#CanadianOpen
SuperPole Qualifying Sets the Tone at Canadian Open
Before a wheel-to-wheel pass was even made, the 2026 Rotax Max Challenge Canadian Open delivered plenty of drama.
Friday at SRA Karting Mirabel belonged to SuperPole Qualifying, where razor-thin margins, pressure-packed two-lap shootouts and cash prizes set the tone for what is shaping up to be one of the most competitive Rotax weekends of the Canadian season. With every tenth, and often every hundredth, of a second proving critical, drivers had just one chance to secure the best starting positions for Saturday’s heat races.
All five Rotax Max categories contested a 10-minute qualifying session before the six fastest drivers advanced to the SuperPole shootout. From there, the top three earned prize money while locking in prime grid positions for the opening phase of competition.
Ingratta rises to the top in stacked Senior field
The largest class of the weekend, Rotax Senior, wasted no time showcasing just how competitive it will be with 30 drivers chasing Canadian Open glory.
The top six drivers in the opening session were separated by only 0.312 seconds, while Arnaud Sabourin narrowly missed advancing to SuperPole by just 0.009 seconds.
Antoine Lemieux led the initial session ahead of Ayden Ingratta, Timothe Pernod, Ryan Maxwell, Jeremy St-Cyr and Noah Landry, but when it mattered most, Ingratta found even more speed. The winner of four RMC races this year so far, improved his lap in SuperPole to claim the top starting position, with Maxwell also moving forward into second. Lemieux settled for third, Pernod dropped to fourth, while St-Cyr and Landry maintained their positions.
Chasse delivers under pressure in Junior
If Friday was any indication, Rotax Junior could produce some of the closest racing of the entire weekend.
Twenty-six drivers filled the timing sheets, with the top four separated by a mere 0.065 seconds in the opening session. Advancing to SuperPole required a lap within 0.153 seconds of the fastest overall time, while an incredible 20 drivers were covered by less than half a second.
Olivier Chasse proved untouchable when the pressure was highest, topping both qualifying sessions to secure SuperPole honours. Marco Fazari and Antoine Bazinet both improved their positions during the shootout, while Stefano Lanzillotta slipped from second to fourth. Massimo Lorusso and Evan Kirchoff completed the top six.
Olivier Chasse (Photo by: Cody Schindel / CKN)
Adi continues impressive momentum
Yousef Adi’s recent form showed no signs of slowing in Rotax Mini Max.
The championship contender led both qualifying sessions to earn another SuperPole performance, continuing the momentum he has built throughout the summer.
Madox Pelletier was second fastest in the opening session before Francesco Cosco elevated himself onto the front row with an impressive SuperPole lap. Christopher Simon, Jackson Colligan and Zackary Losier also advanced to the shootout to complete the top six.
Bouthillier shines again in DD2
William Bouthillier continues to make an immediate impact in Rotax DD2.
Despite making only his third start in the two-speed category, Bouthillier paced both qualifying sessions to earn SuperPole, narrowly edging Alex Marcil Perron on each occasion. The pair will share the front row when Saturday’s heat races begin.
Arnaud Sabourin qualified third ahead of Alexis Baillargeon, Derek Laroche and Joseph Dellaccio.
Veterans headline DD2 Masters
Experience ruled the day in Rotax DD2 Masters, where three familiar names once again found themselves at the front of the field.
Pier-Luc Ouellette opened qualifying fastest, but Marc-Andre Levesque turned up the pace in SuperPole to secure the top starting position. Sebastian Bernier also found enough speed to leap ahead of Ouellette, making it a familiar top three featuring the last three Canadian Open winners who earned Team Canada berths through this event.
Zephyrin Dupain qualified fourth ahead of Alexandre Gauthier and Tyler Givogue.
Madox Pelletier in the new Rotax E10 electric category (Photo by: Cody Schindel / CKN)
Rotax E10 makes Canadian debut
One of the biggest stories of the weekend came from the paddock as the new Rotax E10 electric kart category officially made its Canadian debut.
Supported by SH Karting and SodiKart, seven Mini drivers are competing on identical electric kart packages, marking the first of three events that will determine Canada’s inaugural Rotax E10 champion. The overall series winner will earn a place on Team Canada for the Rotax Max Challenge Grand Finals in Portugal, where the E10 category will make its world debut later this year.
After their first experience with the electric karts during Thursday’s practice, Friday featured official qualifying, with Madox Pelletier earning the first-ever Canadian E10 pole position ahead of Emrick Larue. Zackary Losier qualified third, followed by Ayden Mainville, Giulio Berlinguet, Lincoln Lima and Leola Fernandez.
The E10 category will contest a PreFinal on Saturday before crowning its first Canadian Open winner in Sunday’s Final.
Heat races up next
With SuperPole complete, the focus now shifts to Saturday’s three heat races, where every finishing position will count toward setting Sunday’s PreFinal grids. Those races will ultimately determine the starting order for the championship-deciding Finals that will crown the 2026 Rotax Max Challenge Canadian Open champions.
Beyond Canadian Open honours, the weekend also carries significant championship implications. The Rotax Max Challenge Ontario season will conclude at Mirabel, awarding three coveted Team Canada tickets to the Rotax Max Challenge Grand Finals, while the Rotax DD2 Masters winner will also secure a place on Team Canada for Portugal.
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