‘Champions of champions’ crowned at BIC as Rotax MAX Challenge Grand Finals 2025 come to a thrilling close

Benjamin Karajkovic (UAE), Tom Read (UK), Majus Mazinas (Lithuania), Macauley Bishop (UK), Jannik Jakobs (Germany), Maurits Knopjes (UAE), Sem Knopjes (Netherlands), and Martynas Tankevicius (Lithuania) triumph in respective RMCGF classes
Team Bahrain’s Vedant Menon becomes first-ever karter from the Kingdom to climb onto RMCGF podium after taking second place in E20 Senior category

Bahrain International Circuit (BIC), ‘The Home of Motorsport in the Middle East’, hosted today the final races in the Rotax MAX Challenge Grand Finals (RMCGF) 2025.

The exciting action took place at BIC’s world-class grassroots motorsport facility, Bahrain International Karting Circuit (BIKC), wrapping up an incredible week of wheel-to-wheel racing in Sakhir.

The winners from today’s events in the RMCGF – crowning this season’s Rotax MAX champions of champions in the Kingdom – were Benjamin Karajkovic from the UAE in the Micro MAX category, Tom Read from the UK in the Mini MAX, Majus Mazinas from Lithuania in the Junior MAX, Macauley Bishop from the UK in the Senior MAX, Jannik Jakobs from Germany in the E20 Senior, Maurits Knopjes from the UAE in the E20 Master, Sem Knopjes from the Netherlands in the DD2, and Martynas Tankevicius from Lithuania in the DD2 Master.

Team Bahrain also had reason to celebrate, with Vedant Menon becoming the first-ever driver from the Kingdom to step onto an RMCGF podium. He took an impressive second place in the E20 Senior final.

Following the thrills in all eight categories, the podium ceremonies were held at the RMCGF’s main stage at BIKC. The winners were awarded their respective trophies and medals by Rotax officials.

This year’s RMCGF featured nearly 400 of international karting’s very best, coming from 60 countries around the world.

Menon was part of an 11-member squad that flew the Bahrain flag high in the meeting, with six of the karters in action in today’s final races.

It was the third time that the RMCGF was hosted at BIKC, following the hugely successful 2021 and 2023 editions.

Benjamin Karajkovic won the Micro MAX’s 12-lap final after starting from second on the grid. He took the chequered flag in 12mins 37.687secs with a 0.362secs gap ahead of Bruno Miranda from Chile, while Dominic Vera Roa from Colombia came third 0.404s behind. Team Bahrain’s Tariq Soofi was classified 31st in the race.

Tom Read took his Mini MAX final win despite starting from ninth. He completed the hotly contested 14-lap sprint in 13:56.721, narrowly pipping Marc Moia from Romania by 0.078s. Vicente Capela from Portugal joined them on the podium 0.267s back. Team Bahrain’s Shaikh Ahmed bin Saqer Al Khalifa was classified 36th after suffering some kart trouble right at the very start.

Majus Mazinas triumphed in the Junior MAX final from eighth on the grid. He took the chequered flag in 16:58.675 – just 0.482s ahead of Jacob Ashcroft from the UK. Albie Lapper made it two British drivers on the podium with third place, 1.054s from Majus.

The Senior MAX final saw Macauley Bishop emerge victorious in 18:56.764 after 21 laps. Despite starting 10th, he spearheaded an all-British podium, with Cian Geraghty finishing as runner-up 1.198s behind and Sean Butcher in third 4.924s adrift. Team Bahrain’s Tye Mejia put in a strong performance in the race, gaining six places to finish in 27th.

Meanwhile, Jakobs led Menon to the finish of the E20 Senior final after starting from the same positions. Jakobs triumphed after 10 laps in 9:17.649, while Menon was not far behind just 0.492s back. Leventre Simon from Hungary was third 1.621s from the victor.

Team Bahrain’s Yousif Alaali also had an impressive showing in the race, claiming a top 10 classification in eighth, 10.427s from Jakobs, while Mohammed Alhasan took 15th overall one lap from the victor.

Maurits Knopjes won the E20 Master final from pole as he completed the 10-lap final in 9:37.965. Julian Falivene from Argentina was second 0.514s behind, and Jorge Matos from Ecuador third 0.716s back.

In the DD2 Master final, run over 21 laps, Tankevicius stormed through the field having started 13th on the grid to win in 18:55.501. He narrowly beat Charles Seguin from France by 0.615s. Mat Kinsman from New Zealand completed the podium-placers 1.100s behind.

The DD2 final saw Sem Knopjes take the chequered flag after 21 laps in 18:42.714. He too won from pole, with Jakub Bezel from the Czech Republic finishing as the runner-up with a 1.653s gap. Dawid Maslakiewicz from Poland took third 1.856s adrift.