Meet Kochi’s growing community of RC car racers

Join Kochi's vibrant RC car community, where enthusiasts race mini cars for maximum thrill and camaraderie.

It is a Sunday afternoon and a thick crowd has gathered at the atrium of Lulu Mall in Kochi. A race is about to begin and the curious onlookers jostle for vantage spots around the mini race track. The competing drivers, standing on a raised platform overlooking the course, expertly manouvre their cars using their remote controls, amid cheering from the crowd. 

It is the finale of RC Masters, a radio-controlled (RC) car race organised by Torque-7 Racing, a collective of RC car enthusiasts in Kochi, along with Lulu Mall. The first of its kind indoor RC car race in the State, the event received 150 registrations on the qualifiaction round on day one, out of which eight finalists were chosen for the final round. Eric Samuel, a 10-year-old student from Mumbai, emerged the winner, completing 25 laps in 5 minutes 53 seconds. Each player had six minutes to complete maximum laps. And the winner was adjudged based on the lap count, best lap time and race competition time.

Eric and his father Edison Samuel are avid RC racers. Eric, a regular at events in India and abroad, has his heart set on becoming an international champion. His favourite car, according to Edison, is a Traxxas X-Maxx 8S monster truck, which weighs about 8.6 kg (1:6 scale).

RC car race at Lulu Mall | Photo Credit: R KNithin

RC car racing has emerged as a popular hobby in Kochi, especially in the past two years. Popularised by collectives such as Torque-7 Racing, hobbyists are now pursuing their love for RC cars. What started as a group of seven people, united by the love for RC cars and mountain biking, gradually grew into Torque-7 Racing, a community that explores, learns and shares the joys of RC car racing, says Mahinsha Nazeer, one of the founding members of Torque-7.

RC car race at Lulu Mall | Photo Credit: R K Nithin