EDWARD2003

iTrader: (8)

I wouldn't be surprised if Marc R. influenced Naoto's decision on coming over to Tamiya, Much More and so on... Could the signing of Naoto to Tamiya be a sign that Marc R is open to greener pastures? Maybe he feels obliged to find a replacement before his departure...

The reason I say this is the TRF camp is swelling with talent and I doubt they have enough money to finance all the top tier drivers...

Who's the first to burst out the bubble?

I could see their egos clashing between on and off the drivers stand. I've seen Naoto and what he's like when he doesn't win... It ain't pretty and requires his mother to intervene.

Clawhammers

Tamiya = here's what we've got for 12th scale... RM-01 etc ....


few days later ....


NM = these are all parts that I need for RM-02....

Tamiya = [reviewing/inspecting] hey... some of these seem to be similar with R12C3 ...

NM = like hell it is...

cplus

iTrader: (11)

1/12th are pretty simple beasts really.

If Tamiya wanted to I'm sure they could grab a yoko or CRC and knock up a copy with prototype parts fairly quickly.

His deal might not even be for 1/12 and off-road - could just be TC?

Skiddins

Still??

I would have hoped he'd matured, so we'd see an end to the sort of worlds driver stand strop's he'd had in Holland a few years back.

Oh well, once a cock, always a cock

cplus

iTrader: (11)

That's funny - was it captured on video for properity

wingracer

iTrader: (24)

It's a TC only deal:

http://www.redrc.net/2015/01/naoto-m...acing-factory/

cplus

iTrader: (11)

^ that appears to only be an assumption. None of the TRF statements mention that.

Could still be correct though. However, there have been rumours of a TRF 1/12th kicking about.

niemand

'With this deal only concerning touring car...'

cplus

iTrader: (11)

That's the words of the news website - not from Tamiya.

http://www.tamiya.com/english/info/1...kura/index.htm

Just says TRF Team.

The American site statement mentions "touring car races" but that doesn't *exclude* others.
http://www.teamtrf.com

Castradamus

iTrader: (62)

I believe that other CRC drivers have beat him also. I think it's a good chance for him to pick CRC.

Francis M.

iTrader: (2)

I'm thinking Tamiya wants to get back into electric offroad competition. NM will be an addition to an already talented TRF onroad team but he would be the top driver if TRF was to start up their offroad program again.

cplus

iTrader: (11)

Some more credence to this now -Uwe Rheinard (MR's Dad!) has said this to be the case also (on FB)

goin2drt

iTrader: (77)

I don't know how these things work but if you are paying for a guy, why would you not want him to race your stuff off road? I assume this is a full time job for a top guy like NM. There are not that many big TC races that he could only focus on that, are there. It would at least put them on the map in off road.

wingracer

iTrader: (24)

That would cost more money. Paying him less to only run TC leaves him free to get other deals for offroad and 1/12th so he can still make the big bux without bankrupting Tamiya's racing budget.

goin2drt

iTrader: (77)

Makes sense. Next question, and for the record I am excited as I am a Tamiya guy. Why would you spend that kind of dough for another TC guy then when you already have one of the top guys? Why would you not either bring him on to run a different class in on road or even off road. Is having him and MR going to sell more 419's as opposed to just having MR?