Ethan Reardon Makes Canadian MotoMINI History

Canadian rider Ethan Reardon becomes the first Canadian to qualify directly for the MotoMINI World Finals main event in Valencia.

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Spanish-based Canadian rider Ethan Reardon has written his name into the history books by becoming the first Canadian ever to qualify directly for the main event of the FIM MotoMINI World Championship, taking place at the prestigious Circuit Ricardo Tormo in Valencia, Spain.

From Canada to Spain: A Path Less Travelled

Reardon, originally from Calgary, Alberta and now based in Spain, earned his spot among the world’s best young racers in the Ohvale 160 class by delivering a standout afternoon in qualifying. Facing a field of 44 riders from 22 countries, he secured a lap time of 44.81 seconds. This placed him seventh fastest in the Q2 session, a mark of exceptional pace given the level of competition.

Canada’s participation in the MotoMINI series isn’t new. The country has fielded entries for the past three seasons in the Ohvale 160 class. But until now, no Canadian had managed to transfer directly into the main event without going through bottom-tier qualifying races. Reardon changed that.

Qualifying: Precision Under Pressure

On the Wednesday before race day, Reardon qualified into Q2 by avoiding the bottom-19 cut and skipped the Q1 elimination entirely. There, he posted the 7th-fastest time at 44.81 s. This was just 0.23 s off the best time (44.58 s), which set the pace.

He described one lap as a “Hail Mary”, pulling out 44.9 s in practice. He then refined his form to 44.81 s in qualifying. The track, while dry and cool, demanded perfect execution.

Why This Matters

• This result puts Canadian talent on the global feeder stage for the first time in the MotoMINI pathway — a system branded as part of the “Road to MotoGP” programme.
• Reardon’s performance shines a light on how national-level riders can break into the international arena when given the chance.
• For Canada, it bolsters the stature of its developmental racing ecosystem, showing that even riders from outside Europe can compete at world-level junior events.

What’s Next

Reardon will line up for the first of his World Final races at 9 am local time on Thursday, followed by a second at 10:30 am, with a third and double-points race in the afternoon.

Final Word

Ethan Reardon’s achievement is a milestone not just for him personally, but for Canadian motorcycle racing. His direct qualification into the main event of the MotoMINI World Finals opens doors. For a young rider, in the Ohvale 160 spec class, to post a lap time within a few tenths of the fastest in the world is a signal: Canadian riders are ready to compete on the global stage.

For racing fans tracking the “Road to MotoGP”, this is a name worth remembering.