The Macau event marked a major milestone for the Champions of the Future Academy Program, becoming not only its first event in this country but also its debut in this part of the world.
This individual showcase event attracted a strong influx of new and emerging talent, particularly from across Asia, drawn by the opportunity to compete within the Academy’s equal-equipment format on an international stage.
Run alongside the AAMC 2026 Macau International Grand Prix and supported by the KZ categories, the event benefited from a unique race-week setting. Located in the heart of the island, the circuit offered a striking contrast to traditional karting venues, surrounded by Macau’s skyline, iconic hotels and casinos — often referred to as the “Las Vegas of the East” — creating a distinctive atmosphere for this landmark event.
The circuit itself delivered a flowing and technical layout that produced close racing across all categories, with constant on-track action. Run under well-balanced weather conditions under the sun, the event offered a welcome contrast to the heavy winter typical of January, allowing drivers to compete in pleasant conditions throughout the weekend.
Mini: Early Swings Give Way to Zvarich’s Sunday Control
Saturday opened with extremely fine margins in Mini, as Syabil Umar Basalamah topped qualifying practice by just 0.050 seconds over Max Zvarich, with Michael Vino close behind. Basalamah converted that early pace into a Qualifying Heat 1 victory, while Muhammad Wibowo struck back in Heat 2 after a closely fought lead battle. The final brought another shift in momentum, with Vino delivering a clean drive to take victory ahead of Basalamah, while Zvarich remained firmly in the points with a solid third-place finish. With multiple winners and no clear separation, the championship picture remained wide open after Day 1.
Sunday saw Wibowo return to the top in qualifying practice, edging Zvarich by just 0.004 seconds as Ryder Xiong joined the leading group. Wibowo carried that momentum into Qualifying Heat 1, but consistency again proved decisive as Zvarich steadily moved forward. In Qualifying Heat 2, Zvarich claimed victory, setting the tone for the final. From there, he controlled the race with confidence, securing the win ahead of Xiong and Wibowo and delivering the result required to settle the championship in his favour.
With points combined across both race days, Max Zvarich emerged as the Mini winner in Macau points, ahead of Ryder Xiong and Syabil Umar Basalamah.
OK-N Junior: A Three-Way Fight Ends with Han on Top
Saturday set the tone for a tightly balanced Junior field, with John Han leading qualifying practice by a narrow margin over Jay Kostecki and Axel Nocom. Kostecki responded strongly in the races, winning both qualifying heats and crossing the line first in the final. However, a post-race penalty dropped him out of the podium positions, handing the victory to Nocom ahead of Han. With a strong pace shown by all three across the day, but points reshuffled after the final, the championship remained wide open heading into Sunday.
Sunday brought a change in momentum as Han returned to the front in qualifying practice, this time by just 0.012 seconds, underlining how little separated the leading trio. Han then converted pace into results by winning both qualifying heats and controlling the final from the front. Kostecki and Nocom remained in close contention throughout the day, but Han’s consistency across every session ensured he maximised the available points when it mattered most.
With points combined across both race days, John Han secured the overall Junior victory in Macau points, ahead of Axel Nocom and Jay Kostecki.
OK-N Senior: A First Win for Vanesa, a Title for Markas
Saturday opened with extremely tight margins at the front of OK-N Senior, as Shun Sekiguchi led qualifying practice by just 0.036 seconds from Jaime Ambrose, with Markas Silkunas close behind. The races quickly reshaped the order, with Silkunas taking victory in Qualifying Heat 1 before Sekiguchi responded in Qualifying Heat 2. Vanesa Silkunaite remained consistently in the leading group throughout the day, and the final saw Silkunas deliver a controlled drive to secure the win ahead of his sister, while Sekiguchi completed the top three. With wins shared and points tightly distributed, the championship remained finely balanced at the end of Day 1.
Sunday once again underlined how little separated the frontrunners. Sekiguchi returned to the top in qualifying practice, edging Silkunas by just 0.066 seconds, while Seira Kojima joined the fight at the front. Sekiguchi claimed Qualifying Heat 1, but momentum shifted in Qualifying Heat 2 as Silkunaite secured her first victory of the event. The final produced another change at the front, with Vanesa controlling the race to take her first Senior victory, ahead of Silkunas and Kojima. Behind the result, the championship was decided in the closing moments: on the final lap, through the last corner, Markas delivered the fastest sector of the race, securing the fastest-lap point and the crucial advantage in the overall standings.
With points combined across both race days, Markas Silkunas claimed the overall OK-N Senior title in Macau, just one point clear of Vanesa Silkunaite, with Seira Kojima completing the championship top three — concluding a weekend where execution, timing and fine margins defined the outcome.
A Strong First Step in Asia
The Macau event delivered a meaningful first chapter for the Champions of the Future Academy Program in this part of Asia, confirming the strength of the Academy’s arrive-and-drive concept beyond its European and UAE foundations. With identical equipment supplied to all competitors, the event underlined the program’s core values of accessibility, equality and professional competition, while welcoming a new wave of talented drivers from across the region.
As this standalone Macau showcase comes to a close, attention now turns to what lies ahead. Registrations are currently open for Round 2 of the UAE Series, as well as for the upcoming 2026 International Series, offering drivers the opportunity to be part of the Academy Program’s continued global expansion. Visit championskartingacademy.com to secure your place on the grid.
