The countdown for the long-awaited start to the 2025 Rotax Racing season in Europe is finally over with the event attracting a strong international field of contenders in five categories. More than 170 drivers are competing for the title, where the final edition takes place further south near Rome at Viterbo at the end of March.
The Winter Series offers the ideal lead-up to the prestigious RMC Euro Trophy, organised by WSK Promotion once again this year for Austrian engine manufacturer BRP-Rotax. In a change of format from the previous RMCET Winter Cup successfully held in Spain, the double round series introduces alternative new venues for competitors and teams to experience. With fantastic prizes to be won for entry to the top Rotax European championship and RMC International Trophy Le Mans this summer, the Winter Series opener guarantees to deliver exciting action on track throughout the weekend.
Friday’s official timed practice before lunch was met with the onset of freezing weather conditions that saw ice falling across the circuit as the mix of hail and rain swept over the Lombardy region. The leading drivers at the end of the short qualifying sessions were all known front-runners in their class.
In Rotax Mini MAX, it was the Belgian Jef Verbeke for the Bouvin Power team heading the youngest field on the program, where more than a dozen nations were represented on the packed start grid. The recent RMCIT Asia winner and Golden Trophy champ from Genk in 2024 outpaced Maria Ruberto, quickest in group 1, followed by her KR Sport teammate Oliver Spencer ranked P3 overall.
Rotax Junior MAX pole-sitter was Japan’s Shun Sekiguchi, who was coincidentally also crowned champion in Thailand at the RMCIT Asia in January. The Dan Holland Racing entry secured his RMC Grand Finals ticket for the end of season highlight in November, so taking pole in a competitive field of Juniors in Europe is undoubtedly adding to his preparation for the final showdown in the Kingdom of Bahrain. Max Sadurski of the Netherlands set the next best laptime for SP Motorsport in the second group from the third-placed Canadian Rayan Ghandour with KR Sport.
The DHR team led the field of 81 as well in Rotax Senior MAX with the 2024 class rookie who finished P3 on the RMC Euro Trophy podium and the youngest driver to be crowned British champion in the UK. Macauley Bishop was outstanding in the rain to ultimately complete the fastest lap in six minutes. At the top of the timesheet in group 2 was another of the most accomplished drivers in the category, Kai Hunter, racing again for his brother’s team Hunter Motorsport. Estonia’s Joel Kaspar Joepere of the AGS Racing Team clocked the time to beat in the third group for a front row start in the heats.
Will Elswood was one of the leading Rotax E20 competitors at the RMC Euro Trophy who drove home to P7 in the Rotax DD2 class at the ’24 Grand Finals in Sarno after qualifying in the E-Kart series. The British racer took pole position Friday ahead of former RMCGF champion Ragnar Veerus of Estonia racing for Kartletix. His fellow Kraft Motorsport Czech teammate Jakub Bezel was P3.
Moving into the Rotax DD2 Masters as the current RMCGF DD2 title-holder, Xen De Ruwe kicked off his Winter Series campaign with pole in the over 32-years class. The Slovenian-based SCC entry will be looking to dethrone the fast Frenchman who ranked P2, Nicolas Picot, aiming to defend his own Rotax number 1 title this season. Dimo Notarfrancesco was next for Switzerland’s Kartteam Meier.
Following the initial heat races Friday, the racing continued Saturday to decide the starting order for the pre-finals on Sunday. Be sure to catch all the racing LIVE over the net via the links below to see who will take the victory at the very first round of the RMC Winter Series 2025 in Italy.
Event details can be found on the official series homepage - https://www.rotaxmaxchallenge-eurotrophy.com/races/cremona?_sc=NDYwMDMyOCM1Mzcz&utm_campaign=KA_nl_2502&utm_medium=email&utm_source=brevo
Find more news from Rotax Racing online at Vroomkart and Rotax Karting on social media. Download the Rotax Global App to stay connected with the RMC Winter Series and many other global RMC events throughout 2025.
Time Schedule
SUNDAY
Pre-Finals 11:00 – 12:40
Finals 13:40 – 15:30
(*CET – local time Italy)
PRIZEGIVING CEREMONY
Directly after each Final
LIVE TIMING
RESULTS
LINKS TO FOLLOW ONLINE
Livestream on Sunday, February 16th – 11am
Pre-finals and Finals will be broadcast via Live Streaming on the Rotax MAX Challenge Euro Trophy Facebook page, RMCET website, Motorsport.com and YouTube.
Facebook& Instagram – ROTAX MAX Euro Trophy
Web
YouTube
Text Jen Wade Photos HelloFoto
The Winter Series offers the ideal lead-up to the prestigious RMC Euro Trophy, organised by WSK Promotion once again this year for Austrian engine manufacturer BRP-Rotax. In a change of format from the previous RMCET Winter Cup successfully held in Spain, the double round series introduces alternative new venues for competitors and teams to experience. With fantastic prizes to be won for entry to the top Rotax European championship and RMC International Trophy Le Mans this summer, the Winter Series opener guarantees to deliver exciting action on track throughout the weekend.
Friday’s official timed practice before lunch was met with the onset of freezing weather conditions that saw ice falling across the circuit as the mix of hail and rain swept over the Lombardy region. The leading drivers at the end of the short qualifying sessions were all known front-runners in their class.
In Rotax Mini MAX, it was the Belgian Jef Verbeke for the Bouvin Power team heading the youngest field on the program, where more than a dozen nations were represented on the packed start grid. The recent RMCIT Asia winner and Golden Trophy champ from Genk in 2024 outpaced Maria Ruberto, quickest in group 1, followed by her KR Sport teammate Oliver Spencer ranked P3 overall.
Rotax Junior MAX pole-sitter was Japan’s Shun Sekiguchi, who was coincidentally also crowned champion in Thailand at the RMCIT Asia in January. The Dan Holland Racing entry secured his RMC Grand Finals ticket for the end of season highlight in November, so taking pole in a competitive field of Juniors in Europe is undoubtedly adding to his preparation for the final showdown in the Kingdom of Bahrain. Max Sadurski of the Netherlands set the next best laptime for SP Motorsport in the second group from the third-placed Canadian Rayan Ghandour with KR Sport.
The DHR team led the field of 81 as well in Rotax Senior MAX with the 2024 class rookie who finished P3 on the RMC Euro Trophy podium and the youngest driver to be crowned British champion in the UK. Macauley Bishop was outstanding in the rain to ultimately complete the fastest lap in six minutes. At the top of the timesheet in group 2 was another of the most accomplished drivers in the category, Kai Hunter, racing again for his brother’s team Hunter Motorsport. Estonia’s Joel Kaspar Joepere of the AGS Racing Team clocked the time to beat in the third group for a front row start in the heats.
Will Elswood was one of the leading Rotax E20 competitors at the RMC Euro Trophy who drove home to P7 in the Rotax DD2 class at the ’24 Grand Finals in Sarno after qualifying in the E-Kart series. The British racer took pole position Friday ahead of former RMCGF champion Ragnar Veerus of Estonia racing for Kartletix. His fellow Kraft Motorsport Czech teammate Jakub Bezel was P3.
Moving into the Rotax DD2 Masters as the current RMCGF DD2 title-holder, Xen De Ruwe kicked off his Winter Series campaign with pole in the over 32-years class. The Slovenian-based SCC entry will be looking to dethrone the fast Frenchman who ranked P2, Nicolas Picot, aiming to defend his own Rotax number 1 title this season. Dimo Notarfrancesco was next for Switzerland’s Kartteam Meier.
Following the initial heat races Friday, the racing continued Saturday to decide the starting order for the pre-finals on Sunday. Be sure to catch all the racing LIVE over the net via the links below to see who will take the victory at the very first round of the RMC Winter Series 2025 in Italy.
Event details can be found on the official series homepage - https://www.rotaxmaxchallenge-eurotrophy.com/races/cremona?_sc=NDYwMDMyOCM1Mzcz&utm_campaign=KA_nl_2502&utm_medium=email&utm_source=brevo
Find more news from Rotax Racing online at Vroomkart and Rotax Karting on social media. Download the Rotax Global App to stay connected with the RMC Winter Series and many other global RMC events throughout 2025.
Time Schedule
SUNDAY
Pre-Finals 11:00 – 12:40
Finals 13:40 – 15:30
(*CET – local time Italy)
PRIZEGIVING CEREMONY
Directly after each Final
LIVE TIMING
RESULTS
LINKS TO FOLLOW ONLINE
Livestream on Sunday, February 16th – 11am
Pre-finals and Finals will be broadcast via Live Streaming on the Rotax MAX Challenge Euro Trophy Facebook page, RMCET website, Motorsport.com and YouTube.
Facebook& Instagram – ROTAX MAX Euro Trophy
Web
YouTube
Text Jen Wade Photos HelloFoto
