wait....you mean I get the priviledged opportunity of paying a further premium on a product that says 'hara edition' on the box and printed on some stickers?

Yup. That photo doesn't mean turd, pro-racers and company execs sit around having drinks with each other all the time at major events and get pissed over dinner. Same could be said of photos taken of Hara having beers with JQ... i'm sure he's signing with JQ

And that's Kanai on the left so I guess he's going to Kyosho or RB.

A few months ago I talked to Salven for 20 minutes and loaned my soldering iron to Paolo so I guess I'm switching to Serpent.

...And you conveniently forgot Hobbico is responsible for marketing efforts, sponsorship initiatives, technical support, etc, of these brands.

Here are 3 more clues...take your pick

lol..

None of these pictures are clues to anything. All I see are fellow drivers hanging out.

I think the real reason for the split is that Hara wants to do his own thing, design his own car. HPI has been trying reduce the cost of operations and has been trimming payroll. It could be that this was the best time for both parties to split ways.

I see what you're attempting here, but your picture is from 2012, and the picture I posted was taken from Yuichi Kanai's facebook post just a few hours ago. Kanai only posts stuff that's fresh, in terms of pics.

Do you not even find it just a little bit of a coincidence, that directly after leaving HPI Hara has gone off to meet up with Kanai, and do you not find it a little bit of a coincidence that Kanai sees it prudent to post this pic on facebook at the time that he did?

I mean come on..

Just two problems.

1. Kanai didn't post that. Inforc Noticias (whoever or whatever that is) posted it to his page.

2. If he's there to make a deal with Kyosho, why is Masami there too?

Kanai will provide him 8th scale nitro stuff and Masami with 10th scale?

All I see are 3 fellow countrymen who have known each other for so many years sharing a meal and some booze....doesn't mean anything and that's my point.

Someone's posted that on Kanai's wall, Kanai hasn't posted it and its a picture taken from some speculative article on inforc.net - because Masami is in the picture as well does that mean he's signing up with Yokomo and AE???

I can bet my house and car that its a picture of them in Beijing taken within the last 48 hrs because they just all happen to be in china at the moment preparing to compete at the 2013 FEMCA 1/8 buggy and 1/10 toruing championships which is kicking off tomorrow (20th August)...and it has been confirmed that these 3 drivers are in attendance/competing.

Coincidence? Not really....

Nope sure didn't. LOL.

Parts of that only apply in some places and not world wide. Anyway it's neither her nor there I guess. I'm sure Hara will do just fine wherever he goes.

Well in that case this picture could be years old and someone's having a laugh.

Not only is Atsushi Hara a very good friend of mine but he is without a doubt one of the most honorable and talented individuals this hobby has ever seen. Hara is a very calculating individual and he does not rush into decisions.

We will continue to support him regardless of his final decision. He will surely succeed wherever he goes.

God Damn it....Every time I see a picture of Maifield trying to smile, I want to smash him in the face with a tack hammer repeatedly. He may be a great driver but they should leave him out of photos period.