The second running of the Rotax Winter Trophy has hit the spot in 2023, growing the two-round series to a total of 100 entries. With an increase in participants of 66.6% on the first edition of the Rotax MAX Challenge Winter Trophy USA in Florida last year, the interest in the championship saw drivers coming from 14 different nations to compete for the titles and RMC Grand Finals tickets.
Both rounds took place in Florida once again to kick start the Rotax racing season in the United States. Round 1 of the Winter Trophy was hosted by the brand new Piquet Entertainment & Race Park in Loxahatchee on January 27 to 29, while the second round was played out at the Orlando Kart Center on February 3 to 5. It was another great event with some exciting racing, as the competitors fought closely until the very last finals to become the series champion for 2023. The race fans were able to follow the series online via the Kart Chaser network on YouTube, if they could not be there in person. The voice of the Rotax Grand Finals Henry Beaudette added to the excitement of the event.
Joining the grid once more as an added highlight for their rivals, former Formula 1 drivers Rubens Barrichello and Antonio Pizzonia returned for their chance to represent Brazil again at the RMCGF. However, it was Barrichello who clinched the title off last year’s winner Pizzonia in the DD2 Masters class. Eduardo Barrichello also won the Senior MAX class, thereby adding to the family celebrations and hoping to improve on his top 5 finish at the RMCGF in Portugal in 2022. Ecuador hit the jackpot to bring two series champions, Julian Rivera and Francisco Paredes, to the top step of the podium, together with Kai Johnson from the USA and Canada’s Gianluca Savaglio, who won the Rotax DD2 category on its welcomed return to the series program.
In total, six RMC Grand Finals 2023 tickets were awarded to the Rotax Winter Trophy USA winners who will represent their countries this coming December when the prestigious Rotax karting event goes back to the very popular venue in Sakhir at the International Circuit of Bahrain.
MICRO MAX – Julian Rivera (ECU)
MINI MAX – Kai Johnson (USA)
JUNIOR MAX – Francisco Paredes (ECU)
SENIOR MAX – Eduardo Barrichello (BRA)
DD2 MASTER MAX – Rubens Barrichello (BRA)
DD2 MAX – Gianluca Savaglio (CAN)
Info BRP-Rotax / Photo © Tim Eno