Rotax DD2: Sabourin Scores Dramatic Victory After Pernod’s Penalty

The Rotax DD2 Final at ICAR had all the ingredients for a classic: tight racing, lead changes, redemption drives, and a twist at the very end that left everyone talking.

After a chaotic and hard-fought PreFinal that featured four different race leaders and relentless wheel-to-wheel action, the Final promised fireworks. And while the race itself unfolded in a slightly more controlled fashion, the drama was far from over when the checkered flag flew.

At the drop of the green, a bit of bumping and banging through the opening corners set the tone, with Ludovic Sabourin (HM Propela/Kart Republic) emerging as the early leader. Behind him, Christophe Legrand (CRT/BirelART) and Lucas Pernod (PSL/BirelART) slotted into second and third, forming a tight lead pack. Just a few seconds back, the chase group of Branco Juverdianu (PSL/BirelART), Cederic Cataphard (CRT/BirelART), Noah Lapolla (BCR/BirelART), and Nolan Bower (Premier/OTK) kept the pressure on.

By lap eight, Pernod had found his rhythm and made a decisive move to pass Sabourin and take the lead. Over the next several laps, Sabourin did everything he could to stay within striking distance, but Pernod began inching away with consistent pace and clean lines.

Behind them, Juverdianu was coming alive. One of the fastest drivers on track in the second half of the race, he worked his way around Legrand and rapidly closed the gap to Sabourin, launching a late-race battle for second place.

After 18 laps, it was Pernod who took the checkered flag first, raising a fist in celebration. But that joy quickly turned to disbelief as news came from race control: a pushback bumper penalty, activated during the opening lap, would cost him five seconds.

That penalty reshuffled the podium and handed the win to Sabourin, who had just barely held off Juverdianu at the line. The PSL driver’s stellar drive earned him a strong second-place result, while Legrand capitalized on the penalty to secure the final step of the podium in third.

Pernod was ultimately classified in fourth, while Cataphard rounded out the top five in a solid drive that flew somewhat under the radar.

Though Pernod crossed the line first, it was Sabourin’s name in the books, and the Rotax DD2 title fight just got that much more interesting.

The Rotax DD2 Podium – Branco Juverdianu, Ludovic Sabourin and Christophe Legrand (Photo by: Cody Schindel / CKN)

With two rounds of RMC Quebec in the books, the pressure is on heading into August’s championship-defining doubleheader.

Up next, the series heads to Ontario for the Canadian Karting Championships at Mosport Karting Centre (August 14–17) before returning to Quebec for the Canadian Open at SH Karting (August 29–31).

With Rotax Grand Final tickets on the line and tensions rising, the only thing guaranteed is more incredible racing.

Stay locked on CanadianKartingNews.com as we follow the road to Bahrain!