UAE’s Nathan Kappen retains Junior Max Title at 2025 MENA Karting Championship

Thirteen-year-old racer Nathan Kappen continued his impressive rise in regional motorsport by defending his Junior Max title at the 2025 MENA Karting Championship Nations Cup, held at the Lusail International Circuit in Qatar. Representing the UAE, Kappen delivered a dominant performance to cross the finish line 2.4 seconds ahead of Algeria’s Roslan and Saudi Arabia’s Abdulrazzaq Al Quraishi.

The championship — regarded as the largest karting event in the Middle East and North Africa — brought together more than 170 drivers from 18 countries, showcasing the region’s most promising young talent. Amid the fierce competition, Kappen once again proved his consistency, composure, and pace.

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Across multiple days of racing, Kappen built momentum. During qualifying on Day 2, he secured third place with a lap time of 48.363 seconds, trailing Algeria’s Sryer and fellow Emirati driver Faris Haroun. However, in the Heats, Kappen’s pace began to shine — especially in Heat 1, where he finished first in 8 minutes 58.183 seconds, narrowly ahead of Sryer (8:59.418) and Haroun (8:59.906).

Saving his best for the final, Kappen clocked an outstanding 20:56.169, earning him the Junior Max crown for the second consecutive year and cementing his place among the region’s brightest young racers.

Kappen’s back-to-back titles not only mark a personal milestone but also strengthen the UAE’s growing presence in regional motorsport. His success at Lusail adds another chapter to his budding racing career and a promising sign of what’s to come from the young champion.

Husain Rizvi

husain@khaleejtimes.com

Husain Rizvi is a Senior Features Writer who covers entertainment and lifestyle stories and has a profound interest in tech (games) and sports. When he’s not working, you can find him at the gym, or finishing a boss fight in a video game.