(Photo: Ken Johnson - Studio52.us)

The 2026 Rotax RMC Winter Trophy presented by Race Rotax was scheduled to host the opening two rounds of racing over the January 23-25 weekend at the Speedsportz Racing Park. Practice / Qualifying day on Friday provided usual temperature and weather conditions however Saturday for Round One racing brought on heavy rain conditions to the New Caney, Texas facility. Prior to the beginning of the racing, Race Rotax elected to postpone the racing for Round Two scheduled for Sunday to the following weekend due to the freezing temperatures in the forecast. This left just one round complete and three rounds remaining for the January 30-February 1 weekend.

2025 RMC Grand Finals winner Macauley Bishop scored the Senior MAX victory in Round One (Photo: Ken Johnson – Studio52.us)

Former Team Canada driver Ayden Ingratta (REM / Kosmic) set the pace in qualifying for the Senior MAX opening round with a time of 52.615, over a tenth of a second clear of the 29 driver field. Second in the order was British driver Macauley Bishop (Pfaff / Gillard) – the 2025 Rotax Max Challenge Grand Finals winner. Ingratta and Macauley went back and forth in the 12 lap Prefinal with Ingratta crossing the line first. A pushback bumper penalty however took the win away, dropping the Canadian back to fifth as Bishop assumed the race win and pole position for the Final. Bishop then put on a wet weather clinic over the 18 laps of the Final, securing the race win by a 15-second margin of victory while recording fast lap of the race. The battle for second was won by Cameron Nelson (Pfaff / Gillard), who nearly pulled off the win in at the 2025 RMC Trophy Final, as the Wales driver made it a 1-2 finish for Great Britian. 2024 RMC Winter Trophy champion Diego Ramos (PSL / Birelart) was third on the podium with Ingratta crossing the line fourth only to receive a pushback bumper penalty. This promoted four-time RMC Trophy Final winner Oliver Hodgson (Factory Karts) to fourth and Ingratta back to fifth.

Billy Musgrave was named winner in DD2 after penalties (Photo: Ken Johnson – Studio52.us)

A total of 11 drivers took part in the DD2 category, the two-speed Rotax platform that is the quickest category in the RMC. The weekend marked the debut of the DD2 chassis for Factory Karts, as Billy Musgrave and Theo Kekati put in the same lap time in the session – a 52.230 to lead the session. Gianluca Savaglio (REM / Kosmic) qualified fourth and charged to the front in the wet weather Prefinal, taking the win over Musgrave as Lucas Pernod (PSL / Birelart) moved up to third. Kekati fell back to 10th in the 12 laps. Savaglio and Musgrave were able to get away from the field, battling over the 18 laps against one another. Musgrave led for three laps in the middle section of the race, but Savaglio led the final circuits to earn the provisional victory. A 10-second penalty for a starting procedure infraction took the win away for Savaglio, handing it to Musgrave. Savaglio was classified second ahead of Lucas Pernod (PSL / Birelart). Kekati advanced up to fourth with Arnaud Sabourin (Prime / Tony Kart) classified fifth after penalties.

Dominating victory by Leo Da Silva in Junior MAX (Photo: Ken Johnson – Studio52.us)

Junior MAX featured a sweep by Canadian Leo Da Silva (REM / Kosmic). Da Silva set fast time in qualifying with a 53.544 to edge out Enzo DiGennaro (Parolin Motorsport USA) by two hundredths. DiGennaro led the middle portion of the 12 lap Prefinal before Da Silva returned to the point. The Final however was one of attrition early with DiGennaro, Benym Abernethy (HDD / Tony Kart) and Aidan Hammond (Prime / Redspeed) all retiring from the top five in the opening laps. This allowed Da Silva to drive away comfortably to a 34 second margin of victory after penalties. Alex Chandler (IRM / Tony Kart) was second over Antoine Bazinet (Pfaff / Gillard) with Cristobal Bonnett (Bonnett Racing Team) and Olivier Chasse (Prime / Redspeed) completing the top five.

Argentina driver Gabriel Zughella drove to victory in Masters MAX (Photo: Ken Johnson – Studio52.us)

It was a tight battle at the front of the Masters MAX field, featuring 11 drivers. 2025 Team USA member Christopher Mann (REM / Kosmic) began the Round One action with fast time in qualifying, edging out hall of fame karter Billy Cleavelin (REM / Kosmic) with Henry Taleb (HRT / Exprit) in third off by 91 thousandths. Cleavelin retired early while leading, allowing Mann to take the win over Taleb. Finishing fourth with fast lap of the race was Gabriel Zughella (HRT / Tony Kart). The driver from Argentina worked his way up to the lead by lap three. From there, Zughella drove away to the victory. Taleb retired early, handing runner-up to Mann with Dominic Legrand (PSL / Birelart) up to third. Noel Dowler (RPM / Tony Kart) and Simon Proteau (Premier / Tony Kart) completed the top five.

James Root swept the action in Mini MAX (Photo: Ken Johnson – Studio52.us)

The Mini MAX division also featured a sweep in Round One completed by James Roots (Prime / Birelart). The British driver set fast time in qualifying with a 55.741 lap before leading all 12 laps in wet conditions for the Prefinal, winning by nearly seven seconds. Roots went unchallenged in the 14-lap Final, setting fast lap of the race and winning by nearly 14 seconds. Cristobal Ricci (Orsolon / Tony Kart) and Christopher Simon (Premier / Tony Kart) joined him on the podium, representing three different countries with England, Peru, and Canada. Lincoln Lima (Prime / Birelart) was fourth with Hudson Howard (JHDD / Alonso Kart) in fifth.

Arthur Rhodes was promoted to the top step of the podium in Micro MAX (Photo: Ken Johnson – Studio52.us)

Three different drivers were at the top of the order in the official sessions for Micro MAX, with the winner decided after the checkered flag. British driver Freddie Baker (RCE) cleared the 20 driver field by two tenths in qualifying with a 57.729 lap time. 2025 RMC Trophy Final winner Jack Kotowsi (TKG / Birelart) took control in the Prefinal, winning by eight tenths over Baker. Arthur Rhodes (RCE) took his turn at the point during the opening lap of the Final. He led the first 11 laps before Kotowski returned to the point. Kotowski would cross the line as the provisional winner, only to be penalized five seconds for contact. This promoted Rhodes to the top of the podium with Baker into second, making it a British 1-2 finish. Kotowski was put back to third ahead of Madox Pelletier (SH / Sodi Kart) with Brody Brown (Kidix / Kart Republic) making up the top five.

The qualifying sessions for Round Two were completed on Friday afternoon, which set the fields for the Prefinal race that will be contested now on Friday, January 30. An updated schedule is set to be released from Race Rotax. Below are the top qualifiers for Round Two.

Diego Ramos (PSL / Birelart) – 52.945
Billy Musgrave (Factory Karts) – 52.230
Aidan Hammond (Prime / Redspeed) – 53.338
Mundy Loyer (Evolution / EOS) – 54.917
James Roots (Prime / Birelart) – 56.062
Freddie Baker (RCE) – 57.754

EKN will be trackside for the final three rounds of the RMC Winter Trophy at Speedsportz Racing Park where six tickets to the 2026 Rotax Max Challenge Grand Finals will be awarded to the series champions.

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