Six tickets to the 2026 Rotax Grand Finals were awarded following the completion of the Rotax RMC Winter Trophy, adding members to Team UK, Team Argentina, Team Canada and Team USA (Photo: Studio52.us)

The fourth and final round of the 2026 Rotax RMC Winter Trophy was completed at the Speedsportz Racing Park on Sunday. The day at the New Caney, Texas began with temperatures below the 30 degree mark but rose up above 50 with sunny skies throughout the day. The over 110 competitors over the six Rotax Max Challenge categories battled the conditions and each other for the final round of the championship, and helping to decide the six ticket winners to the 2026 Rotax Grand Finals in Portugal this November.

Cameron Nelson escaped the Senior MAX main event to become the fourth different winner of the series (Photo: EKN)

The Senior MAX category came down to the wire for the victory and the series title. Championship leader and Round One winner Macauley Bishop (Pfaff / Gillard) was able to set fast time in qualifying with the quickest lap of the weekend – a 52.063 to clear Canadian Ayden Ingratta (REM / Kosmic) by over a tenth. Bishop brought the field to the green flag for the Prefinal at a very slow pace, and it allowed Ingratta to get the jump as he went on to lead the entire race for the win. Macauley fell back to fourth and had to retire on lap seven for a broken rear bumper. With Round Two winner Oliver Hodgson (Factory Karts) finishing second, the scenario was set for the championship. If Hodgson won the Final, he and Bishop would tie in points, with the tie breaker going to Hodgson. Second or worse finish for Hodgson, and the 2025 Rotax Grand Finals winner Bishop would have his ticket to defend the title in Portugal. Round Three winner Diego Ramos (PSL / Birelart) got the better of the front starters to begin the Final, jumping out to the lead. Joaquin Gorlero Pizarro (SLA / Exprit) worked his way to the front, taking the lead on lap five. Ramos reclaimed the top spot by lap seven until Hodgson finally worked his way up into the lead on lap 12. By that time, Bishop had come from 27th to fifth and was among the drivers in the lead group. Among them was Cameron Nelson (Pfaff / Gillard) who was into third and moved to second with two laps remaining. As they bad their way around on the final lap, Nelson went deep to the inside of Hodgson at the end of the straight. They pushed wide and it looked like an opportunity for Ramos or Macauley to pull off the over / under. The two made contact, and Macauley went off the track, retiring from the race. Nelson was able to manage to secure the lead from Hodgson through the next corner and lead the way to the checkered flag and become the fourth different winner on the weekend in Senior MAX. Hodgson crossed the line second, but was penalized five seconds for contact. Ramos in fourth was penalized for contact twice, dropping him out of the top 10, and moving Rayan Ghandour (REM / Kosmic) to the runner-up spot. Ryan Maxwell (Prime / Tony Kart) completed the podium with Timothy Pernod (PSL / Birelart) and Pizarro rounding out the top five.

Bishop, retiring on the side of the track after the final lap contact, earned enough points over the first three rounds to secure the series championship, winning the ticket to return back to the Rotax Grand Finals by 45 points over Hodgson. Nelson complete the top three of the championship standings thanks to his Round Four victory.

Theo Kekati carried Factory Karts to a fourth victory in DD2, his career first in the category (Photo: EKN)

The DD2 category featured a sweep by Factory Karts in the main events, with Round Four going to new driver Theo Kekati. The former Team UAE driver set fast time in qualifying with a 51.636 to edge out Gianluca Savaglio (REM / Kosmic). Three time winner Billy Musgrave (Factory Karts) was eighth after skipping morning warm-up. Kekati went on to win the Prefinal provisionally before a starting infraction took the win away, putting him third on the grid and giving the win to Savaglio with Musgrave working up to second. Savaglio led the opening four laps of the Final before Kekati put on the pressure. With a move at the end of the straight, Kekati went to the lead with Musgrave slipping through for second. Savaglio tried to respond in turn eight but spun sideways on the exit, dropping him to the tail of the field. This allowed Kekati to run out in front with Musgrave playing wingman for the rest of the race. Musgrave looked a few times for a way past for the lead, but pulled back each time. Kekati led the rest of the distance, securing his first DD2 win and giving Factory Karts four straight victories in its DD2 debut. Musgrave held on for second with Senior rookie Alexis Baillargeon (Platto / CS55) working around Lucas Pernod (PSL / Birelart) for third. Savaglio drove his way back up into the fifth position with fast lap of the race.

Musgrave clinched the championship on Saturday, earning his first ever ticket to the Rotax Grand Finals. Savaglio finished second in the standings with Pernod in third.

A come from behind victory for Alex Chandler in Junior MAX was among the highlights of the event (Photo: EKN)

The Junior MAX championship was up for grabs thanks to the three different winners over the first three rounds. Round Three runner-up Darren Kidd (MDR / LN Kart) set fast time in qualifying with a 52.710 to edge out Max Mitev (MDR / LN Kart) by 55 thousandths. Kidd and Round Three winner Benym Abernethy (HDD / Tony Kart) were able to get away from the field in the second half of the Prefinal. At the line, Abernethy secured the top spot over Kidd with Round Two winner Aidan Hammond (Prime / Redspeed) in third. It was a wild scramble over the opening laps of the Final with four different leaders in the first four laps. Eventually, Abernethy controlled the point with Kidd slotting into second. Kidd jumped to the lead on lap seven and the top two were able to pull away. By lap 17, with Abernethy at the point, they had a two second lead over now third place driver Alex Chandler (IRM / Tony Kart). Chandler had fell back to 19th at the start, and worked his way up to third with three laps remaining. The top two drivers did not stay in line, and their fighting allowed Chandler to close in, all the way up into the final few corners. Abernethy and Kidd fought for the lead in the penultimate corner, and Chandler took advantage to go from third to first into the final corner, reaching the checkered flag first to secure the victory by 91 thousandths of a second. Kidd came across the line in second over Abernethy with Round One winner Leo Da Silva (REM / Kosmic) in fourth and William Vetor (JHDD / Kart Republic) in fifth.

Abernethy was able to secure the series championship, winning by 30 points over Da Silva in the best three of four format. Abernethy, competing legally as a 14-year-old who turns 15 this year, is not eligible to take the Junior MAX ticket to the Rotax Grand Finals. Thus, Da Silva was awarded the ticket to Portugal for finishing second in the standings. Hammond ended up third in the championship chase.

Billy Cleavelin was able to triumph in the final round of Masters MAX (Photo: EKN)

The Masters MAX category, like all six, did not feature a driver winning all four rounds. Three-time winner Gabirel Zughella (HRT / EOS) set fast time in a cold qualifying session with a time of 53.472. He jumped out to a solid lead early in the Prefinal and drove away to a three-second advantage after 14 laps. Zughella came under attack early in the Final with Christopher Mann (REM / Kosmic) jumping out to the lead before Noel Dowler (RPM / Exprit) went from fourth to first over the course of lap two. The following circuit, Henry Taleb (HRT / Tony Kart) retired after contact while running second, and that allowed Dowler to establish a solid lead. As they continued fighting for second, Zughella suffered contact on lap eight, forcing him to retire. All that shuffling allowed veteran Billy Cleavlein (REM / Kosmic) to move up into the second spot. Trailing Dowler by a big margin, the 67-year-old cut into Dowler’s advantage and by lap 17 was into the lead. Cleavelin fought of Dowler through the remaining laps, securing victory to close out the championship. Dowler settled for second with Dominic Legrand (PSL / Birelart) able to edge out Mann for the third step on the podium with Mundy Loyer (Evolution / EOS) in fifth.

Zughella secured the championship on Saturday, finishing up the standings with a 70 point advantage over Mann with Cleavelin finishing third. The driver from Argentina will return to the Rotax Grand Finals, where he finished third last year in the DD2 Masters category.

Yousef Adi was named winner in the Mini MAX category for Round Four (Photo: EKN)

Having already clinched the provisional championship, British driver James Roots (Prime / Birelart) was able to continue with his dominant performance with fast time in qualifying for Round Four, clearing the filed by over a tenth. Fast laps in the Prefinal helped him to drive away to a three-second advantage over the field after 10 laps to start the Final from the pole position. Roots led the opening four laps before pulling off course to avoid any situations that could jeopardize the championship. This handed the lead over to Dutch Westbrook (Team Benik), as the Texas driver led the remainder of the race to earn the provisional win. A pushback bumper penalty however dropped the win away as Yousef Adi (JHDD / Kart Republic) was credited with the victory. Lincoln Lima (Prime / Birelart) advanced to second over Mason Brody (RPM / Nitro Kart) into the third spot. Westbrook was classified fourth over Joshua Wheeler (RPM / Nitro Kart).

Roots ended up winning the championship by 75 points over Adi with Brody completing the championship podium. Roots will be part of Team UK at the 2026 Rotax Grand Finals thanks to the ticket at the RMC Winter Trophy.

Freddie Baker notched his second win of the series to clinch the Rotax Grand Finals ticket (Photo: EKN)

British driver Freddie Baker (RCE) was able to complete the sweep in Micro MAX to earn the series championship. Setting fast time in qualifying and winning the Prefinal, Baker ran away with the 16 lap Final to claim his second victory over the four rounds. The win was by over two seconds, with two-time winner Arthur Rhodes (RCE) up to second after starting fifth. Tre Sanders (Nash / Energy) completed the podium with Lincoln Lima (Prime / Birelart) and Zackary Losier (Premier / Parolin) making up the top five.

Baker’s victory in Round Four secured the series championship, taking the title by 45 points over Rhodes while Jack Kotowski (TKG / Birelart) finished third in the standings despite dropping out of Round Four.

Overall, three British drivers, one USA, one Canadian and one from Argentina left the Speedsportz Racing Park each with a ticket to compete at the 2026 Rotax Max Challenge Grand Finals, scheduled for November in Portimão, Portugal.

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