What Rotax Max Challenge 2026 Season Preview
Where South Africa
When Tuesday 17 February 2026
Community South Africa National
All the angst and excitement of a brand new Rotax karting season
South Africa, and the world’s most popular karting series, Rotax Max is ready to burst into action for another epic season of racing. The first choice of 75 percent of global karters, Rotax Max offers seven time-proven, affordable, supremely organised and run, and extremely enjoyable classes for competitors of all ages, leading up to the annual Rotax Max ‘Olympics of Karting’ Grand Finals in Portugal.
“The 2026 Rotax Max Challenge is ready to race,” Rotax Max South Africa CEO Ed Marray announced. “We are once again delighted to deliver seven time-honoured international classes to karters from five to 85 years old through our four Nationals, the African Open and our ever-competitive regional championships around South Africa. All that’s left to say is, ladies and gentlemen, start your engines!“
Rotax Max’s epic stairway of talent kicks off with the nursery school of karting, Bambino. The first step in the 5 to 9-year old racer’s route to Formula 1, they race 2 kW 50cc Comer-powered karts on 77cm Top Kart Blue Boy control chassis at a minimum 74 kg on durable Mojo C2 tyres. Watch for Jozi stars, Yerhu Malabie, Tiyani Malabie, Tyler Stanyer and Nkwanyana Siyanda among the tiny superstars this year, as well as newcomers, Jayden Minnie, Tiane Resende and Malakai de Oliveira.
Next up, Micro Max runs a detuned 6 kilowatt Rotax 125 Max watercooled two-stroke with electric start and chain drive engine mounted to your choice of easy-to-drive 95 cm Mini chassis for 7 to 11-year-old kids. Cost-effective and easy to run at 105 kg all-in on durable Mojo C2 tyres, like every Max class, the National Micro champion is invited to compete at the Rotax Max Challenge ‘Olympics of Karting Grand Finals every year.
Radhi Harris, Alonzo de Oliveira, Teresa Bettencourt, Aston Verheul, and Aleena Dhoutie are among the more than 30 Mini Max kids out to grab that honour in 2026. Also keep an eye on Sebastian Shuttleworth, Lehan Fourie, Caleb Lingeveldt, Thendo Mulaudzi and Slater Smith, among others.
It’s a simple matter to step up to the next rung of the Rotax ladder to Mini Max, if the driver is either older than eleven, or too heavy to remain competitive in Micro Max. Mini Max is for 9 to 13-year-old kids driving a slightly more powerful 10 kW version of the Rotax 125 Max watercooled two-stroke chain drive engine on the same 97 cm chassis, but at a slightly heavier 115 kg on the scales.
Luhan de Wet, Lwashu Mathebula, Adriaan Steyn, Kireev Chetty and Diego Antunes are among the more than fifty drivers ready to race Mini Max in 2026. Don’t forget Max Boshoff, Madox Mason and Ruhan Victor among many more looking for glory. And that Grand Final ticket!
Once again, 12 to 15-year old high school Rotax Junior Max is the next step up for heavier drivers, or those older than 13. A bigger jump to a fast and furious full-sized 104 cm Senior chassis on wider Mojo D5 rubber weighing 145 kg all-in and powered by a 17 kW version of the Rotax 125 Max chain drive engine, both the National and African Open Junior Max champions are invited to join Team South Africa at the Grand Finals.
54 drivers have booked Junior Max numbers for 2026. All of them chasing that dream of a National championship crown and that Grand Finals seat. They include Brodi Dowling, Rafael de Sousa, Keenan du Plessis, Cristian Verheul, and Michael O’Mahoney. Add Max Boshoff, Mattao Mason, Declan Jurgens, Renaldo Koen, and Matthew Shuttleworth.
The final rung in the Rotax chain drive ladder is up to full cream power valve 22 kW open class Senior Max at 162 kg on the scales and racing on the same Senior chassis and Mojo D5 tyres as Junior Max. Hugely competitive and fought out by among the top drivers older than fourteen years old in South Africa, both the National and Open champions crack the nod to join Team SA at the international Grand Finals.
Rotax Junior Max has attracted a stunning 71 registrations in South Africa so far for 2026. Lady fliers Emma Dowling, Georgia Lenaerts, Gianna Pascoal and Tyla Scrimjeour; Tshepang Shisinwana, William Marshall and Kyle Spies all want that title. And seat. As do Olerato Sekudu, Kian Tristan du Plessis, Cape lads Keagan Marshall, Jordon Wadeley, and Ethan Stier, Spice Mailula and Durbanite Shrien Naidoo.
Rotax Max karting’s premier division is 25 kW direct drive two-speed DD2 complete with an automated clutch and four-disc braking for the ultimate driving experience without breaking the bank. Open to drivers over 15 years old at a 174 kg racing weight on Mojo D5 tyres, racing is fast and furious between top drivers. Drivers over 32 years old also qualify to race DD2 Masters at 180 kg on the scales.
The 2026 Rotax DD2 grid is the who’s who of South African racing, including multiple champions on karts and beyond, Jason Coetzee, Charl Michael Visser and KC Ensor-Smith, Bradley Liebenberg, Sebastian Boyd, and Muhammad Wally. Masters is just as hard fought between veterans, multiple Rotax world champion Cristiano Morgado, Jono Pieterse, Conor Hughes, Justin Rogers, Jared Jordan, Bjorn Roos, and Jimmy Auby among them.
The 2025 Rotax Max season kicks off with the first of eight Western Province regional meetings at Killarney in Cape Town on Saturday 21 February, a week before the Gauteng Northern Regions opener at Zwartkops in Pretoria. Four of each driver’s regional scores add up to deliver a quarter of his or her National points.
The first of four Nationals goes down at Killarney on 28 March. Each round counting towards a fifth of the total score, with the driver able to drop their three worst results. Each Rotax class champion, as well as the winners of the five bigger of the 4 July wildcard Rotax Max African Open classes, qualify for the Rotax Max Grand Finals at the Kartódromo Internacional do Algarve in Portimão, Portugal, 21-28 November 2026.
Rotax karters also have the opportunity to compete in several other international race weekends worldwide. They include the Euro Challenge, International and Asia Trophies, the Rotax Club Final at Silvestone and even the Rotax electric E10 Grand Final, as well as in European and other championship races. Learn more, and follow Rotax Max Challenge South Africa at www.kart.co.za
Issued on behalf of Rotax Max Challenge
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