Gunskirchen, Austria – The fourth and final round of the 2026 Rotax MAX Challenge Euro Trophy concluded at the Steel Ring in Trinec, Czech Republic, where 172 drivers gathered for the season-deciding weekend that swung from torrential rain to bright sunshine and delivered a dramatic finale from the first lap to the last.

Thursday's dry test day gave little indication of what was coming. Friday's Qualifying and opening Heats were run entirely in the wet, forcing teams to rethink their setups overnight, before the sun returned on Saturday and held through a spectacular Sunday that crowned seven category winners, four Euro Trophy champions and handed out the series last RMC Grand Finals tickets to Portimão.

 

Friday - rain rewrites the script

The competitive phase began under persistent rain, with Qualifying and the opening Heats immediately separating those who adapted on the Trinec circuit from those who didn't. Mini MAX saw Cees Muijs (Sodikart) set the fastest lap ahead of Jan Wozniak (KRZ Motorsport), before confirming his pace with victory in the opening heat.
 

In Junior MAX, Emerson MacAndrew-Uren (Dan Holland Racing) topped Group 1 ahead of championship leader Zdenek Babicek (TEPZ Racing), while Sebastian Clark (KR Sport) set the overall pace out of Group 2. MacAndrew-Uren and Leo Gonzales (MKC Motorsport) shared the day's two heat wins.

 

Senior MAX outsider Dovydas Gudelevicius (Kraft Motorsport) set the pace in Group 1, Freddie Lloyd (Evolution Motorsport) went fastest overall out of Group 2, and Lewis Gilbert (Potenza Racing Engines) topped Group 3. Gilbert, Ties van Wijk (Dan Holland Racing) and a double-winning Cian Geraghty (Strawberry Racing) split the four afternoon heats between them.
 

In the 2-speed gearbox categories, Lenn Nijs (Schepers Racing Service) adapted best to the conditions, setting the fastest lap in DD2, with Nicolas Picot (Sodikart) second overall and leading DD2 Masters. Both backed up their pace with victory in the afternoon heat.
 

E20 Senior saw Lucas Pinheiro make it back-to-back poles after Genk and convert it into another heat win, while Roman Jager (RS Competition) completed the pole position and heat win double in E20 Masters.

 

Saturday - sunshine flips the standings

The weather turned overnight, and a marathon programme of 16 Heats under sunshine reshuffled several of the weekend's early leaders. Austin Oman (Sam Pollitt Racing) became Mini MAX's most consistent driver, taking over the lead from Friday's poleman Cees Muijs, while holding off compatriots Teddy Murphy (Sam Pollitt Racing) and Maria Ruberto (KR Sport). Logan Rolfe (KR Sport) rounded out the top five.
 

Junior MAX tightened to two points between the Ranking after Heats leader Emerson MacAndrew-Uren and home favourite Zdenek Babicek, who split the Super Heat A and B poles between them. Meanwhile, Branislav Rentka (KRK Racing) and Marcel Popakul (RS Competition) were close behind in third and fourth.
 

Senior MAX turned into a four-way fight between Freddie Lloyd (Evolution Racing Ltd), Lewis Gilbert, Macauley Bishop (Dan Holland Racing) and Cian Geraghty, all covered by a single point heading into Sunday.

 

Lenn Nijs claimed pole for the DD2 Super Heat after two wins and a third place, ahead of Patryk Donica (Birelart by KSB) and championship leader Jakub Bezel (Kraft Motorsport). The defending champion Nicolas Picot remained untouchable at the top of DD2 Masters.
 

Adam Szabo moved to the top of E20 Senior, overtaking Lucas Pinheiro, while Roman Jager retained his advantage in E20 Masters ahead of the final day.

 

Sunday - champions crowned

Sunday's schedule of seven Prefinals and five Finals settled every title of the season and every remaining ticket to the prestigious RMCGF 2026 later this year in Portimão.
 

DD2: Jakub Bezel won a DD2 Final decided by just thousandths of a second, becoming a back-to-back champion in the process. A bumper penalty demoted Patryk Donica from second to third, thereby promoting Leonardo Baccaglini (Schepers Racing) to P2 on the podium.

1. Jakub Bezel (CZE)

2. Leonardo Baccaglini (ITA)

3. Patryk Donica (POL)

 

The championship closed in the exact same order. Bezel ends the season as champion on 634 points, ahead of Baccaglini (593) and Donica (584). Bezel and Baccaglini take the two Rotax DD2 RMC Grand Finals tickets.

 

DD2 Masters played out as the championship stood as well, with Nicolas Picot and Dimo Notarfrancesco (Kartteam Meier) finishing one-two in the Final. Picot ends the season as champion, with Notarfrancesco runner-up and his teammate Martin Pasandin completing the championship top three. Picot was awarded the Grand Finals ticket in this category.

1. Nicolas Picot (FRA)

2. Dimo Notarfrancesco (SUI)

 

E20 Senior: The RMC Czech Euro Cup E20 Senior produced one of the closest races of the event. Lucas Pinheiro crossed the line first, but unfortunately a penalty for having a dislodged front fairing handed the win to Adam Szabo, who will now represent Team Hungary at the RMCGF. Kristian Beke (NS-Motorsport) and Antoni Kugacz (Blue Racing) completed the podium in the senior E-Kart class.

1. Adam Szabo (HUN)

2. Kristian Beke (SVK)

3. Antoni Kugacz (POL)

 

E20 Masters: Argentina's Gaston Di Bella got the better of Roman Jager in the RMC Czech Euro Cup E20 Masters, reversing the order in the Final, after the initial form shown by the German throughout the weekend. Naturally, Jager was disappointed, however, Di Bella will return once again to the RMCGF with his national team as the ticket winner in Trinec.

1. Gaston Di Bella (ARG)

2. Roman Jager (GER)

 

Mini MAX: Austin Oman won the battle for the title in the RMC Czech Euro Cup Mini MAX, beating fellow Brits and KR Sport teammates Logan Rolfe and Joshua Cooke, with Cees Muijs fourth. Oman had already secured his RMC Grand Finals ticket earlier in the season, so the remaining Rotax Mini MAX ticket of the year went to Rolfe instead.

1. Austin Oman (GBR)

2. Logan Rolfe (GBR)

3. Joshua Cooke (GBR)

 

Junior MAX

Zdenek Babicek won on home soil, leading a Junior MAX Final he never let slip away. Emerson MacAndrew-Uren and Martin Soltys (KRK Racing) completed the podium.

1. Zdenek Babicek (CZE)

2. Emerson Macandrew-Uren (GBR)

3. Martin Soltys (SVK)

 

The championship crowned Babicek on 625 points, with Soltys runner-up on 560 and Sebastian Clark completing the top three on 544. Babicek, Soltys and Clark take the three Junior MAX sought-after Grand Finals tickets.

 

Senior MAX delivered a Final that will go down in RMCET history. Cian Geraghty gave Strawberry Racing the win, with Freddie Lloyd and Mehdi Lassoued (Sodikart) completing the podium.

1. Cian Geraghty (GBR)

2. Freddie Lloyd (GBR)

3. Mehdi Lassoued (FRA)

 

The Senior MAX championship battle went down to the wire, with a post-race investigation threatening to reshuffle the final standings. At the end of the day, Jeremy Reuvers (Karting Club Campillos) was crowned champion, finishing level on points with Lewis Gilbert at 557, but ranked first in the official standings. Freddie Lloyd completed the top three on 546. Reuvers, Gilbert and Lloyd take the three Rotax Senior MAX Grand Finals tickets.

 

Champions Jakub Bezel (DD2) and Jeremy Reuvers (Senior MAX) also earned a place in the Porsche Carrera Cup Italia prize pool, securing a test day in the Porsche 992 GT3 Cup with Omnia Motorsport, part of the partnership introduced for the 2026 season.

RMC Grand Finals tickets to Portimão
Rotax Mini MAX: Logan Rolfe
Rotax Junior MAX: Zdenek Babicek, Martyn Soltys, Sebastian Clark
Rotax Senior MAX: Jeremy Reuvers, Lewis Gilbert, Freddie Lloyd
Rotax DD2: Jakub Bezel, Leonardo Baccaglini
Rotax DD2 Masters: Nicolas Picot
Rotax E20 Senior: Adam Szabo
Rotax E20 Masters: Gaston Di Bella
 

After four rounds across Europe, the 2026 Rotax MAX Challenge Euro Trophy comes to a close. Its champions and ticket holders now turn their attention to the Rotax MAX Challenge Grand Finals in Portimão, Portugal, this November 4-7.