Mrak Masters the Canada Final and Punches His Ticket to Bahrain!

Following an intense weekend of racing at the Max Karting Group Canada Final in Edmonton, Alberta, Oliver Mrak emerged victorious in the headline Rotax Senior division, securing the championship and a coveted ticket to represent Team Canada at the 2025 Rotax Max Challenge Grand Finals in Bahrain.

Rotax Senior was the most anticipated category of the weekend, selling out with 40 entries from across the country. While only 37 drivers ultimately hit the track, the field delivered on every expectation. The racing was fierce, the stakes were high, and the ultra-fast Stratotech Racing Park, host of the 2006 ASN Canadian Karting Championships, set the perfect stage for a dramatic showdown.

After two days of racing, Antoine Lemieux (REM/Kosmic) appeared to be the title favourite, scoring back-to-back victories while Mrak stayed close with a pair of runner-up finishes. But Championship Sunday brought changing weather and unpredictable conditions. When Lemieux faltered, Mrak seized his moment, delivering a clutch victory in the Final to lock up the overall title.

Friday

Racing Edge Motorsports came out flying on Friday, with Lemieux, Mrak, and William Bouthillier sweeping the top three spots in Qualifying.

Lemieux and Mrak dominated the PreFinal, pulling away early while the rest of the field battled hard for third. The Final played out similarly, with Lemieux getting a strong start and Mrak shadowing him throughout. The two REM drivers cruised out front before a red flag prematurely ended the race following a crash between Devon Gellings and Savannah Kallis. Fortunately, both drivers were back at the track later in the weekend.

Macy Williams (CB Motorsport/OTK) broke free of the chaos behind to take third, while positions four through nine crossed the line covered by less than a second in an incredibly close finish.

Lemieux (393) and Mrak (369) lead the large field of Rotax Seniors into corner 1 – Photo by: Cody Schindel / CKN

Saturday

Saturday brought the hottest conditions of the weekend, but that didn’t faze Lemieux. He delivered another perfect day, adding a second straight win to his tally. Mrak was again close behind in second, keeping the pressure on in the championship standings.

Timothy Pernod (SCR-PSL/BirelART) stepped up for third, narrowly edging out Arnaud Sabourin (Prime/BirelART) and Griffin Dowler (Apollo/OTK), both of whom were quietly building strong weekends with consistent top-five finishes.

Sunday

Championship Sunday brought drama right from the start.

Lemieux suffered a transponder issue during Qualifying, with only one lap recorded, placing him 11th. Meanwhile, his sister, Frederique Lemieux (REM/Kosmic), claimed the pole position.

Rain arrived just in time for the Prefinals, shaking things up in a major way. On a damp track that demanded rain tires, Sabourin nailed the setup and drove away to a dominant 12-second victory. Williams, Mrak, Dowler, and Marco Kacic (Scuderia Estorias/CompKart) followed. Lemieux struggled in the tricky conditions, finishing 16th, and suddenly, the championship door was wide open.

As the track dried before the Final, Mrak saw his chance.

At the green flag, he pushed Sabourin into the lead through corner one, then made a bold move in the carousel to take over the top spot. From there, Mrak never relinquished the lead, controlling the pace over 12 intense laps to take the win and the championship in style.

Sabourin couldn’t match Mrak’s pace but still delivered a solid second-place finish in both the race and overall standings. Dowler crossed the line in third, completing a consistent weekend. Lemieux recovered to finish fourth on the road, but a bumper penalty dropped him to P12 in the final results.

The championship podium mirrored the Final: Mrak on top, flanked by Sabourin and Dowler.

Oliver Mrak – Photo by: Cody Schindel / CKN

“After crossing the finish line and knowing I’d not only won the race but also the championship, the emotions hit hard. All the effort and work I’d put in, the numerous changes to my chassis and the driving mistakes I had to fix all suddenly made sense. Without the dedication and support of REM and my mechanic, Tyson, as well as my family, this could not have happened.”

“I am overwhelmed with a huge sense of achievement and pride, especially knowing that I am going to represent Canada in Bahrain in the most competitive category. It is a huge weight lifted off my shoulders knowing that I’ve got my ticket and no longer have to worry about it back home. Although I am super happy, I do feel very bad for my teammate Antoine. He had put so much work into delivering perfect performances throughout the weekend, only to have technical issues ruin his weekend.”

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With Ontario’s Mrak now locked in for Bahrain, the race for the remaining two tickets in Canada just got even more exciting. Mrak had been a contender in both the RMC Ontario and RMC Quebec championships, meaning new names will need to rise to the occasion. The final two tickets will be awarded at the Canadian Karting Championships at Mosport and the Canadian Open at SH Karting. Who will join Mrak on Team Canada? We’ll find out soon.