With guidance from Mercedes Driver Development (MDD), Jacob Ravina and Miura Canete decided to take their racing outside the Philippines in 2026. The aim was to gain more experience against stronger competition and develop their skills. The results of that decision were on full display at the final round of the Rotax MAX Challenge Asia Trophy in Malaysia, where Jacob and Miura shared the Micro MAX podium with 1st and 3rd place finishes.
In contention for the championship, Jacob set the pace early at LYL International Karting Circuit, topping Official Practice before securing pole with a 1:15.632 lap. With every session carrying added weight, he stayed in control throughout the weekend, sweeping both Heats and the Super Heat before leading all 14 laps of the Final to take victory by more than 8 secs.
Miura was also among the front runners throughout the weekend. She qualified 3rd and finished just 0.206 secs behind Jacob in Heat 1 as the MDD teammates pulled almost 7 secs clear of the rest of the field. She eventually crossed the line 4th in the Final, but was promoted post-race to 3rd.
The double podium, however, was only the latest step in a season that saw both karters make significant progress racing overseas.
Jacob began his regional campaign during Round 2 of the Rotax MAX Challenge Asia Trophy at Bira Kart Circuit in Thailand. On his first weekend racing in Rotax, he faced a 17-kart grid and initially found himself outside the Top 10 in practice. He then worked his way forward to eventually finish 3rd in the Final.
From there, the results steadily improved. Jacob finished 4th in Round 3, 2nd in Round 4 and finally took victory in Round 5. Despite sitting out the opening round, he ended the season 2nd in the championship and missed the title by just 3 points.
But his biggest gains went beyond outright speed. Racing in different countries taught Jacob to adapt to changing conditions, better understand kart setup and work closely with his coaches to find improvements throughout a race weekend. He also became more patient behind the wheel, learning when to attack, when to hold position and how to race strategically rather than simply chasing every available position
“Crossing the finish line and being so close to becoming a champion reminds me that I am still God’s work in progress, his ongoing masterpiece,” shared Jacob. “Everything has a process and the right timing. Every step and every lap is progress. I’m thankful for where I am today and committed to growing stronger every day.”
Miura experienced a similar transformation. Her first international race came in Thailand, where she finished 12th and was still approaching races much like she did back home at Clark or Carmona. With more experience overseas, she became more aggressive when needed, while also learning to think strategically about how battles and finishing positions could affect the rest of her weekend.
Both drivers have received guidance from MDD and Axel Nocom, who recently scored his first Champions of the Future Academy (COTFA) victory in Europe. Being based in Cebu meant Miura could not regularly attend training sessions with Axel, so much of her coaching was done remotely through feedback and advice that she could apply during race weekends.
For Jacob and Miura, racing internationally has exposed them to larger grids, unfamiliar circuits, different driving styles and tougher competition that would have been difficult to replicate by racing exclusively at home.
Their development will continue in 2027, with both set to enter the RMC International Trophy Asia in Macau in January.
Those interested in following in Jacob and Miura’s footsteps to race competitively overseas can inquire at the Axel Motorsports page on Facebook.
