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Australian drivers are expected to feature prominently in the 2007 Rotax MOJO Max Euro Challenge, which kicks off this weekend at the Sologne Karting circuit in France.
Yet again the Challenge has received a record number of entries with 31 countries represented. New interest in the championship has come from Russia, the Ukraine, Finland, Israel and Bahrain along with an obvious increase in the UK entries. The majority of the European karting nations are participating along with Japan, The Philippines, South Africa and Australia yet again.
A fully subscribed field of 68 Senior Rotax drivers will line up for the opening round at the Sologne Karting circuit including Australian’s David Sera and Hayden McBride.
While Sera has successfully competed overseas previously taking victory in Japan and also running strongly in the Rotax World Challenge, this weekend’s event will be his debut on European soil. McBride made his debut in Europe late last year by competing in the final round of the Dutch Championship.
Australia will also be well represented in the Junior Rotax class with Steel Guiliana and Luigi Catanese preparing to fly the flag high.
Guiliana will contest the Challenge with the championship winning Intrepid team. Catanese has spent the last few years competing in Junior National Light and Junior Clubman before trying his hand at the new Junior Max category in Australia last year. He will use 2006 to gain valuable experience in the increasingly popular junior category with the famous PCR team.
Tasmanian Matt Holmes will contest the Rotax DD2 - direct drive, two-speed gearbox class using the latest M-Tec chassis from Germany.
The Rotax DD2 is probably viewed as the most developing class of the Euro Challenge following the introduction last year of open chassis brands with the switch from the regulation Rotax RM1 kart. An alternative to the more rigorous shifter kart, the 2-speed gearbox category is becoming more and more competitive as the manufacturers offer incentive packages to assist in the promotion of their latest DD2 karts.
Last year Holmes competed at the first round of last year’s Challenge so he has the advantage this time around of already knowing the circuit. At his first ever overseas race meeting, Holmes finished 23rd from a field of 64 in the Senior Max class.
In total 15 invitations to the 2007 Grand Finals in Dubai will be divided between the overall podium winners of the Senior, Junior, Masters and DD2 categories together with the Best Rookie from Junior Max and the DD2 Masters Champion and Vice Champion of the Euro Challenge this year.
Australian fans can follow the action from France with live timing from the event by clicking here.
2007 ROTAX MAX EURO CHALLENGE
Round 1 Salbris, France 21. – 25. March 2007
Round 2 Wackersdorf, Germany 16. – 20. May 2007
Round 3 A1 speedworld, Austria 25. – 29. July 2007
Round 4 Genk, Belgium 26. – 30. Sept. 2007
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