Axel Nocom opened his 2026 campaign with a strong statement, securing 2nd overall in the OK-N Junior category at the Champions of the Future Academy Program (COTFA) Macau. Held at the Kartodromo de Coloane Circuit, the event also highlighted the growing Filipino presence in international karting, with multiple drivers competing under the guidance of Axel Motorsports.
Building on his recent success at the same circuit during the IAME Asia Final, Axel immediately set the pace by topping the timesheets in Free Practice. He carried that form into Saturday Qualifying, posting the 3rd-fastest time behind John Han of Hong Kong and Jay Kostecki of New Zealand—who would emerge as his closest rivals over the weekend.
The Heats showcased Axel’s ability to fight at the front. In Heat 1, he led for 8 of the 9 laps before being overtaken by Kostecki on the final lap, settling for 2nd. Heat 2 followed a similar pattern, with Axel moving into the lead early on but once again finishing 2nd after a late move from Kostecki.
The breakthrough came in Saturday’s Final. Axel took control from the opening lap and quickly found himself locked in a fierce duel with Kostecki as the pair broke away from the rest of the field, trading positions throughout the race. The battle went all the way to the chequered flag, with the two crossing the line side by side—just 0.086 secs apart, with Kostecki ahead. A post-race penalty, however, promoted Axel to 1st, sealing a hard-fought Finals victory.
Sunday presented a tougher challenge, with Axel having to manage an injury sustained the previous day. Despite this, he continued to deliver under pressure, qualifying P2 on Sunday and remaining firmly in the fight throughout the day. In Heat 1, he applied early pressure on race leader John Han before mid-race chaos shuffled him down to 3rd. Heat 2 followed a similar pattern, with Axel briefly running in P2 before settling for another 3rd-place finish. Those results placed him P3 on the grid for the Sunday Final.
Axel was once again in the thick of the action. He fought for the lead from the start and slotted into P2 before dropping to 3rd on lap 4. Under heavy pressure from Brandon Ng, Axel briefly lost the final podium position on lap 9 but responded with a decisive move on lap 12 to reclaim P3—securing another hard-earned podium finish.
With consistent results across both days, Axel was crowned runner-up overall in the OK-N Junior category, finishing the weekend as the top-ranked Filipino in the standings.
Beyond Axel’s performance, COTFA Macau also marked a strong showing for OK-N Senior drivers competing overseas with guidance from Axel Motorsports. Paco Sarmiento, racing with Double R Motorsport, finished 8th in Saturday’s Final and improved to 6th on Sunday. Marcus Lacambra, representing the Mercedes Driver Development programme, crossed the line 6th in Sunday’s Final before being relegated to 8th due to a dropped bumper penalty. Meanwhile, Filipino-Japanese karter Seira Kojima—also part of Mercedes Driver Development—delivered one of the standout drives of the weekend, finishing 6th on Saturday before stepping onto the podium with a 3rd-place result on Sunday.
Their performances underscored the value of proper guidance in international competition—placing drivers in the right events, against the right level of competition, and allowing them to gain meaningful experience on the global stage.
Axel Nocom is supported by Mercedes Driver Development, Deseño MNL, Recaro Philippines, Ceramic Pro Philippines, DRIFT XAUST, DRIFT MOTOR Speedway, Ekartraceway, Kart Republic, Oasis Tech HK, Dri Plus Ph, Simagic, Apex Racing Philippines, Monza Barcade, Pregame Motorsport Merchandise, and DG Budget Hotel.
Those interested in following in Axel’s footsteps to race competitively overseas can inquire at the Axel Motorsports page on Facebook.
