GENK DELIVERS AN UNFORGETTABLE ROUND 3

HEAT, SPEED AND CHAMPIONS:

GENK DELIVERS AN UNFORGETTABLE ROUND 3

Gunskirchen, Austria, July 01, 2026 – The third round of the 2026 Rotax MAX Challenge Euro Trophy returned to one of the most iconic venues in international karting, Karting Genk: The Home of Champions, where 214 drivers gathered for a weekend that proved demanding from every perspective.

While the circuit once again rewarded technical precision and racecraft, unusually high temperatures throughout Friday and Saturday added another layer of complexity, turning tyre management and consistency into decisive factors. Sunday’s slightly cooler conditions provided the perfect backdrop for a spectacular Finals Day that crowned seven winners across the Rotax 125 MAX Evo and Rotax E20 E-Kart categories.

FRIDAY – QUALIFYING ESTABLISHES THE FIRST BENCHMARKS

The competitive phase began on Friday morning with eight qualifying sessions that immediately proved just how competitive the Genk field would be. Mini MAX produced one of the closest qualifying sessions of the weekend, with Oscar Kenney (Hunter Motorsport) taking overall pole position ahead of Austin Oman and Sebastian Bearman, both representing Sam Pollitt Racing.

The afternoon heats immediately confirmed the balance of the category, as Kenney converted his pole into victory in the opening race, before Joshua Cooke (KR Sport) and the leading contenders began to establish themselves among the front-runners.

Junior MAX introduced one of the surprises of the weekend. Finlay Lines (Privateer) emerged as the fastest driver overall, while Mik Klinkers (Bouvin Power) topped the second qualifying group. As the heats got underway, however, the established championship contenders immediately responded, with DHR’s Albert Friend and Zdenek Babicek both taking victories and laying the foundations for what would become one of the closest battles of the event.

Senior MAX once again confirmed its status as the largest class of the championship. Split into three qualifying groups, nearly one hundred drivers fought for every thousandth of a second. Jeremy Reuvers (Karting Club Campillos) once again proved to be the benchmark over a single lap, while Tereza Babickova (Dan Holland Racing) and local favourite Lars Lambers (Bouvin Power) topped the remaining groups. The opening heats reflected the depth of the field, with Reuvers taking two victories as Babickova, Freddie Lloyd (Evolution Karting), Tom Langlois (Sodikart), Macauley Bishop (Dan Holland Racing) and Lambers all shared wins.

The 2-speed gearbox categories followed a similar pattern. Patryk Donica (Birelart by KSB Racing) secured pole in DD2, while Nicolas Picot (Sodikart) continued his remarkable qualifying streak in DD2 Masters.

The Rotax E20 electric kart categories officially joined the RMC Euro Trophy for the first time in 2026, with Lucas dos Santos Pinheiro and Carl Cleirbaut (Bouvin Power) becoming the first pole-sitters of the season. Friday afternoon, Anna Benedek (KMS Europe) and Cleirbaut claimed the opening heat victories.

SATURDAY – CONSISTENCY BECOMES THE DIFFERENCE

With another day of intense heat, Saturday was entirely dedicated to the remaining qualifying heats, where consistency became the most valuable asset.

No driver embodied that better than Sebastian Bearman in Mini MAX. Without taking a single heat victory, the Sam Pollitt Racing driver repeatedly finished inside the top three, allowing him to rise up the top of the standings ahead of teammate Austin Oman and Joshua Cooke. Friday pole-sitter Oscar Kenney slipped to fifth, highlighting how every point mattered throughout the qualifying phase.

Junior MAX saw Albert Friend emerge as the overall leader after the heats. Although Friday’s best qualifier Finlay Lines remained firmly in contention, Friend’s consistency allowed him to edge ahead, while championship leader Zdenek Babicek stayed within striking distance. Another impressive recovery came from Rares Pascu (Dan Holland Racing), who maintained his position among the front-runners. Lucien Smith (KR Sport) climbed twenty places compared to qualifying to break into the top ten.

In Senior MAX, Jeremy Reuvers continued to dictate the pace. A flawless heat campaign secured overall leadership, but behind him the order changed dramatically. Macauley Bishop produced one of the strongest recoveries of the weekend, climbing from tenth after qualifying to second overall, while Freddie Lloyd also worked his way into the top three. By contrast, both Lars Lambers and Tereza Babickova lost ground after difficult heats, despite their excellent qualifying performances.

DD2 remained firmly under the control of Patryk Donica, who maintained his advantage over reigning champion Jakub Bezel (Kraft Motorsport), while Wout Kurstjens (DAEMS Racing) moved into third. In DD2 Masters, Nicolas Picot was still untouchable.

The closest contest among the electric classes developed in E20 Senior, where Marcos De Dios overtook Friday pole-sitter Lucas dos Santos Pinheiro to finish the heats as overall leader. Carl Cleirbaut led the E20 Masters heading into Sunday.

SUNDAY – THE WINNERS EMERGE

With temperatures dropping slightly, Sunday’s programme shifted entirely to the Pre-finals and Finals, delivering fourteen races and a memorable conclusion to the Belgian weekend. Rotax Mini MAX once again belonged to Joshua Cooke. After already winning in Cremona and Wackersdorf, the KR Sport driver completed an extraordinary hat-trick by claiming the Belgian Cup as well.

Behind him, Oscar Kenney secured second place and, with Cooke already qualified, earned the Mini MAX ticket to the Rotax MAX Challenge Grand Finals 2026 in Portimao, Portugal this November. Charlie Page (Privateer) completed the podium after another competitive performance.

Mini MAX

1. Joshua Cooke

2. Oscar Kenney

3. Charlie Page

Junior MAX delivered one of the standout races of the weekend. Albert Friend off P1, championship leader Zdenek Babicek, Finlay Lines and Emerson MacAndrew-Uren repeatedly exchanged positions during a frenetic 15-lap Final. The decisive move came midway through the race, allowing Lines to break clear and secure his first Euro Trophy victory ahead of Friend and Babicek.

Junior MAX

1. Finlay Lines

2. Albert Friend

3. Zdenek Babicek

Senior MAX produced an equally dramatic finale. Jeremy Reuvers looked capable of converting another dominant weekend into victory, but Freddie Lloyd timed his decisive move to perfection, taking the lead on the final lap to secure a memorable victory. Reuvers had to settle for second after one of his strongest weekends of the season, while Macauley Bishop completed the podium.

Senior MAX

1. Freddie Lloyd

2. Jeremy Reuvers

3. Macauley Bishop

DD2 saw the reigning champion Jakub Bezel once again demonstrate his racecraft, controlling the Final from the front despite relentless pressure from the chasing pack. Patryk Donica ultimately secured second after a fierce battle with William Kristensen (RS Competition). Meanwhile, Bezel’s second consecutive victory further strengthened his championship position.

DD2

1. Jakub Bezel

2. Patryk Donica

3. William Kristensen

The biggest surprise of the gearbox categories came in DD2 Masters. After remaining unbeaten throughout the opening part of the season, Nicolas Picot was finally denied victory following an incident in the Final. Dimo Notarfrancesco seized the opportunity to claim his first win of the year ahead of Steve Vermeulen and Mirco Gervasoni.

DD2 Masters

1. Dimo Notarfrancesco

2. Steve Vermeulen

3. Mirco Gervasoni

The inaugural E20 Finals completed the programme. Marcos De Dios became the first E20 Senior winner of the season ahead of Akos Madaras and Anna Benedek. Local driver Carl Cleirbaut delighted the Belgian crowd by winning the E20 Masters. Both drivers also secured the first Rotax MAX Challenge Grand Finals tickets awarded in the electric categories.

E20 Senior

1. Marcos De Dios

2. Akos Madaras

3. Anna Benedek

E20 Masters

1. Carl Cleirbaut

2. Michele Burzese

3. Javier Fernandez

After three rounds, the Rotax MAX Challenge Euro Trophy now heads towards its decisive chapter. The championship will conclude in Třinec from 9 to 13 September, where the 2026 champions will finally be crowned.

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