Round two of the Rotax Max Challenge Quebec championship brought competitors back to Karting Mont-Tremblant this past weekend, where the championship reached its halfway mark with a new challenge. After racing the circuit in its traditional direction during the opening round, drivers tackled the reverse layout, all while battling another weekend of scorching temperatures and relentless humidity.
When the dust settled after 16 demanding laps, it was Ayden Ingratta standing on the top step of the podium once again.
The victory was Ingratta’s second straight RMC Quebec triumph and his fourth Rotax Senior win of the season, but this one required one of his most impressive drives yet.
Ingratta started the weekend in familiar fashion, earning the pole position by just 0.086 seconds over Racing Edge Motorsports teammate William Bouthillier. However, his path to victory became much more difficult in the PreFinal. After leading the field away, Ingratta slipped backwards through the pack, eventually crossing the line in eighth while Timothe Pernod (PSL/BirelART) claimed the win and the pole position for the Final.
It was an eventful start to the Final as multiple karts went wide through corner one and Ryax Maxwell emerged as the early race leader. Before the opening lap was complete, third-place starter Jeremy St-Cyr (PSL/BirelART) came to a halt after losing one of his wheels.
Ryan Maxwell (335) leads the way at the start of the final (Photo by: Cody Schindel / CKN)
Starting from the fourth row, Ingratta immediately went on the attack.
He gained four positions on the opening lap and was already up to fourth by lap two. One lap later he had climbed to third, setting his sights on race leader Pernod and second-place Ryan Maxwell (Prime/RedSpeed), who were trading the lead early. The decisive moment came on lap four, when Ingratta made a bold move under braking at the end of the back straight, sweeping past both drivers in one sequence to grab the race lead.
From there, the championship leader never looked back.
Maxwell stayed within striking distance throughout the remainder of the race, while Pernod remained close enough to apply pressure, but neither driver could mount a serious challenge. Behind them, Arnaud Sabourin (Prime/RedSpeed) and Bouthillier completed the lead group, yet the order at the front remained unchanged through the final 12 laps as Ingratta controlled the pace despite the oppressive summer heat.
Ingratta crossed the finish line to collect another commanding victory, with Maxwell securing another impressive runner-up finish.
The fight for the final podium position, however, was settled after the checkered flag. Pernod was disqualified following the post-race technical inspection, while Sabourin received a pushback bumper penalty that dropped him down the order. The penalties elevated Bouthillier into third, giving Racing Edge Motorsports a sweep of the podium with Ingratta, Maxwell and Bouthillier.
Ingratta was also named the driver of the day from the Coupe de Montreal.
The Rotax Senior drivers won’t have long to wait before returning to competition, with many heading to Mosport Karting Centre this weekend for Round 3 of the Rotax Max Challenge Ontario championship. The RMC Quebec title chase resumes in two weeks at the Canadian Open at SRA Karting Mirabel, where the battle for a ticket to the Rotax Max Challenge Grand Finals in Portugal will continue.
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