Portimao, BRP-Rotax is proud to announce that the 22nd edition of the Rotax MAX Challenge Grand Finals (RMCGF) successfully took place in Portimao, Portugal at the Kartodromo International Algarve (KIA) from November 19 to 26, 2022. With a record number of 394 Rotax racers from more than 60 nations, who earned their ticket during the 2022 season, the event also saw the biggest kart line-up ever in the history of the RMC Grand Finals.
This year’s RMC Grand Finals was also marked by the introduction of a new category, the Rotax Project E20 Junior, and the launch of the next generation of Rotax e-Karting, the Rotax E10.
“It is truly not possible to put into words the goosebumps and feelings you have when you see the Karts lined-up at the start/finish line, waiting in the sunrise for their appearance. I really would like to thank the entire Rotax team and our valued partners, who every year make huge efforts to bring this fantastic event to life for our customers”, says Stefan Gruber, Manager of Rotax Karting & OEM Business, Rotax Propulsion System. “The RMC Grand Finals is the highlight of the season for the worldwide Rotax kart racers and only the best earn a ticket to be able to compete throughout the week with the brand new karts for the title!”
And the winners are…
The RMCGF week started with a casual Welcome Get-Together on Saturday, Nov. 19th with traditional Portuguese live music and the finals of the MOJO Tyre Changing Contest which was awarded to Russell Carter from Team UK. After the Kart Raffle on Sunday, the teams were busy preparing the karts before the action on the track started. Changing weather conditions kept the competitors busy during the initial days of the event as they switched from dry to wet set-up and making the relevant tyre choice. 1600 MOJO Racing Tyres were prepared by the team of BRP-Rotax for this week and dispensed to the drivers.
And here they are, the champions of the Rotax MAX Challenge Grand Finals 2022:
Micro MAX: Martim Marques - Portugal
Mini MAX: Christopher El Feghali - Lebanon
Junior MAX: Scott Marsh - United Kingdom
Senior MAX: Callum Bradshaw - United Kingdom
DD2 MAX: Mark Kimber - United Kingdom
DD2 MAX Masters: Kristaps Gasparovics - Latvia
E20 Junior: Joel Bergstroem - Sweden
E20 Senior: Jesper Sjoeberg - Sweden
Nations Cup: Team UK
“We would like to thank the Kartodromo International Algarve for hosting the 22nd RMC Grand Finals and their team for the support during the whole week. We also thank all our partners and sponsors as well as our long-term chassis partners BirelART, Praga (IPKarting) and Sodikart for supporting us every year with their chassis and workforce on-site”, stated Peter Oelsinger, General Manager BRP-Rotax / Member of the Management Board, VP Sales, Marketing, RPS-Business & Communications. “Over and above all, we express our sincere gratitude to our customers, our karting network and the Rotax team: together, they truly make this event so special and successful.”
Next year, the exceptional RMC Grand Finals 2023 will return to the Kingdom of Bahrain from December 2 to 9, 2023, taking place at the Bahrain International Karting Circuit.
The entire BRP-Rotax team wishes Rotax competitors good luck for the 2023 season and is looking forward to celebrating with all participants in Bahrain.
All new: Rotax E10
BRP-Rotax seized the opportunity of this year’s RMCGF to launch a new e-powertrain, the E10 for drivers from 6 to 12 years old. The e-Kart, which grows with the kids, can be driven up until the Junior class. Moreover, it is not only fitting for the professional competitors out there, it also provides the perfect power for recreational karters of all ages.
Peter Oelsinger added: "We are paving the way for carbon-neutral kart racing with the expansion of our e-powertrain offering for different racing classes. The all-electric zero emission E10 brings an entirely new racing experience, with low noise and no smell. With this introduction, BRP-Rotax combines the success factors of its existing product range with the features demanded by today’s consumers, thus shaping a new market.”