Our first race of 2026 is just around the corner, and we could not be more excited to kick off the season.
For the second straight year, Prime Powerteam opens the year at the RMC Winter Trophy — the same event that launched our 2025 campaign. December brought a major shake-up across the Rotax landscape, with Karting Solutions Group becoming the sole Rotax distributor in the United States and Race Rotax taking over as event promoter. One of the first major moves under the new structure was relocating Winter Trophy from Florida to Speedsportz Racing Park in New Caney, Texas.
While Orlando had become a winter home for us over the past few seasons, the challenge of a brand-new venue has the entire team energized. On paper, Speedsportz looks like a phenomenal circuit and we cannot wait to get to work.
We will arrive a full week early for testing, giving drivers valuable seat time to shake off offseason rust and build momentum before competition begins.
This event also marks the debut of our new 2026 team livery and race suits, a project that has been months in the making and something we are extremely proud of.
For 2026, we are officially offering drivers the choice between Birel ART and Red Speed (OTK) equipment — two of the most successful platforms in karting. We are excited to provide options to our drivers and tailor to their preferences.
We are equally thrilled to continue our partnership with Aurum Racing Engines, one of the top engine builders in the world. This long-standing relationship ensures our drivers are never short on power at major events, and engine rentals will be available throughout the weekend for anyone looking for a power upgrade.
Prime Powerteam Driver Lineup — RMC Winter Trophy 2026
Micro Max
Lincoln Lima
Our lone Micro competitor will also take on Mini Max this weekend. Lincoln flirted with a breakout season all of last year, coming heartbreakingly close on several occasions. We believe 2026 is the year it clicks, look for big things out of Lincoln this year.
Mini Max
Lincoln Lima
Mateo Pai
James Roots 🇬🇧
Dimitar Uzunov 🇬🇧
Mateo returns fresh off winning the 2025 RMC Ontario Championship and his first RMC Grand Finals appearance. Hungrier than ever, this is his second season with Prime and we are excited to keep building.
James Roots rejoins us for Winter Trophy after last year’s unforgettable performance. He was absolutely flying and, with a bit more luck, would have walked away as series champion. The reunion is long overdue — and yes, the Roots, the Roots, the Roots are on fire.
We are also excited to welcome Dimitar Uzunov from the UK to the team for the first time. A proven race winner with a strong reputation overseas, we look forward to getting to work together.
Junior Max
Ava Cabral
Olivier Chassé
Aiden Hammond 🇬🇧
Ava enters her second year in Junior after making huge strides in 2025. Her commitment, work ethic, and steady progress were evident all season, and with another stacked Junior field expected, she is ready for the challenge.
Olivier has been on an absolute tear since joining Prime late last year. After capturing his first win with the red and black, he skipped the offseason entirely and continued his development with Darren White racing internationally. He is a serious threat in Junior Max.
We also welcome UK driver Aiden Hammond, joining us for the first time at Winter Trophy. Highly recommended by Aurum, we are excited to begin working with him.
Senior Max
Arnaud Sabourin
Ryan Maxwell
Noah Landry
Arnaud returns as one of the fastest and most entertaining drivers under the Prime tent. He has been racing internationally all offseason and continues to elevate his level every time he hits the track. A seasoned Grand Finals contender, Arnaud will also compete in DD2 this event — and regardless of results, his post-race recaps are always a must read post.
Ryan Maxwell makes his return to Prime after a championship-winning 2025 that included Canadian Nationals and RMC Ontario titles. He opens his 2026 campaign with unfinished business after showing tremendous pace at last year’s Grand Finals before being derailed by on-track incidents. He is focused, hungry, and ready.
Noah Landry joins us for his first race under the Prime tent and his first as a Senior. We are excited to get to work with Noah and help accelerate his development in one of the deepest Senior fields in North America.
DD2
Arnaud Sabourin
Masters Max
Antonio Squillante 🇺🇸
We are thrilled to welcome Antonio, he will be our lone American competing on home soil as well as our only Masters driver we look forward to building something strong together.
Event Format & Stakes
The 2026 RMC Winter Trophy is a two-weekend, four-round championship:
- Round 1: January 22–25
- Round 2: January 29 – February 1
- Best three of four rounds count toward the championship
Each round consists of Qualifying (Friday), Prefinal, and Final, with points awarded throughout. Champions in six categories will earn tickets to the 2026 Rotax Max Challenge Grand Finals in Portimão, Portugal, alongside expanded rewards, travel scholarships, and a prize pool valued at over $30,000.
Prime Powerteam is proud to once again be listed as a Full Service Arrive-and-Drive team for this event.
Follow our social media channels for live updates from the paddock, and catch all the on-track action via the official broadcast on Kart Chaser’s YouTube channel.
The 2026 season begins now — and Prime Powerteam is ready.
