CELEBRATING A MILESTONE: 25 YEARS OF THE RMC GRAND FINALS IN SARNO, ITALY
BRP-Rotax will celebrate a quarter of a century since the Rotax MAX Challenge Grand Finals began back in 2000 when it returns for the third time to Circuito Internazionale di Napoli in Sarno, Italy from October 19-26. With close to 400 qualified drivers and their many supporters coming together from in excess of 60 nations to contest the most RMC Grand Finals titles yet at the season headline event, the excitement is already building.
2024 marks the 25th anniversary of the RMC Grand Finals. It is an incredible story of success for karting and celebration of the thousands of champions from around the world who have qualified and competed at this prestigious event over the years. It has continuously evolved in many ways since it began in 2000, and the amazing attraction to this Rotax racing season highlight remains unmatched for the one-make engine concept.
The qualification process encourages all competitors to race for their chance to be on the very same grid as the national and international champions from all corners of the globe. The RMCGF offers a unique opportunity to share their passion and celebrate their success at an event that promotes fairness, equality, sportsmanship, and traditionally national culture, where the drivers and their supporters proudly represent their own country. It has become the most colourful karting event in the world and never ceases to produce the closest racing and endless memorable moments in this sport.
General Manager BRP-Rotax / Member of the Management Board, Vice President Sales, Marketing RPS-Business & Communications
From the first edition of the RMCGF on the Caribbean island of Puerto Rico 25 years ago, the annual event has visited numerous nations, exotic islands and diverse cultures, with stunning landscapes, variations in temperature and impressive circuits. Some of which were iconic and some brand new, while others resembled a tropical paradise or challenged the participants with track layouts they could only have imagined existed. After from the Caribbean island the RMCGF has been to Langkawi in Malaysia, Pretoria in South Africa, Sharm El-Sheikh in Egypt, Lanzarote and Valencia in Spain, the coastal locations of Viana do Castelo and Algarve in Portugal, the oasis of Al Ain in the United Arab Emirates, the famous Italian circuits in La Conca and Sarno, New Orleans in the United States of America, the world’s greatest elevation change of Paladino in Brazil, and more recently the Middle East home of motorsport in the Kingdom of Bahrain. And with every RMC Grand Finals, there is something unlike before that keeps the anticipation alive. Every year, champions return to face new winners and new talent shines – and history is made.
The location for 2024 is the Circuito Internazionale di Napoli in Italy with the picturesque view to Mount Vesuvius as the backdrop. Situated on the west coast of Campania in the province of Salerno, it lies 40km east of the historic city of Naples, the third largest after the capital Rome and Milan. Famous as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, along with the Naples city centre, is the magnificent Amalfi Coast nearby. This region is the birthplace of pizza and boasts some of the best pasta in the country renowned for being Europe’s home of racing. The 1,550-metre circuit in Sarno is currently undergoing the latest upgrades, as it did back in 2016, with improvements to the facilities already completed earlier this year plus more changes to the track layout itself.
Following the initial RMCGF hosted by the Italian track in 2016, owner Giuseppe Sorrentino believed that this extraordinary event would someday return to his circuit. He was proud when selected to host the 20th anniversary of the RMCGF in 2019, especially considering the number of outstanding circuits around the world who could additionally be the venue chosen. “Peppe” had said that working together with the organisation team from BRP-Rotax and Korridas offered the possibility to gain more experience and knowledge, sharing their vision of karting. It was a considerable reference for the circuit and a positive aspect for their business to welcome so many passionate competitors and supporters from all over the world. The team at Sarno realise the enormous effort, commitment, and financial resources it takes to be part of this spectacular event, and they are also very passionate about the racing. This year will be no exception.
“Celebrating 25 years of the Rotax MAX Challenge Grand Finals in 2024 is extremely special for BRP-Rotax. The success of this flagship event and its history should be continued. The incredible passion shared by all the RMC competitors drives us to make this experience unlike any other”, says Peter Oelsinger, General Manager BRP-Rotax / Member of the Management Board, Vice President Sales, Marketing RPS-Business & Communications. “We are excited to return to the Circuito Internazionale di Napoli, one of the world’s most prominent karting venues. The racing promises to be second to none. Due to the unique parity of all karts the drivers make the difference, and the game of strategy and skill is never over until the chequered flag. Together with our valued chassis partners and the entire RMCGF team we are very proud to celebrate 25 years with all the RMC series’ winners in Sarno this October!”
To stay up-to-date with all the news in the lead up to the RMCGF 2024, follow @RotaxKarting on social media and on the official Rotax Racing website where you can subscribe to the Rotax newsletter at https://www.rotax-racing.com/
