Being a member of Team Canada for the Rotax Max Challenge Grand Finals is a major accomplishment. Earning the opportunity to represent your home country on one of the biggest stages in karting in equal equipment is a once-in-a-lifetime award for so many drivers, while for some others, it is the annual goal.
For the past half-decade, there have been a number of familiar faces on Team Canada, winning tickets within Canada and at select international races to get the chance to represent the maple leaf at incredible circuits in countries like Italy, Portugal and Bahrain.
As the chase for Canada’s tickets kicks off this weekend at the RMC Quebec in Mont-Tremblant, four drivers have already secured their spot on Team Canada. Four more will be awarded from the RMC Quebec, along with four from the upcoming RMC Ontario series. Out west, six winners will be rewarded at the Max Karting Group Canada Final, and finally, two additional tickets will be awarded at the Canadian Open, one to a Micro Max competitor and one to a DD2 Masters driver.
This means there should be 20 drivers on Team Canada this year, once again making it one of the biggest teams at the RGF, which will be held in beautiful Bahrain this December.
We’ve covered a number of the drivers on Team Canada over the past years, but getting a peek at this weekend’s entry list for the Coupe de Montreal / RMC Quebec event, there are a number of drivers that could finally lock down their first Team Canada invitation. Some have been trying for years, coming up so close, while others have started the year strong, putting their cards on the table with a full effort to be on Team Canada.
In no particular order, here are 10 drivers we think could finally clinch a ticket to join Team Canada at the Rotax Max Challenge Grand Finals this season.
Lucas Nanji – Rotax DD2
Multiple race winner Lucas Nanji has focused his efforts on Rotax DD2 this season and it was on display at SH Karting, winning in dominant fashion at the opening round of the Coupe de Montreal. Nanji has always been quick and came so close to a ticket last year at the Canadian Championships in Hamilton. With four races required to win this year, we think this helps Nanji move closer to his first time wearing the maple leaf.
Branco Juverdianu – Rotax DD2
Our dark horse pick to join Team Canada. Juverdianu has quietly raced his way onto the podium multiple times in DD2 and has flown under the radar since he moved up from Junior. He has the pace and the racecraft and with just a little luck, he could very well find himself in position to win the RMC Quebec championship.
Michael McLean – Rotax DD2 Masters
Shifting over to HMR Racing, McLean was quite quick out of the gates at his home track to start the season. Yes, it will be tough to challenge his teammate and rival Marc-Andre Levesque for wins this year, but we have a feeling if an opportunity arises, McLean would pounce on it.
Jackson Lachapelle – Rotax Junior
Lachapelle has been putting in the work, progressing up the ranks in Junior and looks poised to have a break out season. After a strong start at SH, Lachapelle has joined HM Propela this weekend in Mont-Tremblant. Could this be the move to vaults him to the top? Only time will tell, but we’re expecting to see Lachapelle battling for race wins this season.
Leonardo Serravalle – Rotax Junior
For a driver who only graduated to two-cycle karting six months ago, Leonardo Serravalle has quickly gotten up to speed, with strong performances in all of his races so far this year, including a win at KartStars Canada. Teaming up with Racing Edge Motorsports has been a great partnership so far and while Junior is packed full of talent chasing only two tickets, there is opportunity for this rookie to swoop in and grab one.
Jackson Morley – Rotax Junior
Could we see the Jacko 500 at the Rotax Grand Finals? We think so. After spending last season growing into the full-size kart, Morley was a contender by the Canadian Championships and showing he can’t be overlooked. He has put his two-cycle efforts fully on Rotax this summer and will race both the RMC Quebec and RMC Ontario, with two races at his home track. Don’t sleep on Jackson Morley this summer.
William Bouthillier – Rotax Senior
Starting off the season with a convincing victory is exactly what Bouthillier needed, now he needs to keep the momentum going. His new home at Racing Edge Motorsports has been a good fit and Will has shown he is focused on winning this year. Senior Max is by far the toughest grid in Canada, so it won’t be easy, but we have a feeling Bouthillier might finally clinch his first ticket to the Rotax Grand Finals this summer.
Carlo Sasso – Rotax Senior
Another driver to have a good start to the season, Carlo Sasso drove his way into the top five at SH. Spending some time racing in Europe has helped Sasso develop as a driver and his talents will be on display. There are a number of veteran drivers in Senior who’ve been on Team Canada before and that experience makes them even harder to beat, but Sasso may just be one of biggest surprises this season, and he’s doing it as a privateer entry as well.
Madox Pelletier – Rotax Mini
Could we see our first Father-Son combination to race on Team Canada? Madox is looking to follow in his father’s footsteps and race his way into the Rotax Grand Finals this summer.
As one of the youngest drivers in Mini Max, he is already contending for race wins against some stiff competition and since he is still eligible to race in Micro Max at the RGF, that could give him two chances this year. Following a podium result at SH, he’s primed to have a go this summer.
Jayden Colligan – Rotax Mini
After a dominant season in Briggs Cadet last year, Jayden Colligan stepped up to race Rotax this season and started off really strong. While leading at SH, an unfortunate mechanical failure kept him from making it to the finish line in the Final, but his abilities instantly put him on the radar. Keep an eye out for this youngster looking to catch everyone off guard this summer.
2025 RMC Quebec Schedule
- May 31-June 1 – Mont-Tremblant
- July 4-5 – Mirabel
- August 14-17 – Mosport (ON)
- September 29-31 – St-Hilaire
2025 RMC Ontario Schedule
- June 14-15 – Hamilton
- July 12-13 – Hamilton
- August 14-17 – Mosport
- September 29-31 – St-Hilaire (QC)
2025 Max Karting Group Canada Final
- July 30 – August 3, 2025 – Edmonton (AB)
