OMP/Motorsport Fanatix™ brand ambassador Alonzo De Oliveira will make his first international appearance with Team SA when the 2026 Rotax MAX Challenge Grand Finals take place at the Kartódromo Internacional do Algarve in Portimão, Portugal. The event runs from 7–14 November, with on-track action beginning on Monday, 9 November, ahead of Saturday’s finals.
Bringing together more than 460 drivers from over 60 nations, the Grand Finals give Alonzo a chance to measure himself against an international field after his first season in Micro MAX. Representing South Africa adds another milestone to a career that has progressed from Bambino championship success to national honours in his new category.
Alonzo heads to Portugal after finishing third in the 2026 South African Rotax MAX Challenge Micro MAX championship. He also secured runner-up honours in both the Africa Open and the third national round at Zwartkops. Those results followed a 2025 campaign in which he won the national, Africa Open and Northern Regions Bambino titles.
His final competitive outing before Portugal brought a second overall at Formula-K Raceway on 31 October. Three podium finishes across the four races provided an encouraging conclusion to his domestic rookie season.
Portimão hosts the Grand Finals for the fifth time and offers 1.6 kilometres of track with 10 turns, precise braking zones and fast transitions. Learning the layout and adapting to the supplied equipment will be important during the opening practice sessions. Complete karts are allocated by draw, giving competitors in each category a common equipment platform.
With only 36 drivers competing in Micro MAX and 36 places available in the final, Alonzo automatically qualifies for Saturday’s deciding race, subject to the normal sporting and technical requirements. Qualifying, the heats and the pre-final still carry considerable importance: qualifying establishes the heat grids, while the combined heat and pre-final points determine starting positions for the final. The final itself decides the Grand Finals classification.
“Representing South Africa for the first time at an event this big is really exciting. I know I will be racing against very strong drivers, so I want to keep learning and improve every day. In practice, I want to get comfortable with the circuit and the kart. Then I need to put a good lap together in qualifying, race cleanly in the heats and use the pre-final to earn the best starting position I can. When the final comes, I want to be ready to give it everything.”
The week begins with sporting checks and welcome activities before Sunday’s kart draw, equipment preparation and briefings. Five practice sessions then give Alonzo time to prepare for qualifying and the racing programme.
All times below are SAST
Saturday, 7 November: Sporting checks, racewear scrutineering and welcome activities.
Sunday, 8 November: Driver photograph, kart draw, equipment preparation, track walk and briefings.
Monday, 9 November: Practice at 11:16, 15:29 and 18:05.
Tuesday, 10 November: Practice at 12:40 and 16:01.
Wednesday, 11 November: Warm-up at 11:09; qualifying at 14:24.
Thursday, 12 November: Six-lap qualifying heats at 11:15 and 15:45.
Friday, 13 November: Nine-lap pre-final at 15:17.
Saturday, 14 November: Warm-up at 10:25; 12-lap final at 13:05.
The schedule remains subject to change.
Supporters can follow Alonzo’s progress via a livestream from 11–14 November, covering qualifying through to finals day.
Alonzo thanks OMP Racing, ATS Motorsport Supplies, and all his personal sponsors for their support, along with his family, Stretto Racing, and everyone helping him take this next step in his racing career.
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