COUNTDOWN TO ROTAX MAX CHALLENGE GRAND FINALS

The countdown is well and truly on for the 20^th year of the Rotax Max Challenge Grand Finals which will be held in Sarno Italy between October 19^th and 26^th. The 2019 Australian Team is one of much talent and experience, with seven of the thirteen drivers having already experienced what is truly an incredible event we as distributors are excited to see what the team can achieve.

Australia has proved time and time again that we are competitive on the World Stage. In the last eight years, Australia has stood on the Nations Cup podium on seven occasions. We have had three World Champions and podium finishers as well.

Team Captain, Scott Howard said ‘It’s a young team, but a good team. I am confident we can regain the Nations Cup again. Combining experienced World Final goers with debutants I believe we can have a real crack at having our best year yet’.

Our youngest drivers to hit the Italian circuit will contest the Micro Max and Mini Max category. This year Australia has one Micro Max driver, Jaxson Burns of Queensland and two Mini Max drivers, Kristian Janev of Victoria and Costa Toparis of NSW who will be making his second World Final appearance in the category.

Junior Max will see two of our three drivers make their World Finals debut. Luke Pink and Beau Pronesti are newcomers to the team however have shown they’re more than capable of racing for the World Title. Hugh Barter joins the Team once again in the heavily contested Junior Max category. Barter has attended the Rotax Max Challenge Grand Finals before and is hoping his knowledge of the event helps set him up for a positive week of racing.

Former DD2 World Champion Cody Gillis and newcomer Brodie Whitmore will be the two drivers flying the Australian Flag in the Rotax Max category. Gillis will be looking to secure his second World Title at the Circuito Internazionale Napoli. Whitmore cannot wait to get over to the circuit to experience racing in an event that hosts three hundred and sixty drivers from over sixty Nations all vying for the same result, to become the Rotax World Champion.

One of Australia’s most experienced World Final goers Ryan Kennedy will again form Team Australia in the elite DD2 category. The Queensland based driver poled last year’s qualifying in Brazil and this year has his eyes set firmly on becoming the World’s best. Joining Kennedy in DD2 will be 2019 DD2 debutant Jonathon Marcusson who impressed from Round 1 of the Australian season. Marcusson will be attending his first World Finals but will have the experienced Tyler Greenbury to mentor him through the week.

They may be the eldest competitors but they’re our most experienced Rotax racers in Australia and this year our DD2 Masters Team are looking to shake up the field yet again. This year our Masters Team is made up of Troy Bretherton, Kris Walton and Scott Howard. All three of these drivers have experienced the World Finals and know what it takes to be at the pointy end come finals day. Australia have had two World Champions from the Masters category in Lee Mitchener and Troy Woolston and with the experience our drivers have we are confident our Team can give it a good ‘crack’.

The event will kick off with registration Friday and Saturday followed by the distribution of 360 brand new Rotax powered kart packages. Each driver is given a brand new complete chassis and Rotax Max Evo Engine to use for the duration of the event. Practice commences Monday with qualifying Wednesday morning (Italy Time). Racing then proceeds through to Finals which will take place on Saturday.

IKD will be posting daily media releases on our Rotax Pro Tour Facebook Page and on the Rotax website. We will also be conducting LIVE Facebook interviews throughout the duration of the event so you can hear firsthand how the Team is going.