For this week`s “ETS-Family Interview” we talked to the one and only Marc Rheinard.
Marc is a fan favorite wherever he is racing and he won multiple championships and titles throughout his whole RC-Racing career. Let`s hear what Marc told us about his life, his RC-Racing career and his plans for the future.
ETS:
Hi Marc, nice to have you here for our “ETS-Family Interview” series. How are you doing in these days where the Coronavirus knocked out almost everything we are used to do normally?
Marc:
Puuuhhh, what can I say, it totally sucks to be at home all the time and not be able to do what I love the most, racing RC Cars! But we have to take the situation the way it is right now, being healthy is the most important thing but I hope that we can hit the track as soon as possible again !
ETS:
Your actual life situation changed after the split with Infinity in the End of 2019. You are now using an Awesomatix car and you are more involved in your brother`s company Tonisport. What are your responsibilities there right now and was it difficult for you to get into that rhythm?
Marc:
It`s different now but I really like the way it is. I’m helping at Tonisport every day, doing all kind of stuff to see all different things to run a company. It´s good for me as this was my plan anyway after my RC career to be with my brother Toni at Tonisport to stay in the RC Industry!
Thanks to my brother and the Tonisport team to take me a part of it earlier than expected!
ETS:
You found a really good pace with your new Awesomatix car very quickly. What is the most noticeable difference from this car to the cars you used before? Is it more easy to drive or what is the secret behind the huge overall success of the Awesomatix platform in your opinion?
Marc:
I didn’t drive too much since my change at the beginning of the year but the car is just brilliant.
The Awesomatix was the car I was always looking up to and I always wanted to race this car one day.
Now I have the chance and I really love the handling of the car, it is so consistent and the car works all the time. I´ve never had a run were I said, Jesus, the car feels bad… it`s always good to drive.
I´m sure the car and myself have a lot more potential than I showed at the last ETS in Daun, so I’m super motivated to go for the next races!
ETS:
When we look back on your racing career, the first thing we all remember is your fantastic win at the ISTC IFMAR worlds in Florida in 2004. Back in these days it was a real big deal as you won against the stars of that era with Masami and Hara and it was the first ever electric worlds title for a German driver! Was it more difficult to win a worlds back then or would you rate the competition nowadays higher?
Marc:
I think back in the day and now, both times were hard to win a worlds. More difficult back then was for sure to have good motors and batteries as the runtime was always a key factor. But competition wise it is the same, always good drivers who fight for the win. Electronic wise it is for sure easier since we have brushless motors and LiPo batteries and the power and runtime is not an issue anymore.
ETS:
The whole technology in RC changed tremendously since 2004. Today the 13.5 Stock Class is almost at the same speed as we had in modified in the early 2000s. Normally all the spec classes should be something for beginners or guys who don`t take racing too serious. Do you think the cars became too fast or do you like the ongoing development which pushes everything up to new limits?
Marc:
True, the difference between stock and modified especially indoors is not big anymore. To me it should be a bit slower, ETS 13.5T seems good, but the open brushless classes are just pointless as they can also run modified then!
ETS:
When you grew up and started RC Racing, your father Uwe had an amazing facility with the “Motodrom Andernach” and set a real benchmark at this time. Did those indoor and outdoor tracks helped you a lot to become that amazing driver that you are today or would you say that you got better and better a long time after the Motodrom finally closed the doors? Let us also know what you remember the most when you think about the golden days at the old “Motodrom Andernach”?
Marc:
For sure this was a big advantage in my career, as I could drive every day. After school I went many times to the track, just to drive without thinking about setups….! So I really learned to drive all kind of cars, even if they didn’t go straight or felt broken. I really love these days back then with the Tamiya cup we drove since 1994, this really helped a lot. Starting with slow cars and then step by step switching to faster categories.
ETS:
You race a lot of touring car which is your main class (3 times world champion) but you have also won 2 worlds and 2 euros in 1:12 scale and you became European champion in 4WD buggy in 2009 for example. Was it difficult at some point to switch between these classes or to race a 1:12 scale worlds against the best drivers of this class without having a lot of practice before?
Marc:
Offroad is always different as I’m not used to the jumps!
When I won the euros I had a brilliant car with the Tamiya belt car and it was 90% astro, so I could drive it like a TC car with jumps. I just had to learn the jumps which worked good for me on this track.
1:12 is always fun for me to drive, I love how these cars handle and I drove it already early back in the days. Yes, I’m not driving too much 1:12, basically just the WC the last years but I know how these cars handle and I love to race it, maybe that’s why, I can still be fast without practice?!
But TC is still my favorite class!
ETS:
Are you kind of nervous before you start a qualifying heat or a final or do you always believe in yourself and your driving skills, knowing that you can always be in the mix to win something?
Marc:
If someone says, he’s not nervous before Q1 and A1, he is lying.
It always looks like I’m relaxed,… but I’m nervous going into the race as Q1 is important to get a good start into the event and the same with A1. The pressure is always there, even if you feel confident you are always nervous in some ways.
ETS:
Your own brand MR33 seems to do very well right now. The range of products constantly grows and the products just look fantastic. How proud you are about this and isn`t it cool to see your own logo on a complete line of products?
Marc:
Yes, it`s nice to see people using my shirts as well as my products in the pits. But the guy behind all this is more my brother Toni and Tonisport. I will try to help more and more now but he builds up my brand and that’s what I am really thankful for!
ETS:
Marc, you will turn 34 this year in November! What do you think how long can a racer stay on top of the game and do you already have some plans in your pocket for the time after your competitive career or do you just enjoy every day as intense as possible doing what you love the most?
Marc:
I´m not thinking to stop in the next years, I have still many goals and I’m sure that the speed is still there to go for many more years! As Ronald is older than me, I won’t stop before he does. I am sure our great rivalry will continue for some more years!
After my career, I plan to be even more involved at Tonisport, I want to stay in the RC industry as this is my passion and I can’t think of a life without RC!
ETS:
Which driver you will call your hardest all time rival on the track and which is the hardest driver to overtake in a 5 minute race?
Marc:
Like I mentioned in the question before, Ronald is the guy nowadays I love to race the most! We respect each other on and off the track, we have similar driving styles and we know how to race!
To pass him is a miracle, I had to notice that again at the last ETS in Daun. I was faster in the beginning than him but he protected his line in style, there was no way to make a clean pass.
Clean racing is what I love.
All time rivals are Atsushi Hara and Ronald Völker!
ETS:
On your Instagram account it is easy to see that you support the football team of Werder Bremen. What makes this club so special for you and who is your favorite ever football player?
Marc:
Not the best timing to ask this question. I love this club since I’m a small kid, no idea how this started as Bremen is 4 hours away from home and there are many good clubs closer to my hometown.
I love the stadium, the whole team, the atmosphere….maybe not the position in the league right now but I hope we will find our way back up!
Favorite player: there is only one person, CRISTIANO RONALDO!!! CR7!
ETS:
Which other hobbies or activities do you like the most when you are not wrenching on your car or traveling around the globe to race RC cars?
Marc:
I love to play tennis, it`s the best sport and I’m playing tennis since I’m 6 years old and I still love it.
ETS:
You have visited so many places during your career, which one do you like the most and which racetrack you would prefer as the coolest you ever ran on? Is there a place on earth that you can imagine to live instead of Andernach/Germany ?
Marc:
The best track I’ve driven on is the 2008 WC IFMAR track in Bangkok at RCS. A real shame that this track is not there anymore.
I want to live in Germany forever but to have a nice apartment on the best island, MALLORCA, would be a dream! (not only because of the german party area, the island is just beautiful and I love to be in the sun and on the beach!)
ETS:
Can you tell us the secret behind your SEVEN outstanding Reedy Race of Champions titles please?
Marc:
I think this question should be answered by other people who watch the reedy race.
All I can say is that I love to do heads up racing, to fight for every position is what I love.
People who watch me at the Reedy Race say, that I’m patient and not too aggressive, I take my time to find the best spot to make an attack… Maybe that is one of the secrets!
ETS:
When a rookie will ask you: “Which class should I run, what should I do to improve, how can I get sponsored”…How would your answer look like?
Marc:
Start with slow cars, and try to improve you skills. It`s not about a fast car, its more to learn how these cars handle. I would tell them, how I started RC and how long it took to get sponsored.
I started with Tamiya cup FWD and Mini class and these days help you the most to become a good driver! I got sponsored after good results, it was more difficult back in these days to get sponsored than now. Just drive, drive, drive and enjoy the hobby!
ETS:
As we are coming to the end of our nice little interview, is there something you would like to see changing in the RC Industry for the future?
Marc:
In this moment, I would just love to race again and I hope that our industry is strong enough to survive this crisis. I would be happy if we can continue the way it was before.
The only thing I want to see more are YOUNG KIDS coming to our hobby instead of sitting at home and play some stuff on a screen!
ETS:
Thank you for your time Marc, we hope to see you racing for many more years and we will see us at the racetrack as soon as possible. If you like you can give a shout out to your sponsors and most important people on your way to the top of our sports now!
Marc:
There are sooooo many people I need to thank but the most important back in the days and now is my family!
Sure all my sponsors who support me since a long time but the family and friends are the ones who make all this possible!
I hope to see you as soon as possible on track again!
