RMC Winter Series

Sean Butcher has finished runner-up in the opening round of the Rotax Winter Series at Cremona, Italy.

The UK-Australian qualified his KR-Sport Kosmic 4th in Senior MAX and was ranked third outright after winning his pre-final. Despite being pushed back early in the final, he charged back to the leaders and finished just 0.13s behind Dan Holland Racing’s Macauley Bishop.

• full results are HERE
• official report & video summary, below.

---

official report

The first round of the RMC Winter Series delivered thrilling racing action at the Cremona Circuit, marking a strong start to the new season 2025. From February 14 to 16, 2025, the renowned Italian track hosted 173 talented drivers eager to battle for early-season glory.

Cremona Circuit made its debut on the Rotax European stage at the Winter Series, organized by WSK Promotion, and the paddock buzzed with excitement as competitors from various categories showcased their skills. Senior MAX was the standout class, attracting a packed grid of 81 drivers. Junior MAX saw 33 contenders, Mini MAX with 32 participants and the DD2/DD2 Masters combined field featured 27 racers.

The unpredictable weather added an extra layer of drama to the event. Rain dominated the practice sessions on Wednesday and Thursday, continuing through Friday’s qualifying and challenging drivers with tricky, wet conditions. However the weekend brought a shift, as sunshine and a dry track transformed the racing landscape. Some drivers demonstrated their adaptability by excelling in all conditions, while others seized their chance to shine on the dry asphalt, climbing the ranks with impressive performances.

The winners of the five categories in the first round of the RMC Winter Series were

• Oliver Spencer (KR Sport – Mini MAX)
• Kristian Sejersen (RS Competition – Junior MAX)
• Macauley Bishop (Dan Holland Racing – Senior MAX)
• Jakub Bezel (Kraft Motorsport – DD2)
• Nicolas Picot (Privateer – DD2 Masters).

But let’s go to the details of the racing action:

Mini MAX – Spencer strikes back at Verbeke

Jef Verbeke (Bouvin Power) was the driver to beat between Friday and Saturday, securing pole position ahead of Maria Ruberto (KR Sport) and leading the standings after the heats with two wins out of three. Spencer remained consistently in the top three before launching his decisive attack on Sunday, claiming victory in both the Prefinal and the Final.

In a thrilling and eventful Final, the British talent took the win, while Alfie Mair and Alfie Garrett (MLC Motorsport) completed the podium in second and third place, respectively. It was a tough ending for Verbeke, who crossed the line in ninth.

Overall standings:

       1.      Oliver Spencer, 159
       2.      Tom Read, 148
       3.      Jef Verbeke, 144

Junior MAX – Sejersen, the surprise winner!

Japanese driver Shun Sekiguchi (Dan Holland Racing) set the pace in wet conditions, topping the timesheets in the faster of the two qualifying groups. Max Sadurski (SP Motorsport) secured pole for the second group, placing second overall. While Sekiguchi maintained his form through the heats, only Harry Freeman (KR Sport) managed to outperform him. Sadurski, however, tumbled to 24th due to two unlucky heats, while Sejersen steadily climbed the ranks.

Freeman continued his strong form on Sunday morning, winning the Prefinal ahead of fellow Brit Cole Denholm, with Sejersen in third. In the Final, Sejersen seized his opportunity amid fierce battles behind him, pulling away to claim victory with a gap of over two seconds. Albert Friend finished second, while Sadurski fought his way back to third. However, a bumper penalty relegated him to seventh, allowing Kai Clarke (KR Sport) to inherit the final podium spot.

Overall standings:

       1.      Harry Freeman, 157
       2.      Kristian Sejersen, 151
       3.      Albert Friend, 145

Senior MAX – Bishop dominates

Macauley Bishop (Dan Holland Racing), the 2024 Rotax MAX Challenge Grand Finals vice-champion, left no room for rivals. The British driver secured pole position, topped the standings after the heats, and won the Prefinal.

In the Final, Bishop engaged in a fierce duel with another category specialist, Sean Butcher (KR Sport). The two long-time rivals delivered an intense battle, but Butcher could do nothing more than follow Bishop to the checkered flag. They were joined on the podium by Kai Hunter (Hunter Motorsport), who finished third.

Overall standings:

       1.      Macauley Bishop, 165
       2.      Sean Butcher, 156
       3.      Kai Hunter, 151

DD2 – DD2 Masters – Bezel returns to win, Picot extends his streak

Will Elswood (Kraft Motorsport), a standout in the 2024 RMC Euro Trophy E20 Senior season and later in DD2 at the RMC Grand Finals in Sarno, lived up to expectations by securing pole position. Alongside Ragnar Veerus (Kartletix) and Jakub Bezel (Kraft Motorsport), he maintained his dominance through the heats, holding onto the top three spots.

In the Prefinal, Veerus took the win ahead of the surprise contender Lenn Nijs (Schepers Racing) and Elswood. However, it was Bezel who made the decisive move in the Final, taking victory ahead of Leon Madl (KSB Racing), who gained an impressive 10 positions, and Nijs. Veerus, after a bumper penalty, dropped out of the top 10.

In the Masters category, Nicolas Picot triumphed over DD2 2024 RMCGF Winner Xen De Ruwe, securing his seventh consecutive victory since the 2024 Winter Cup. Italian driver Fabio Cretti (Honolulu Racing) completed the podium in third.

Overall standings – DD2:

       1.      Jakub Bezel, 154
       2.      Will Elswood, 154
       3.      Lenn Nijs, 151

Overall standings – DD2 Masters:

       1.      Xen De Ruwe, 162
       2.      Nicolas Picot, 159
       3.      Fabio Cretti, 149

With a month-long break ahead, the Cremona event sets the stage for the decisive second round at Leopard Circuit in Viterbo, scheduled for the weekend of March 30.