The 2026 ROTAX MAX Challenge Euro Trophy, which brings together some of Europe’s best kart racers, came to a thrilling season finale at the Steel Ring in the Czech Republic. For Ádám Szabó, a mechanical engineering student at the University of Szeged (SZTE), it proved to be a weekend to remember. Competing in the championship’s top-tier, all-electric ROTAX E20 category, Ádám delivered a flawless performance to claim the biggest victory of his career so far. And there was more at stake than the trophy: the win also secured his place among the world’s best at the ROTAX MAX Grand Finals this November.
Tactical racing, bold overtakes, and a final twist
That remarkable weekend began with a strong showing on the track. From the opening heats, Ádám Szabó made it clear that he had come to the Steel Ring to compete for the win. Racing as #748, the SZTE student combined outright speed with tactical driving, turning consistency into a decisive advantage. Four races brought four podium finishes, including two victories, taking him to the top of the overall standings. A second-place finish in the semi-final kept him firmly in contention and set the stage for the race that would decide it all: the final.
The final produced one last twist. Ádám took the lead at the start and held it for eight laps before Portugal’s Lucas Pinheiro moved ahead with just one lap remaining. The win appeared to have slipped away at the last moment – but the decisive turn came after the checkered flag. Pinheiro received a five-second penalty for a displaced front fairing, promoting Ádám to first place. With a finishing time of 9:35.858 and a fastest lap of 56.912 seconds, the SZTE student was confirmed as the winner, ahead of Slovakia’s Kristian Beke and Poland’s Antoni Kugacz.
The victory also marked a rare achievement for Hungarian karting. Ádám became the second Hungarian driver to win a race in more than two decades of ROTAX Euro Trophy competition, putting Hungary back on the top step of the podium after a ten-year wait.
Where racing meets engineering: The science behind the speed
Behind this historic result is a partnership that now extends beyond the racetrack. Ádám has been supported by the University of Szeged since the 2025 season, with the Cluster for Third Mission Developments at SZTE’s Center of Excellence for Interdisciplinary Research, Development, and Innovation (IKIKK) as his main sponsor. Presented at a pre-season press conference in late July, the partnership entered a new chapter this autumn when Ádám began studying mechanical engineering at SZTE’s Faculty of Engineering. Racing and engineering are now coming together, with the University becoming part of his journey both on and off the track.
The link goes beyond Ádám’s studies. Electric karting offers a glimpse into the future of greener transport and sustainable mobility – areas already being explored at the University of Szeged through IKIKK’s Development Program for Sustainability and a Green University. The data generated on the racetrack also opens up new possibilities for bringing sport and research closer together. As Prof. Dr. Ildikó Csóka, Director-General for Strategy and Development at the University of Szeged, previously noted, exploring the data generated by electric karts embodies the kind of scientific curiosity captured in Albert Szent-Györgyi’s famous words: “To see what everyone else has seen, but to think what no one else has thought.”
“With a community of 25,000 students, the University of Szeged is also home to 25,000 individuals, each with their own talents. The role of the University and IKIKK is to help those talents flourish and give students the support they need to realize their potential. In Ádám, we see that same potential, together with the dedication and humility to turn it into something more,” said Prof. Dr. Ildikó Csóka, speaking about the University’s support for the young driver.
Next stop: The Grand Finals – and Formula E
The checkered flag in the Czech Republic may have marked the end of one race, but the beginning of something much bigger for Ádám. His victory secured him a place at the ROTAX MAX Challenge Grand Finals in November 2026, where he will line up against some of the world’s best drivers on karting’s biggest international stage.
For Ádám, the weekend’s significance went well beyond the race win.
“What an incredible weekend! Racing in the electric E20 category is like playing chess at full speed: you are always thinking one move ahead, choosing the right moment to use the boost while keeping an eye on the tires. Then came the moment that made the weekend unforgettable. We had won the race, but there was even more to celebrate: the victory had also secured our place at the Grand Finals in November. I could hardly believe it. A huge thank you to everyone at LS VT Powerteam, especially my mechanic and team principal, to the University of Szeged, and to everyone who cheered us on!” Ádám said after the race.
Engineering a Future in Motorsport
The racetrack and the lecture hall are now increasingly intertwined in Ádám’s life. As he explained, racing gives him hands-on experience with the technology and mechanics behind the sport, while his university studies help him understand the science that underpins it.
Next stop: the Grand Finals in November. Beyond that lies an even bigger ambition – becoming the first Hungarian driver to secure a full-time seat in the FIA Formula E World Championship. With racing experience on one side and engineering knowledge on the other, Ádám is building toward a future where the two may ultimately come together.
Source: formula.hu
