Rotax Junior: Medeiros Fights from P11 to Victory in Wild Final

The Rotax Junior Final at SRA Karting-ICAR was a race that had everything: redemption, drama, controversy, and one of the most intense finishes of the RMC Quebec season to date.

With the championship heating up and bragging rights on the line, all eyes were on Cole Medeiros (REM/Kosmic) and Alexis Baillargeon (HM Propela/Kart Republic), who continued their fierce rivalry this season. The two were neck-and-neck in Qualifying, separated by a minuscule 0.055 seconds, setting the tone for what would become an explosive main event.

Medeiros looked to be in control early after winning the PreFinal, but some gamesmanship during the pace lap caught the attention of officials. He was penalized post-race and dropped back to P11 on the Final grid, a cruel blow, but one that only seemed to fuel his fire.

The lights went out on the Final, and it was Baillargeon and Jeremy St-Cyr (PSL/BirelART) who launched off the line, quickly breaking away from the pack. Leonardo Serravalle (REM/Kosmic) settled into third, with the rest of the field scrambling behind.

But Medeiros was on a mission.

In just three laps, he had carved his way up from eleventh to fourth with surgical precision. By lap five, he dispatched his teammate Serravalle and had the leaders in sight. Lap eight saw him on their bumpers. And by lap 11, he made his move, into the lead with a bold overtake that electrified the crowd.

The battle that followed was relentless. The front three traded lines and lunges, pushing each other to the limit. On lap 14, in corner ten, contact between Medeiros and Baillargeon saw Medeiros bounce up and over Baillargeon’s rear corner, momentarily surrendering the lead.

Unshaken, Medeiros clawed back once again, retaking the top spot on lap 17. But as he began to defend, the race exploded behind him.

Antoine Bazinet (Premier/TonyKart), Olivier Chasse, and Jackson Lachapelle (both HM Propela/KR) had closed in thanks to the intense lead battle. With two laps to go, St-Cyr and Bazinet collided while fighting for position. Bazinet’s race ended on the spot, while St-Cyr continued without a front bumper, falling out of contention.

Ready to race in Rotax Junior, Cole Medeiros (207) and Alexis Baillargeon (296) lead the way to the start. (Photo by: Cody Schindel / CKN)

At the front, it all came down to the final corner.

Medeiros and Baillargeon exited the last turn side by side, hurtling toward the finish line in a drag race for the win. At the stripe, Medeiros edged ahead by the slimmest of margins to complete a stunning comeback and take a hard-earned victory.

But the drama wasn’t over.

In the post-race scale line, Baillargeon, visibly frustrated, confronted Medeiros, and physical contact was made. Officials acted swiftly, and Baillargeon was disqualified from the results, a heartbreaking end to what had been a phenomenal drive.

When the dust settled, Olivier Chasse was promoted to second, and teammate Jackson Lachapelle rounded out the podium in third. Round one winner Jackson Morley (Prime/BirelART) clawed his way to fourth in the closing laps, while Kingston Gadoury (Premier/OTK) impressed with a season-best P5.

For Medeiros, it was a victory that showcased grit, racecraft, and resilience, capping off one of the most dramatic Junior races in recent memory. The championship rivalry has never been hotter, and with two rounds remaining, the road to Bahrain just got a whole lot bumpier.

The Rotax Junior Podium – Olivier Chasse, Cole Medeiros and Jackson Lachapelle (absent) – Photo by: Cody Schindel / CKN

With two rounds of RMC Quebec in the books, the pressure is on heading into August’s championship-defining doubleheader.

Up next, the series heads to Ontario for the Canadian Karting Championships at Mosport Karting Centre (August 14–17) before returning to Quebec for the Canadian Open at SH Karting (August 29–31).

With Rotax Grand Final tickets on the line and tensions rising, the only thing guaranteed is more incredible racing.

Stay locked on CanadianKartingNews.com as we follow the road to Bahrain!