the LMCC Luxembourg is having one of the greatest racetracks in the world.
For sure, the pit area can be a little tight and windy sometimes, but all racers highlighted the track and how amazing it is to race on it. We hope that we can come back next year to see cars going into laguna seca again 🙂
