Dubai junior racing team wins Mini Max and Micro Max and takes P2 in Bambino at the Rotax UAE Al Ain Invitational
Ignite GP, the UAE specialist junior karting and driver-development team formerly known as Synergy UAE, claimed victories in two classes and a further podium at the Rotax UAE Al Ain Invitational at Al Ain Raceway on Sunday 27 September, its first race weekend under the new name.
Albi Jay Stubbs won Mini Max and Jenson Kelly won Micro Max, while August Southall, 6, took P2 in Bambino, the entry class for drivers aged 5 to 8.
The results follow the team’s rebrand this month. Racing previously as Synergy UAE, the team won the 2025/26 IAME UAE Bambino Championship with Mark Ristic. Under the Ignite GP name, it is building a complete pathway for young drivers — from a child’s first experience in a kart through academy coaching and championship racing — with onboard video and data used to measure each driver’s development.
“Taking P1 in both Micro and Mini, alongside P2 in Bambino at the Rotax Al Ain Invitational, is a fantastic way to begin this next chapter for the team.
Synergy UAE established a formidable reputation for developing young drivers, particularly within Bambino racing. Ignite GP represents the next stage of that journey — expanding the coaching, technology, racing and international programmes surrounding our drivers.
These results across all three categories demonstrate exactly what we want Ignite GP to become: a complete driver-development programme capable of supporting young talent from their very first laps through each stage of their racing journey.
I’m incredibly proud of the drivers, mechanics, coaches and everyone behind the scenes. This is only the beginning for Ignite GP.”
— Forbes Nichol, Team Principal, Ignite GP
“Every circuit asks something different of a kart. Al Ain has its own layout, grip and conditions, and a setup that works at the Kartdrome won’t automatically work here. Across the weekend we kept refining carburation, tyre pressures and chassis balance session by session, working from what the drivers told us and what we saw on track. By the finals, all three karts were where they needed to be — and the drivers did the rest.”
— Lui Dailo, Lead Mechanic, Ignite GP
The ambition: building a UAE pathway to international motorsport
Ignite GP’s longer-term ambition is to help establish the UAE as a recognised centre for junior driver development and an international destination for young drivers pursuing a pathway towards single-seater racing and, ultimately, Formula 1.
The UAE already has many of the foundations: year-round racing, world-class circuits, its own Formula 4 championship and a Formula 1 Grand Prix at Yas Marina. Ignite GP’s programme is designed to build on those strengths in four areas:
- A complete pathway — one programme from a child’s first drive through Bambino, Micro, Mini, Junior and Senior karting, with a clear route into single-seater racing.
- Measurable development — coaching backed by onboard video and telemetry, with every driver’s progress tracked over time rather than judged on a single result.
- International racing — preparing drivers to compete in European and world karting, where single-seater teams and manufacturer programmes look for their next talent.
- A winter destination — camps and race programmes for drivers from the UK, Europe, the GCC and Asia who want seat time and coaching during their off-season.
The goal is to give young drivers the opportunity to start, develop and progress within the UAE, while attracting international talent to the country for high-quality training and racing.
Ignite GP runs Bambino, Micro, Mini and Junior drivers at Dubai Kartdrome, Al Forsan and Yas Marina, and offers first-drive sessions and academy coaching for children from age 5.
Results — Rotax UAE Al Ain Invitational, Al Ain Raceway, 27 September 2026
| Class | Position | Driver |
| Mini Max | 1st | Albi Jay Stubbs |
| Micro Max | 1st | Jenson Kelly |
| Bambino | 2nd | August Southall |
