User:Donnie Park/IFMAR 1:8 Off-Road World Championship

IFMAR 1:8 IC Off-Road World Championship, part of the IFMAR World Championships, is a world championship radio-controlled car race sanctioned by the International Federation of Model Auto Racing (IFMAR). It takes place biennially on even years since 1986.

The event is open exclusively to 1:8 scale nitro powered off-road buggies; like it's smaller electric counterpart, they are characterized by its large wheels designed for off-road driving and enclosed single-seater bodyshell with large rear spoiler but features body cutouts exposing its glowplug engine and another hole to enable regular refuelling as races run upto 60 minutes long.

Radio Control Car Action's Carl Hyndman, in his race report for the 2016 Worlds, stated that of the (eight active) racing classes of the IFMAR World Championships out there, the 1:8 Worlds is "the most competitive, the most backed by the industry, and the most coverted titles among the drivers." as the tournament is itself notable for its parity with no back-to-back winners and a sole double winner in its history. In addition, an eight-day schedule, difficult track conditions made complicated by a ban on track maintenance in any part of the event, increasing competitions between drivers and manufacturers with luck in addition to high skill level required make this one of the most challenging events of all. In addition, as it is considered to be one of the most prestigious events for radio-controlled car s, demand for entries are extremely high as increasing demands by American entrants (as of 2016), as their market is still in the midst of it's golden age, has resulted in rule changes twice concerning allocated number of entrants in tournaments taking place on it's home soil.

Unlike the other IFMAR Worlds, where being the Top Qualifier guarantee a pole position in the championship final race; since 1988, it only guarantee a top spot in the semi-finals with three drivers in it's history failing to reach beyond that. This championship became retrospectively notable for the appearance of the future Formula One driver, Pedro de la Rosa, who became runner-up in one of his final radio-controlled race in 1986.

The tournament was dominated by European drivers in its early years but with strong Kyosho influence and the need for jump tracks in the 1990s onward saw the increasing tide of American drivers who gradually came to dominate the class.

Maurizio Monesi of Italy hold the record with two wins, the only double winner in history. Kyosho holds distinction for the most wins for manufacturers with a total of eight with the Inferno family of cars since 1992 with its designer Yuichi Kanai winning the 2000 Worlds himself; additionally,, he is the only driver left from the 1986 entrants to have started at every 1:8 Off-Road Worlds.

http://www.neobuggy.co/1988-worlds/

History
In its early years, the European influence became evident as they dominated the inaugural Worlds in 1986 with 85% of entries (99 of 117) being Europeans with 17 Japanese and a sole American, this was because they were slow to catch on until the 1990s as there was no US championship until 1997. Despite a lack of national championships then, American drivers began to frequent the A-main from 1994 onwards.

increasing influence from the Yuichi Kanai designed Kyosho Inferno series in the mid 1990s, jumps became a feature of the circuits.

saw an increasing American influence with four drivers appearing at the A-main

2006 - boycotts

2008 - increase to the now 12-car field

2010

2012 - customs issues

The 2014 track design was controversial as it was believed to be constructed from stucco that was widely used to construct buildings than the materials used traditionally used in off-road racing.

2016 was mired in controversy as virtually everybody but the 47 drivers with Kyoshos learned on the first day of competition that they fielded spoilers that was no longer legal to them to use

a regulation that had been enforced

wing gate

Race format
Each begins with a timed 10-minute practice sessions which is used to determine the drivers' seedings

Since 2008, because of its 12-car grid, the top four finishers, as opposed to three in a ten car heat, in each heat are promoted into the next heat en-route to the semi-finals

Of all the IFMAR Worlds, it is the only class in gas racing where the Top Qualifier is only guaranteed a place in the semi-finals, as opposed to being placed directly in front of the A-mains.

Because of this, only three Top Qualifiers have failed to reach the A-Main (Yuichi Kanai in 1988, broken suspension; Yannick Aigoin in 2004, disqualified for illegal fuel tank and Elliott Boots in 2012, steering servo failure)

have not started in front

Unlike it's 1:10 counterpart, IFMAR regulation does not permit track maintenance with the exception of the regular watering of tracks as this is to create a “real off-road” nature of the race

Most represented in final
Note: Entries expanded to accommodate 12 drivers (from 10 in previous years) as of 2008, those with more than 50% represented are listed. Italics represents in which a driver of the country who didn't win, italics on nationalities indicate host nation.