No fewer than 370 entrants from 47 nations, representing five continents, lined up for last weekend’s 2026 Rotax MAX Challenge International Trophy at the Le Mans kart circuit in France – and British drivers won all six classes!
Jayan Prakash was victorious in Micro Max, Austin Oman in Mini Max, Albert Friend in Junior Max, Sean Butcher in Senior Max, Mark Kimber in DD2 Max and Jack Dex in DD2 Max Masters. All six winners secured coveted tickets to the end-of-season Rotax Max Challenge Grand Finals (RMCGF), which takes place in Portugal at the Kartódromo Internacional do Algarve in Portimão from 7-14 November.
Prakash dominated the Micro Max category, winning all three of his Heats before controlling the Final from pole position to take victory ahead of fellow countryman Albert Pharoah.
Having started from a lowly 16th place in Mini Max Qualifying, Oman rose through the ranks to win his Super Heat and then the Final. Once again, a British driver finished second, with Joshua Cooke taking the runner-up honours, while Sebastian Bearman – Ollie Bearman’s karting cousin – completed a British clean sweep of the podium.
Finaly Lines, a member of the Motorsport UK Kart Academy, seemed on course to win in Junior Max after sweeping all before him in the Qualifying sessions and his Super Heat. He led the Final, too, before being passed by Friend, who took the spoils after Czech rival Zdenek Babicek was penalised for over-aggressive driving while mounting a last-lap attack.
Sean Butcher had it even tougher, fighting back from a distant 38th place in Qualifying. By the end of the Heats, he had risen to second place behind local racer Tom Langlois. The pair shared the Super Heats between them, and the Frenchman started the Final in the lead before Butcher swept past on lap five to take a close-fought victory and complete his remarkable comeback.
Mark Kimber arrived at Le Mans knowing full well what it takes to win at the RMCGF, having taken the DD2 class victory in 2022, as well as Senior Max in 2021 and Junior Max in 2016. Hopes of a fourth title, however, looked distant when he set only the 15th-fastest time in Qualifying. Undaunted, he bounced back to take the lead after the Qualifying stages. He was pipped to the post in his Super Heat by Dutch rival Enzo Bol but cruised home to win the Final, leaving others in his wake to squabble over the minor podium positions.
Jack Dex looked odds-on to complete the British clean sweep after topping the time sheets in Qualifying and then confirming his form by winning his Heats and Super Heat. The Final was far from easy, however, with Dex securing victory by a scant six hundredths of a second after fending off late challenges from Belgium’s Nicolas Claes and France’s Vivien Cussac-Picot. His narrow victory completed an incredible six-pack for UK Rotax karting.
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