Rotax MAX Challenge returns

TDT | Manama

Email: mail@newsofbahrain.com

Bahrain International Circuit (BIC), ‘The Home of Motorsport in the Middle East’, hosts today the fourth round of the 2024/2025 Bahrain Rotax MAX Challenge (BRMC).

The meeting is set to take place at BIC’s world-class grassroots motorsport facility, Bahrain International Karting Circuit (BIKC), in Sakhir.

It will see a packed field of nearly 40 karters of various ages and nationalities battle it out in their very own Rotax-powered karts. They will be going wheelto-wheel along BIKC’s 1.414-kilometre track in the BRMC’s six competition categories, including the Micro MAX, Mini MAX, Junior MAX, Senior MAX, MAX DD2, and MAX DD2 Masters.

Each of the competitors will be looking to propel their title bids as the campaign reaches its midway point. The action continues to intensify as crucial championship points are up for grabs to go towards each participant’s standings. The winners of each BRMC class will get the incredible opportunity to represent Bahrain at the annual Rotax MAX Challenge Grand Finals – one of the most prestigious karting events in the world.

Friday’s action is scheduled to get underway at 10.45am with the Free Practice sessions for each group. Qualifying Practices then follow from 12.25pm, and then the Pre-Finals take place from 1.20pm. That will set the stage for the Finals starting from 3pm.

The podium ceremonies based on provisional results are scheduled to be held from 5.30pm. All are welcome to attend and watch the exciting racing. Entrance to BIKC is free.

Friday’s meeting is being organised by BIC and BIKC, in cooperation with the Bahrain Motor Federation, Bahrain Karting Commission, and Motorsport Marshals Club.

Set to spearhead the Micro MAX field this weekend is championship leader Tariq Soofi, who boasts 105 points from a perfect three wins out of three rounds thus far. He will be joined on the grid by Abdulaziz Alsarraf and Rashid Almahroos.

In the Mini MAX category, Jude Andrews will be looking to hold on to first place on the season rankings amongst a seven-driver field. Jude has 86 points on the table but is only seven ahead of Shaikh Ahmed bin Saqer Al Khalifa, while just a further point behind is Rayyan Najjar, both of whom are also entered in this round. Faisal Alnajjar, Austin Gray, William Lette, and Leonard Bossi complete the grid.

In the Junior MAX class, Nasser Nass is back and will be aiming to extend the gap at the top. He also boasts a perfect 105 points after winning all three rounds to date. Demir Abali, Khaled Najjar, Rashid Hilal, Shaheen Shaheen, and Yousif Alghaith will be looking to cut into his advantage.

Amongst the Senior MAX competitors, Tye Mejia leads the championship fight with 98 points and will be looking to maintain his top form against the BRMC’s biggest and most competitive field. Mohammed Alhasan and Vedant Menon are his closest challengers on the championship table, and they all will be racing against other talented karters including Gracie Rose Grantham, Talal Alattas, Mohammed Alarayedh, Mohammed Hilal, Layla Zeneldin, Najashi Rashdan, Evdokiia Karpenko, Yousif Alali, Musaad Albassam, Abdulla Fakhri, and Rakan Alfayez.

In the DD2 MAX class, Abdulla Sajjad lies in first place with 99 points heading into the fourth round, trailed by Raoul Sadi and Oliver Kruglov, who both will be looking to narrow the gap. The DD2 MAX Masters will see points leader Mohammed Almahroos go up against BRMC debutant Khalifa Delaim. Almahroos has 70 points in the series rankings.

The BRMC’s 2024/2025 calendar features eight rounds running until February of next year. This weekend’s meeting marks the final BRMC event of the calendar year.

Racing resumes in 2025 with round five on 11 January, and then round six is slated for 24 January. The seventh and penultimate meeting will take place on 8 February, setting the stage for the BRMC finale two weeks later on 21 February.