#CanadianOpen
Canadian Open Preview: Rotax Senior Will Come Down to the Wire for the Tickets!
This weekend, we’re about to find out who will join the Team Canada roster for the 2025 Rotax Max Challenge Grand Final.
The RMC Canadian Open hits the track at SH Karting to culminate both the RMC Quebec and the RMC Ontario to award tickets to 10 drivers across five categories, each winning the opportunity to compete at the Rotax Grand Finals in Bahrain and represent Team Canada at the 26th running of this spectacular event.
This season, Rotax Senior has been the show, with massive grids, intense racing and some unpredictability in both provinces. One thing that has been consistent is that in every race, a pack of drivers from Racing Edge Motorsports have been in the running for victory, with the Ontario race team scooping up victories in all five RMC races so far this season, spread between four different drivers.
One major storyline coming into the weekend is that RMC Ontario points leader Jensen Burnett will not be in attendance at SH Karting. Burnett is currently in Sweden, preparing for the upcoming FIA World Karting Championships and has opted to miss the Canadian Open.
The first Rotax Senior driver to qualify was Olivier Mrak, who secured the Canada Final ticket in Edmonton earlier this month, locking his position on Team Canada. Two more drivers will join him at the Canadian Open.
Ayden Ingratta – Photo by: Cody Schindel / CKN
So who’s in the running this weekend to win a championship and a ticket to the Grand Finals? Let’s have a look.
RMC Quebec Standings
| Pos | No. | Driver | Team/Chassis | Total | Diff | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 334 | RYAN MAXWELL | REM / KOSMIC | 738 | ||
| 2 | 305 | AYDEN INGRATTA | PFAFF / GILLARD | 699 | -39 | -39 |
| 3 | 396 | ANTOINE LEMIEUX | REM / KOSMIC | 687 | -51 | -12 |
| 4 | 328 | LAURENT LEGAULT | BCR / BIRELART | 607 | -131 | -80 |
| 5 | 351 | TIMOTHE PERNOD | PSL / BIRELART | 604 | -134 | -3 |
| 6 | 338 | MAJOR MAKOVSKIS | REM / KOSMIC | 587 | -151 | -17 |
| 7 | 369 | OLIVER MRAK | REM / KOSMIC | 579 | -159 | -8 |
| 8 | 331 | ARNAUD SABOURIN | PRIME / BIRELART | 548 | -190 | -31 |
| 9 | 385 | JOSHUA SOUMVALIS | REM / KOSMIC | 470 | -268 | -78 |
| 10 | 364 | CARLO SASSO | CS RACING / TONYKART | 451 | -287 | -19 |
Please note: These standings are unofficial.
RMC Ontario Standings
| Pos | No. | Driver | Team/Chassis | Total | Diff | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 315 | JENSEN BURNETT | REM / TONYKART | 685 | ||
| 2 | 334 | RYAN MAXWELL | REM / KOSMIC | 655 | -30 | -30 |
| 3 | 349 | ANTOINE LEMIEUX | REM / KOSMIC | 582 | -103 | -73 |
| 4 | 303 | WILLIAM BOUTHILLIER | REM / KOSMIC | 552 | -133 | -30 |
| 5 | 305 | AYDEN INGRATTA | PFAFF / GILLARD | 485 | -200 | -67 |
| 6 | 353 | MAJOR MAKOVSKIS | REM / KOSMIC | 445 | -240 | -40 |
| 7 | 323 | MICHAEL NICKLE | REM / KOSMIC | 430 | -255 | -15 |
| 8 | 351 | TIMOTHE PERNOD | PSL / BIRELART | 387 | -298 | -43 |
| 9 | 302 | ARNAUD SABOURIN | PRIME / BIRELART | 341 | -344 | -46 |
| 10 | 385 | JOSHUA SOUMVALIS | REM / KOSMIC | 314 | -371 | -27 |
Please note: These standings are unofficial.
Ryan Maxwell is in a good place entering the weekend in both championships. The Canadian Karting Champion leads the RMC Quebec and inherits the lead in RMC Ontario with Burnett out. He’s been a consistent front-runner and finally scored a much-deserved victory at the Nationals. He’s aiming for his second visit to the RGF.
Antoine Lemieux will be his closest rival of the weekend. Lemieux won 2 of the 3 races at the Canada Final but faultered on the final day and slipped off the top, opening the door for Mrak to take the title. He will be aiming for redemption this weekend and he enters the weekend within 100 points of the lead in both championships.
Ryan Maxwell – Photo by: Cody Schindel / CKN
Ayden Ingratta enters the weekend 39 points back of Maxwell in RMC Quebec. The strongest driver of the season not with REM, Ingratta is aiming for another crack at the Rotax Grand Finals and has been motivated all season long with his new team.
Laurent Legault and Timothe Pernod have been on the brink of a breakout weekend all summer long. Could this be the weekend their BirelART machines come to life and launch them to a race win and/or title?
William Bouthillier enters the weekend fourth in RMC Ontario, and only 103 points back of Maxwell. Bouthillier was the winner earlier this year when the Coupe de Montreal visited SH Karting, and he will look to replicate that form at the Open.
On the outside looking in:
Major Makovskis was the winner of RMC Quebec race 1, but hasn’t had much success since. He sits sixth in both championships and will need another major victory to vault up the standings.
Arnaud Sabourin has shown the pace this year, but not the luck to stay at the top. He ranks in the top ten of both championships but will need some help to move to the top of the rankings.
Another driver in the top ten in both championships is Joshua Soumvalis. He’s enjoying his best season of karting to date, and a solid weekend could be a great way to cap it off.
As the final round of the championship, the Canadian Open is worth 1.5x championship points for both the RMC Ontario and the RMC Quebec, keeping more drivers in the running for the overall championships and amping up the competition for the weekend. A perfect weekend could score a driver 450 points, which theoretically puts any driver in the top ten within striking distance.
The Canadian officially begins on Friday, August 29, with SuperPole Qualifying. Drivers will compete in three heat races on Saturday, followed by the all-important PreFinal and Final races on Championship Sunday. There is some rain in the forecast, adding a little spice to the weekend, too.
Stay tuned to CKN throughout the weekend to see who will come out on top and join Rotax Team Canada!
