Ramos Stuns the Rotax Senior Field at the Canadian Open

A Brazilian won the Canadian Open this past weekend at SH Karting.

Diego Ramos (PSL Karting / BirelART) stunned the Rotax Senior division when the sun came shining and delivered a perfect performance in Sunday’s main event.

Kicking off the event, Antoine Lemieux (Racing Edge Motorsports / Kosmic) posted the fastest time in Qualifying, but he wasn’t able to replicate his form in Super Pole, where William Bouthillier (Racing Edge Motorsports / Kosmic) delivered the fastest time.

In Saturday’s rainy conditions, Bouthillier dominated the first two heat races, but as the track began to dry in heat three, Ramos had the best setup for the changing conditions and drove through to the heat win.

The bright sunshine returned on Sunday, and an intense PreFinal saw Ramos and his teammate Timothe Pernod (PSL Karting / BirelART) pull away to a 1-2 finish, followed by Bouthillier, Ayden Ingratta (Pfaff Kartsport / Gillard) and Olivier Mrak (Racing Edge Motorsports / Kosmic), who recovered nicely from a 25th place qualifying effort.

The Rotax Senior drivers were gridded on the main straight for the opening ceremonies before their Final, upping the pressure as the main event loomed. Bouthillier and Ramos on row one. Pernod and Ingratta on row two, with the remaining 24 competitors behind them.

Rotax Senior grid before the start – Photo by: Cody Schindel / CKN

Ramos timed the start perfectly and moved ahead of Bouthillier before the first corner. Pernod attacked Bouthillier early as well to move into second place. Ingratta and Mrak came together on the opening lap, knocking Mrak out of contention and forcing Ingratta to fight his way back forward.

Opening up an early lead, Ramos was in control while Bouthillier’s pace picked up by lap five, and he was back into P2 on lap seven.

The gap between the front two never closed enough for Bouthillier to have a chance. Ramos was perfect in the lead and led every lap of the 22-lap main event, celebrating at the finish line with his hand in the air.

Bouthillier had to settle for second after such a strong start to the weekend. Ingratta was third across the finish line, followed by Ryan Maxwell (Racing Edge Motorsports / Kosmic), who slipped by Pernod on the final lap to gain a very important position in the championship race.

Within the race weekend at the Canadian Open was the final event for both the RMC Ontario and RMC Quebec championships.

Ryan Maxwell – Photo by: Cody Schindel / CKN

The points totals were extremely tight, but when the dust settled, Ryan Maxwell was crowned the champion in RMC Quebec and Ayden Ingratta took home the honour in RMC Ontario, earning both drivers an invite to join Team Canada at the Rotax Max Challenge Grand Finals, where the two will compete in the Kingdom of Bahrain later this year.

Another spectacular event indeed for Rotax Senior, who continue to deliver spectacular racing every time they take to the track across the country.

Ayden Ingratta – Photo by: Cody Schindel / CKN