Heat, hype and history in Sarno: final round of the RMCET ends in style
Gunskirchen, Austria – The 2025 Rotax MAX Challenge Euro Trophy wrapped up its season at one of karting’s most revered venues: the Circuito Internazionale Napoli in Sarno, Italy. With Grand Finals tickets on the line and titles to be decided across five categories, the southern Italian circuit delivered a championship finale to remember.
Friday – qualifying day brings surprises and statements
The final chapter began under a blazing sun and a buzzing paddock atmosphere, as 7 qualifying sessions and 6 heats set the tone for the weekend.
In the Italian Euro Cup Mini MAX, Marc Quessada (MKC Motorsport) rose to the occasion with a pole position in Group 1, but it was Tom Read (Strawberry Racing) and Emerson Macandrew-Uren (Dan Holland Racing) who made early statements in the heats. The British driver struck first, overtaking his rivals with confidence in a tight opening race.
Junior MAX produced a surprise as Bran Vanderveken (Bouvin Power) secured the overall pole, with teammate Boaz Maximov dominating Group 2. Albert Friend (Dan Holland Racing) quickly made his mark with a heat win over the poleman, while KR Sport answered back in Heat 2 with a top-three lockout led by Mazinas Majus.
Senior MAX saw another Dan Holland Racing driver rise to the top. Tino Sidler set the fastest lap to claim pole, ahead of title contender Sean Butcher (KR Sport) and Cian Geraghty (Strawberry Racing). Sidler and Butcher each took a heat win in the afternoon, keeping the title battle simmering.
In DD2, Sem Knopjes (DAEMS Racing) delivered a stunning performance, edging his rivals by mere thousandths of a second. However, it was Mika van de Pavert (SP Motorsport) who triumphed in the heat. In Masters, Nicolas Picot (Privateer) proved unbeatable once again, topping both qualifying and the heat with commanding pace.
Saturday – the heat heats up
As temperatures rose, so did the stakes. With Pre-Final grids on the line, Saturday’s action delivered wheel-to-wheel drama and championship implications.
Mini MAX saw Emerson Macandrew-Uren return to form with two wins and a P6, securing pole for the Pre-Final. Ava Lawrence (Strawberry Racing) impressed with consistency, climbing to second overall ahead of Oliver Spencer (KR Sport). Poleman Quessada slipped to fifth after a costly result in Heat 1.
Junior MAX remained firmly in Vanderveken’s hands, who held onto the top spot with two wins and a second. Kai Clarke (KR Sport) made a massive leap from 15th to 2nd overall, while Mazinas Majus and Dragos Avasilcutei (MKC Motorsport) joined the frontrunners.
Senior MAX kept title tensions high as Tino Sidler maintained the lead. Sean Butcher and Macauley Bishop (Dan Holland Racing) followed closely, while Dan Holland’s full roster closed in, with Babickova, the Van Wijk brothers, and Cameron Nelson all showing strong form.
In DD2, Knopjes held onto P1 after the heats, with Van de Pavert and local favourite Michael Rosina (MKC Motorsport) setting up a three-way showdown. In DD2 Masters, Picot remained untouchable — once again the fastest and cleanest in the field.
Sunday – titles won, dreams realised
With the sun high above Mount Vesuvius, the 2025 RMCET came to its grand finale. Every position mattered — not just for the race, but for the season. The atmosphere was electric.
Italian Euro Cup Mini MAX – Murro rises through the chaos to win and seal the crown
Riley Murro (Sam Pollitt Racing) pulled off one of the drives of the season. Starting 12th on the grid, the Brit stormed through the field to win the Final and the 2025 Mini MAX title. Mik Klinkers (Bouvin Power) surprised many with a composed second place, while Tom Read (Strawberry Racing) sealed another podium. Quessada and Macandrew-Uren, who had dominated early, saw their title hopes vanish.
Final:
1. Riley Murro
2. Mik Klinkers
3. Tom Read
Championship:
1. Riley Murro
Junior MAX – Friend wins, Ashcroft takes the championship
Albert Friend (Dan Holland Racing) claimed his first RMCET win with a gutsy drive from the midfield. KR Sport duo Harry Freeman and Kai Clarke joined him on the podium. Meanwhile, Jacob Ashcroft (Dan Holland Racing) kept his head down and scored the points he needed to be crowned champion — a reward for a season of dominance.
Final:
1. Albert Friend
2. Harry Freeman
3. Kai Clarke
Championship:
1. Jacob Ashcroft - 595
2. Kai Clarke - 580
3. Rory Armstrong - 566
Senior MAX – Butcher wins the race, the title, and the headlines
Sean Butcher (KR Sport) capped his season with a decisive win that sealed both the race and the title. Drama erupted after the race as Macauley Bishop, initially second, was disqualified — elevating Tereza Babickova (Dan Holland Racing) to P2 and Geraghty to P3. The penalty also shook up the standings, with Bishop dropping from 2nd to 10th in the championship.
Final:
1. Sean Butcher
2. Tereza Babickova
3. Cian Geraghty
Championship:
1. Sean Butcher - 636
2. Ties van Wijk - 569
3. Cian Geraghty - 566
DD2/DD2 Masters – Knopjes wins, Bezel keeps the crown. Win and title for Picot
Sem Knopjes (DAEMS Racing) ended his campaign with a flag-to-flag victory. Lenn Nijs (Schepers Racing) powered through the field to second, while Herbots (Bouvin Power) completed the podium. But all eyes were on Jakub Bezel (Kraft Motorsport), whose P10 was just enough to secure the championship by a narrow margin. Nicolas Picot make it double with dominant weekend win and title.
DD2 Final:
1. Sem Knopjes
2. Lenn Nijs
3. Lawrence Herbots
DD2 Championship:
1. Jakub Bezel - 590
2. Sem Knopjes - 560
3. Lenn Nijs - 560
DD2 Masters Final:
1. Nicolas Picot
2. Martin Pasandin
3. Dimo Notarfrancesco
DD2 Masters Championship:
1. Nicolas Picot - 652
2. Maurits Knopjes - 593
3. Xen De Ruwe - 457
The curtain closes on 2025
As the sun set over Sarno, the champions of the 2025 Rotax MAX Challenge Euro Trophy were crowned. But the journey isn’t over yet. The spotlight now shifts to the 2025 Rotax MAX Challenge Grand Finals — the most anticipated showdown in global Rotax racing.
The official list of Grand Finals ticket winners will be published shortly.