[Darren Boyle]

It goes without saying it is indeed a huge loss losing E from the XF brand, he is one of the very few talented "elite" in r/c off road and would be an asset in any team but as in most forms of motorsport it is always very hard for the small teams to hang on to such talent for too long....

In terms of small, it would be hard for anyone to imagine an r/c car company any smaller than X-Factory, with just two solitary employees (Chazz and Paul) and with Chazz being seriously ill over the past 12 months too, duirng large parts that was down to just 1!!

However, things move on, top drivers do change teams and there is one reason that Ellis did stay at XF for as long as he did and was becuse he knew (and demostrated on track last year) just what potential the X7 has and after all he had nothing to prove with the X6 after two back to back titles with the 2wd chassis in recent years too.

The two big things (other than Chazz's poor health) that have held back the X7's final development and ultimate production were simply time and finances. The "time" delay meant it was right for E to move on from all points of view, take on fresh challenge and chase that last ultimate goal he has of winning the UK BRCA 4wd title, with his new ride he has a car that can challenge for that without the need for it to continue being developed along the way. From X-Factory's point of view, they now also have more finances free due to this move to invest in the X7 project too, so in some ways the change actually helps everyone....

Along with several other exciting new projects that are coming along very nicely that will break cover in early 2013 and new team members inbound too, the future for both X-Factory as a company and the X7 4wd itself are still very bright...........

The 4wd market is bulging already, another reason the X7 will have to be 110% and spot on when it is launched for it to succeed in a fierce market, there can be no compromise on this car, and that sadly, in the hands of the r/c minnows takes time, time that has was set back by 12 months due to ill health, but the patience will be worth it for those who wait............