2025 Rotax Max Challenge Grand Finals – Team USA – Thursday Report
Hodgson scores best result for USA squad in Bahrain to close out heat race action
(Photo: Hellofoto Motorsports Photos)
Day Four of the 2025 Rotax Max Challenge Grand Finals was the longest of the week for the 394 drivers from over 60 countries. Thanks to penalty delays on Wednesday following qualifying, opening round heat races at the Bahrain International Karting Circuit for half the categories were moved to Thursday morning. Karts hit the track at 9am local time right into racing with no warm-ups for any categories. Racing continued until 6:30pm local time to get all the remaining heat races put into the books to set up the grids for the Prefinal races on Friday.
DD2 Masters, Senior MAX and DD2, as well as Mini MAX, regrouped for their opening round after the original races were scratched due to incorrect group organization. These races were contested in the morning on Thursday. Once those were completed, all five classes rolled right into Heat Two action and closed out the day with the Heat Three races. Action is set to begin on Friday at Noon local time with warm-up sessions for all the categories before lunch. Prior to the Prefinal races will be the Drivers Picture and Parade.
The nine drivers of Team USA had an up and down day in what was a very competitive and rough day of racing in Bahrain. Four-time RMC US Trophy Final winner Oliver Hodgson had the best result of the team on Thursday, placing second in his second heat race. A pushback bumper penalty kept him from recording three top-five results on the day, but the 2013 Senior MAX winner remains in contention heading into the Prefinals. The same can be said for Pauly Massimino, who is making his first ever laps in a DD2 machine. Top-five results in his opening two heat races were stained by a nearly race-ending opening lap incident in Heat 3, after which he drove back to 10th in the race before receiving a pushback bumper penalty. Enzo DiGennaro and Ellis Spiezia both made up ground in Mini MAX and E20 Senior. DiGennaro drove to two top-10 results and improved by seven positions at the end of three rounds of heats. Spierzia gained six spots in heat race action but will start the Prefinal from outside the top-10.
Below is a breakdown of each driver’s results and some comments on the day’s action.
Bahrain International Karting Circuit
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DD2 – Birelart (72 Drivers)
#467 – Pauly Massimino
(Photo: Hellofoto Motorsports Photos)
Hometown: Mooresville, North Carolina
Qualified: RMC US Trophy Final Runner-Up (Senior MAX)
RMC Grand Finals Appearances: 0
Qualifying (odd): 6th – 52.432 +0.075
Overall: 11th
Heat Race Group: C (Row 3)
Heat CvsD: 4th +3.128 – 53.134
Heat AvsC: 5th +3.254 – 52.994
Heat BvsC: 17th +14.617 (+5sec. PBB) – 53.068
Heat Race Points: 13th – 94 points
Prefinal: A (Row 4)
“Today was a decent day. I feel like the pace was strong. In the first two heats, I was racing like I was still in single speed and that hurt my results a little bit. In the last heat, I got into a wreck on the start and was sent back a good bit to 18th. But it was good to show we had pace and I was able to make my way back up to tenth at the checkered flag. I should’ve started in the top five for my Prefinal but an unfortunate pushback penalty in that third heat has me starting a bit further back. The package is there, I just need to keep working on myself.”
#466 – Macy Williams
(Photo: Hellofoto Motorsports Photos)
Hometown: Littleton, Colorado
Qualified: Max Karting Group Canada Final Winner
RMC Grand Finals Appearances: 1 – 2021 (Senior MAX)
Qualifying (even): 11th – 52.793 +0.275
Overall: 22nd
Heat Race Group: B (Row 6)
Heat AvsB: 33rd +8 Laps – 55.971
Heat BvsD: 14th +7.650 – 53.328
Heat BvsC: 19th +15.681 – 53.693
Heat Race Points: 41st – 45 points
Prefinal: A (Row 11)
“The heat races were rough. In the first heat, after not getting the best start I was in a group that was battling very hard, and I ended up getting involved in an incident which lead to a DNF. In the second heat, my start was okay considering we had some shifting issues, as well as fighting the brakes which unfortunately got much worse. The third heat I got a really good start out of turn 1 and was on the outside of turn 2, I got pinched and had to go over the apex curb, then when I came down had some contact happen which led to be being backwards in turn 2. I got going again and caught some of the field, unfortunately it wasn’t enough to make too much of a dent for a better starting position later on. Heat 3, the brakes also were an issue, we have changed almost everything on the system at this point so really hoping that it’s fixed for the Prefinal!”
Senior MAX – Sodi Kart (72 Drivers)
#367 – Oliver Hodgson
(Photo: Hellofoto Motorsports Photos)
Hometown: Phoenix, Arizona
Qualified: RMC US Trophy Final Winner
RMC Grand Finals Appearances: 4 – 2012, 2013, 2023 (Team GBR), 2024 (Team USA)
Wins: Senior MAX (2013)
Qualifying (odd): 6th – 53.264 +0.329
Overall: 11th
Heat Race Group: C (Row 3)
Heat CvsD: 11th +5.323 (+5sec. PBB) – 53.865
Heat AvsC: 2nd +2.436 – 54.033
Heat BvsC: 5th +2.903 – 54.402
Heat Race Points: 8th – 106 points
Prefinal: B (Row 2)
“I’m happy to be on the attack tomorrow with a great starting spot for the Prefinal after performing well in the heats while not feeling 100% physically today.”
#366 – Cooper O’Clair
(Photo: Hellofoto Motorsports Photos)
Hometown: Phoenix, Arizona
Qualified: RMC USA West Champion
RMC Grand Finals Appearances: 4 – 2021, 2022 (Junior MAX), 2023 (Senior MAX), 2024 (DD2)
Qualifying (even): 16th – 54.052 +0.796
Overall: 32nd
Heat Race Group: D (Row 8)
Heat CvsD: 8th +3.298 – 54.341
Heat BvsD: 34th +2 Laps – 54.096
Heat AvsD: DNF / DQ – Underweight
Heat Race Points: 55th – 31 points
Prefinal: A (Row 14)
#347 – Charlie Smith
(Photo: Hellofoto Motorsports Photos)
Hometown: Orange County, California
Qualified: BNL Karting Series Championship – Fourth Place
RMC Grand Finals Appearances: 0
Qualifying (odd): 10th – 53.402 +0.467
Overall: 18th
Heat Race Group: B (Row 5)
Heat AvsB: 26th +15.264 – 53.728
Heat BvsD: 17th +6.652 (+5sec. PBB) – 54.083
Heat BvsC: DQ – Spark Plug Gap
Heat Race Points: 61st – 29 points
Prefinal: A (Row 16)
DD2 Masters – Barrichello Kart (36 Drivers)
#535 – Christopher Mann
(Photo: Hellofoto Motorsports Photos)
Hometown: Vancouver, Washington
Qualified: RMC USA West – Third Place
RMC Grand Finals Appearances: 0
Qualifying: 19th – 53.378 +0.821
Heat 1: 33rd +27.637 (+5sec. PBB) – 53.900
Heat 2: 24th +16.452 (+5sec. PBB) – 53.510
Heat Race Points: 28th – 17 points
“Heat One didn’t go the way I hoped. There was an incident in Turn 3 that turned me around — I kept it going, but I also picked up a push-back penalty and ended up finishing last in class. Heat Two went much better. I was running 18th overall, but some contact at the start pushed in my front bumper and that’ll come with another penalty. The kart is driving well and the pace is there for a stronger finish. Overall, we’re maximizing what we can with the package. I’m still getting the hang of things, but we’re dialing it in, and each session either holds pace or gets a little quicker.”
Junior MAX – Praga (72 Drivers)
#212 – Davin Roberts
(Photo: Hellofoto Motorsports Photos)
Hometown: Mooresville, North Carolina
Qualified: Rotax Winter Trophy Champion
RMC Grand Finals Appearances: 1 – 2024 (Junior MAX)
Qualifying (even): 26th – 55.617 +1.274
Overall: 52nd
Heat Race Group: D (Row 13)
Heat BvsD: 21st +11.524 – 54.888
Heat AvsD: 14th +8.925 – 55.374
Heat Race Points: 37th – 56 points
Prefinal: A (Row 10)
“Today was my best day so far. Heat Two started off not the greatest, not making many spots up and unfortunately finishing 26th on track, but I gained spots after penalties. Heat Three went much better, having a very good start and making spots up. I finished out the race in 18th place and once again moved up the order thanks to penalties for other drivers. I showed to have pace today and am excited for what tomorrow brings me!”
Mini MAX – Formula K (72 Drivers)
#136 – Enzo DiGennaro
(Photo: Hellofoto Motorsports Photos)
Hometown: Poughkeepsie, New York
Qualified: Rotax Winter Trophy Champion
RMC Grand Finals Appearances: 1 – 2024 (Mini MAX)
Qualifying (even): 12th – 58.978 +0.561
Overall: 24th
Heat Race Group: D (Row 6)
Heat CvsD: 8th +1.489 – 58.158
Heat BvsD: 9th +3.411 – 58.709
Heat AvsD: 16th +6.727 – 59.184
Heat Race Points: 17th – 79 points
Prefinal: A (Row 5)
“We challenged for better positioning than our finishes showed but unfortunately my own mistakes put me further down than we wanted to be. The driving is much more aggressive than I’m used to and there’s nearly no penalties regardless of the circumstance, so I need to go into the Prefinal tomorrow with that in mind and make the adjustment if I want to finish better. I’m fast but I found out it isn’t enough at this event.”
E20 Senior – Sodi Kart (19 Drivers)
#609 – Ellis Spiezia
(Photo: Hellofoto Motorsports Photos)
Hometown: Hoboken, New Jersey
RMC Grand Finals Appearances: 1 – 2021 (E20)
Qualifying: 13th – 54.225 +0.595
Heat 2: 7th +7.415 – 55.838
Heat Race Points: 12th – 52 points
“Today was super strong. There were lots of mix-ups in the grid from heat one which worked to my advantage, but getting spun out in that first heat really impacted our overall points. Full send tomorrow. Let’s go.”
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