The Rotax MAX Challenge Winter Series opening round is well underway at Cremona Circuit, where the rain shows no signs of stopping. The first heats have been completed, setting the stage for an intense weekend of racing.
The Senior MAX category saw its first six heats unfold, with Matteo Montrone and Lorenzo Giaquinto securing a 1-2 finish for MKC Motorsport. Giaquinto, making his debut in Senior this year, impressed alongside his teammate. Meanwhile, poleman Macauley Bishop (Dan Holland Racing) suffered a tough start, dropping to the back of the grid. Despite the setback, he delivered a determined comeback drive to P5.
Archie Walker (KR Sport) added his name to the winners’ list in a heat where Sean Butcher (KR Sport), one of the category’s favorites, could only manage P7. In Heat E-F, Sebastian Koch delivered a strong performance, making DAEMS Racing owner Jan Daems proud. The second round of heats saw Bishop and Butcher bounce back with victories, alongside Kai Hunter (Hunter Motorsport).
After narrowly missing out on pole position by mere thousandths, Rayan Ghandour (KR Sport) took his revenge with a victory in the first heat. However, it was a disappointing race for Shun Sekiguchi (Dan Holland Racing), who dropped to the back of the field due to a front fairing penalty.
The Mini MAX heats confirmed the balance seen in qualifying. Jef Verbeke (Bouvin Power) retained his top position, while KR Sport teammates Maria Ruberto (P2 in qualifying) and Oliver Spencer (P3) swapped places. A standout performance came from Tom Read (SFR Motorsport), who charged through the field, gaining 12 positions to finish P7.
In DD2, poleman Will Elswood and Jakub Bezel secured a 1-2 finish for Kraft Motorsport. Meanwhile, in DD2 Masters, reigning champion Nicolas Picot (Privateer) clinched victory, while Xen De Ruwe (SCC Performance) was relegated to the back following a bumper penalty.
With the first battles of the weekend completed, the focus now shifts to the next round of heats, which will determine the grids for Sunday’s Prefinals.
Saturday, February 15: Warm Up starting at 08:30 AM; from 10:40 AM Heats
Sunday, February 16: from 08:30 AM Warm-up; from 10:20 AM Prefinals, from 1.40 PM Finals.