Putting in the Work: Ava Cabral’s Path to a New Class
Ava Cabral has been putting in the work this winter, preparing for the Canadian karting season in a new category.
After making her international debut at the FIA Motorsport Games in Spain, she has competed at ROK Vegas, the Rok Cup Florida Winter Tour and two Rotax Winter Trophy races, all with a mindset of learning how to drive a full-size chassis with a much more powerful engine combination.
Speaking with CKN, Ava talked about her development over the winter, the experiences she endured and how she has partnered up with Road to Racing (R2R), a deal that has transformed her career.
“This winter season was a big step for me! Racing at a higher level meant I had to push myself harder than ever before.”
Entering her fourth season behind the wheel, Ava has been rapidly climbing through the karting ranks. The 2023 Briggs Cadet Canadian Champion has seen a whirlwind of change since her maiden Nationals win. After her success in Cadet, Ava stepped up to Mini for 2024, accelerating her development and quickly becoming a front runner in the class by the end of the season. The constant change hasn’t slowed, as now she’s taken another step forward, moving up to the Junior class for 2025.
Being the biggest step of her career so far, Ava headed to the U.S. this winter to kickstart her Junior development ahead of the Canadian season.
Even with having more seat time than many Canadians, racing in Spain and Vegas at the back end of 2024, Ava had yet to jump into a full-sized junior chassis until the first round of FWT in January. Although she tested a Junior a handful of times in the fall, this winter would be Ava’s first meaningful experience competing as a full-fledged Junior. It only took one weekend in Florida for her to understand the full scope of what racing in Junior would demand of her. From the aggressiveness of the racing to the physicality of driving the full-sized kart, there were some clear skills Ava wanted to improve throughout her winter.
Ava Cabral, 2025 US Rotax Trophy West – Phoenix, AZ (Photo by: Cody Schindel / CKN)
“The jump to Junior was a big challenge. I had to adjust to the more aggressive racing style and be smarter with my overtakes. Physically, it was a huge jump as well.”
After spending three consecutive weeks at FWT and RMC in Orlando racing in a chaotic junior field, things finally started to click for Ava. She started seeing significant gains in her driving and found herself creeping her way up the grid. This progress was exactly what Ava was looking for going into her final race, the RMC Trophy West in Phoenix.
Arriving in Phoenix, it was clear that the past three weeks had impacted Ava’s confidence. Things that were a struggle for her in Orlando suddenly became less of an obstacle, allowing her race craft to shine through. Ava was now the closest she had ever been to the leaders’ pace and found herself fighting for meaningful positions within the top ten. Driver development is rarely linear, and in Ava’s case, her optimism and commitment to making small, consistent improvements paid off at the perfect time heading into the Canadian karting season.
“At the start of the winter, I was still getting used to the kart and the level of competition, but each race helped me improve. By the time we got to Phoenix, I felt way more confident and comfortable in the kart.”
An essential component behind Ava’s consistent improvement is her support from Prime Powerteam. A dominant force in Canadian karting, Prime has a history of producing championship-winning drivers, and Ava is taking full advantage.
Reflecting on her experience with the team, Ava said, “Racing with Prime has been an awesome experience. The best part has been working with people who push me to my limits every race. Every season with them, I get better and better because of the help and support they give me.”
Ava Cabral, 2025 US Rotax Trophy West – Phoenix, AZ (Photo by: Cody Schindel / CKN)
Another key pillar to Ava’s career so far has been her affiliation with Road to Racing. This season, Ava and R2R have taken their partnership to the next level, with the organization awarding Ava with their Girls in Motorsport scholarship. With this development, Ava will be sporting a fresh new look for 2025, repping a black R2R livery and racing suit. However, to Ava, this partnership goes deeper than this year’s scholarship. For her, being part of the R2R family has been an incredibly positive and supportive experience. Since joining the organization two years ago, it has transformed her career, providing her with countless new skills and unique opportunities while introducing her to a diverse community within motorsport.
“It is amazing to be in the R2R family. Everyone is so supportive and wants to see my career grow. It feels like I’m part of a group that’s always cheering me on, not just for the races, but for everything I do in and out of the kart. I love that R2R believes in young drivers and helps us build our skills in so many ways.”
With winter in the rear-view mirror and the Canadian season upon us, Ava is now looking forward to a loaded 2025 schedule. Ava is preparing to take on a full slate of Canadian RMC events, including a handful in the U.S. Additionally, she’s looking to make her Junior VLR debut in the Kartstars Canada championship at Goodwood Kartways. Apart from racing, Ava also has several exciting events planned with R2R, including appearances at the Honda Indy in Toronto, R2R Hot Laps events and creating content for R2R’s partner, REV TV.
Ava’s winter campaign was a time of growth, challenge, and transformation. With the support of Prime Powerteam and Road to Racing, she’s emerged more confident than ever and ready to take on possibly her biggest season yet.
