Recently awarded Fellowship by his federation the BRCA, Paul Worsley, EFRA Chairman for 1/10 off road and homologation officer, should be knighted for his services to RC! Let’s meet the man now…
EFRA: Hi there Paul 👋🏻 How are you?
Paul: I am OK. Although there is no EFRA Racing, I keep busy doing projects I have not had time to do in recent years.
EFRA: Can you tell us in no more than 5 words the job you do for EFRA…?
Paul: Not possible, so how about — “Oldest guy on EFRA Board”.
EFRA: Hahaha ok, so what’s the longer version?
Paul: My main role is 1/10th Electric Off-Road Section Chairman. I am also the the Homologation Officer for Electric Motors and Batteries for all the Electric Sections. And, also help with terminology used in some technical rules for any Section when asked.
EFRA: You do a lot of work in homologation right?
Paul: Homologation of Motors and Batteries involves quite a lot of time, especially when 140 + batteries arrive within two weeks in Nov. each year.
I started doing the homologation for these items for the BRCA in 2002. In those days it was simple lists in Word format. There were not many batteries submitted in the days of NiCd as there were only two manufacturers with one cell each. Motors were a simple task to start with, but as ‘stock’ racing was beginning to get bigger, more checks were needed to find the new ideas that some manufacturers were incorporating.
The rules for motors & batteries were not very precise in those days, so it was easy for manufacturers to circumvent the spirit of the rules.
I started doing Battery homologation for EFRA in 2007, at the request from Frank M. when he saw what I had done for BRCA. At this point, I changed the format of the homologation lists to give pictures of the cells. In those days we were still using NiMH cells and although the number of manufacturers had increased (to 5/6), the total number of cells was low.
EFRA did not have any homologation lists for motors at this stage, which gave Tech. Officers a problem. But this was soon to change.
The arrival of Brushless Motors and Lithium Batteries in 2007 & 2008 changed everything. The number of manufacturers involved (mainly China based) simply exploded.
In 2008, I had a call from Dallas two weeks before the WC for 1/12 & Touring cars. The (then) IFMAR Chairman had done nothing to formulate Motor and Battery Lists for the event. The items were shipped from USA to me and working through the night, I produced Homologation Lists for the event the next day.
BUT:- because no-one knew how to check a Brushless Motor, Dallas insisted I went to Bangkok, to oversee the checking of Motors and Batteries at the event.
At this stage, EFRA still did not have Homologation Lists for Brushless Motors. With the introduction of three ‘Stock’ wind Classes for Brushless, the number of different motors exploded and at that time no event officers had any way of knowing if the motors complied with the rules. So, it was decided EFRA had to have Motor homologation Lists.
But, where do we start ?? I said that was simple for me, as I could simply construct EFRA Motor Homologation Lists from what I had already done for BRCA. Hence the EFRA Motor Lists were started. There are currently five different lists to cover Modified and the four ‘Stock’ wind Classes.
With so many manufacturers involved with Motors and Batteries since 2008, the number of new ideas to extract more performance kept escalating. So the technical rules for both items have needed constant review to close any possible ‘loop-holes’. This is a continuous process, as every year I find something that could give an unfair issue.
I work closely with the Chairman of ROAR on these issues, so that we all have the same understanding of what is needed in technical rules.
The rest is history !!
EFRA: Wow, it’s great that your work helps keep our sport fair and safe!
Paul: I do the Motor and battery Lists for – IFMAR, EFRA and BRCA.
Each year there are usually 120 to 170 Lithium Batteries checked and 50 to 60 Brushless Motors Checked. I also get Motors sent to me for checking that have been retained at events.
The Batteries involve checking of the sizes, case construction and labelling details. But the required documentation (often 30+ pages) to show all the correct UN safety tests have been done can take a long time. I sometimes get ‘fake’ documents and this involves a lot of investigation that has even resulted in Interpol being involved.
Each Motor submitted for homologation is completely stripped and unwound with the stator dissected to check all the laminates. It is total scrap when I have finished.
The records I keep cover all the Motors and Batteries that I have checked for nearly 20 years.
EFRA: Sounds like a lot of work! And very thorough! So what is your favourite class of RC racing?
Paul: 1/10th. Electric Off-Road has always been my preferred Class. I have attended every EC in this Class since 1995.
But, due to my involvement with Motors & Batteries, I am also interested in the other Electric Sections and occasionally attend as a Tech. Officer in these Classes.
EFRA: Have you had much success when racing in RC?
Paul: Quite simply – NO.
I did race many years ago when my son first started racing, but I was never any good. I gave up racing myself so that I could concentrate on a young son.
EFRA: Ok, so what has been your proudest moment in RC?
Paul: As a Section Chairman, the proud moments occur when you have put a lot of effort into helping the organisers of an EC (or WC) with schedules heat-lists etc. and maybe having to make on the spot decisions at the event to accommodate unexpected issues — and then the event is completed successfully and all the competitors are happy with the event running.
Certainly when my 14 year-old son finished 18th (of 150) at his first EC in Finland 1995 was a very proud moment. I think this ‘set the scene’ for me to continue in the sport and become more involved in later years.
EFRA: Fantastic moments both on and off the track! however, what can you tell us about you that we don’t already know?
Paul: No particular food aversions, but I do enjoy an avocado. I very much dislike airports.
EFRA: 🥑 Tasty! What is your favourite sport outside of RC?
Paul: Obviously any motor sport interests me, but I have always had a passion for rallying (my sons name gives a clue to my favourite driver). I used to be a navigator/co-driver in my younger years and still follow International World Rallying for all the events on-line.
EFRA: Wow rallying back in the day, that’s amazing!
Paul: I competed on rally’s in the 60’s and early 70’s. I did National events and events that would have been equivalent to our RC Regional events. Also the occasional International in UK.
Early years were with a Mk1 GT Cortina, but most of the years it was with various 1293 Cooper S cars. For the last year that I competed, we purchased an ex-works Mk1 Escort Twin-Cam that had been used by Ford works driver Roger Clark. It was a famous car that won four major international events.
EFRA: What was the last music you heard?
Paul: Probably the introduction to BBC news on television. I never play any music, but usually have the radio on in the car at low volume whilst driving.
EFRA: Hmm, ok, so what else do you do to relax?
Paul: I enjoy investigating and trying to solve engineering problems. Keeps the brain ‘in-tune’. I am not a book reader.
EFRA: What advice would you give someone wanting to compete in an EFRA Euros for the first time?
Paul: In the months prior to the event, ‘team-up’ with a driver that has attended EC events and learn what preparations are needed in advance of the event. When at the event, treat it as you would a National at home and compete accordingly.
EFRA: Good advice! How did you become involved in EFRA
Paul: From attending my first EC event with my son in 1995, I became interested in making the sport better. When my son ceased competing in 2001, I still wanted to attend the events and was usually Team manager for UK. During these years I endeavoured to help make events run smoother and fairer and help Frank M. when needed. At the EFRA AGM 2006, Frank M. asked me to be his vice chairman. End of 2010, Frank asked if we could swap roles as his IFMAR duties were consuming. So, from 2011, I have been Section Chairman.
EFRA: What is the number 1 thing you would like to see in RC in Europe in the future?
Paul: The total cost of attending an EC concerns me as this ultimately restricts numbers. EFRA entry fees have been stable for many years, but the overall costs including tyres, hotels, flights etc. is becoming prohibitive. Maybe manufacturers could give more financial help.
Also, more EFRA countries applying for events.
Thanks Paul! What a great insight into your role in the history of RC and the work you do alongside the EFRA board and at events! 😊
