This year Team Canada is composed of four drivers in the Rotax Max junior class

They are Garett Grist, Canadian champion, Steven Szigeti, Canadian vice-champion, Bryce Choquer, Western Challenge Series champion and a last minute addition, Phillip Orcic, squeezed in after the winner of the Gatorz – Challenge of the Americas had to resign.

It will be their second time at the RMCGF for Szigeti and Orcic, who both raced in Italy last year.

Here is a quick presentation of each driver and a personal comment for each driver from Patrick Moreau, national manager of the Canadian Rotax Max Challenge

Bryce Choquer

Age : 15 y.o.
Hometown : Langley, Colombie-Britannique
Qualified from : Western Challenge Series
Participation at the RMCGF : 1st
Occupation: Student, grade 10
Karting experience : 10 years

As well as Garett Grist, it will be the first experience for Bryce at such a high level of competition. He got his experience at the RMCGF as a team mate for his older brother Blake in Portugal and Al Ain, U.A.E.

I did not have the opportunity to see him on the track this year, but his success in the Western Challenge Series in the last two year demonstrates his title is not luck. Very competitive in his racing environment, we will see if he is still capable of adapting quickly to a new chassis, new track and new opponents.

Garett Grist

Age : 14 y.o.
Hometown : Grimby, Ontario
Qualified from : Canadian Champion
Participation at the RMCGF : 1st
Occupation: student, grade 9
Karting experience : 9 years.

Garett just had a fantastic year when he won the Canadian championship and the BSRKC title in Ontario. He drives with consistency and much confidence. He is not afraid to take his place on a racing track. His handicap in Egypt may be his lack of experience at such a big event, taking into consideration the junior drivers are generally more impressionable when they are at their first appearance at the RMCGF.

Phillip Orcic

Age : 14 y.o.
Hometown : Richmond, B-C
Qualified from : Gatorz – Challenge of the Americas
Participation at the RMCGF: 2nd (Italy, 2008)
Occupation: Student
Karting experience : 4 years

Even if Phillip had only 4 years of experience in karting, Phillip acquired a lot of experience in high level competitions in the USA, in Europe and with this participation at the RMCGF last year in Italy.

In Italy, Phillip showed a lot of speed but was maybe a bit to aggressive behind the wheel. His European experience from last summer helped him to learn when to use this aggressiveness.

His 7th place finish at the last Supernationals in Las Vegas in the Junior Tag class with a complete new chassis-engine package showed that he can quickly adapt himself, and that, is a great advantage in a competition like the RMCGF.

Steven Szigeti

Age : 16 y.o.
Hometown : Longueuil, Québec
Qualified from : Canadian vice-champion
Participation at the RMCGF : 2nd (Italy, 2008)
Occupation : Student, grade 11
Karting experience : 4 y.o.

Like Orcic, Steven only has 4 years of experience in karting, however Steven burned all steps, and since the beginning of his career, he has been a quick driver.

Previously, the thing missing for him was the “killer instinct”, I mean the instinct with which cause opportunities on the track appear when they don’t happen by themselves.

His last year experience in Italy transformed him. Added to his speed, he is now way more confident when the time comes to battle for the lead, respecting the rules. Steven rarely has a bad event and he is always the guy you can count on him to win a championship series.

source: SRA Karting – Patrick Moreau