MultiGP Championship 2026: MCK Returns to Win in Texas

Minchan “MCK” Kim had spent nearly two years away from elite FPV racing, flying 3D helicopters instead. He entered the 2026 MultiGP Championship at the last minute and set the fastest qualifying time. He then went unbeaten through the A Main and won the title in Carrollton, Texas, on October 17. It is his third MultiGP championship.

MultiGP’s own headline put it simply: “The King is Back”.

MultiGP Championship 2026 results

Rousseau finished about two seconds behind. Fifth place went to Alikhan Nsanbaev, who is 12. Defending champion Joaquin “JBOX” Ybanez, who won in 2025, crashed in Race 10 and finished tenth.

How the final was won

Sixty-four pilots raced the championship rounds across three days at Dallas Drone Racing. Twelve went straight into the A Main, where 16 pilots fought for the title through a double-elimination bracket with Winners and Redemption sides.

The final used MultiGP’s Chase the Ace format, which normally takes two race wins. Because Kim went undefeated in the A Main, he earned an “Iron Man advantage” and needed only one.

For the first time in the championship’s history, the four fastest qualifiers all made the final. It did not stay a four-way fight for long. Minjae Kim and Hashimoto collided just after the start, ending both of their chances. MCK, who had already set the event’s fastest lap of 16.247 seconds and the fastest qualifying time of 33.18 seconds, held off Rousseau.

The pilot who nearly swept 2026

Minjae Kim arrived in Dallas going for all three of MultiGP’s major titles in one year. He had already won the 2026 MultiGP World Cup and European Championship. Third place ended that run. He also took bronze at The World Games 2025 in Chengdu, where Hashimoto won gold.

Other stories from Dallas

• Alikhan Nsanbaev, 12: fifth place, ahead of pilots twice his age.
• Skyler “Redsky” Hutchison: started in the B Main and fought through to eighth.
• Race 9: a Redemption Bracket heat where half a second separated Spencer Cannizzaro, Mason “Hyper” Lively and Tristan Tefft. Lively went on to finish sixth.
• JBOX’s title defense: ended with a crash in Race 10.

Why Chase the Ace works for viewers

Most FPV finals are decided on points across several heats, which is hard to follow live. Chase the Ace is simpler: win twice and you are champion, unless you earned an advantage by staying unbeaten. It gives every race in the final a clear stake. It also punishes the kind of first-corner collision that ended Minjae Kim’s and Hashimoto’s chances this year.

What the MultiGP Championship is

MultiGP bills itself as the largest grassroots drone racing organization, reporting more than 30,000 registered pilots and around 500 active chapters. Its season builds from local chapter races to a single championship in open-class FPV racing, where pilots build and tune their own quads.

The official championship page sets out the pathway:

• Global Qualifier: March 27 to August 24, 2026, a time-trial leaderboard on a set track.
• First invitations (August 31): the defending champion, the top 64 on the Global Qualifier, and winners of the EU, Canadian and Latin American championships and the Regional Finals.
• Later rounds: leaderboard pilots in groups of 64 until the venue is full.

Prize money is modest by esports standards: US$10,000 in cash split among the top four. Races stream on MultiGP’s YouTube channel.

What the result says about the sport

A champion returning after two years away and winning at the first attempt says two things. Pure flying skill still matters more than equipment in open-class racing, and the elite field is small enough that one exceptional pilot can reset it. The fact that the top four were all from outside the US, at a US championship, also shows how global FPV racing has become.

MultiGP vs DRL vs DCL

See our guides to the Drone Champions League and DRL racers for more.

How to watch and how to get involved

Championship races stream on MultiGP’s YouTube channel. To race, pilots join a local MultiGP chapter and register for events through MultiGP’s RaceSync app. Anyone can then post a time on the Global Qualifier track, which is how most championship invitations are earned. Hardware is pilot-built, so the barrier is skill and practice time rather than a team budget. Our best racing drones guide covers the gear.

What’s next: MultiGP International Open 2027

MultiGP has scheduled the 2027 International Open for June 16–20, 2027. The championship will run without Mark Grohe, who is stepping down as event director after seven years with MultiGP, four in the role.

Can you bet on MultiGP?

No. US state-regulated sportsbooks do not list MultiGP markets, and UK bookmakers do not price it. Any guide naming sportsbooks with MultiGP odds is guessing. If you are looking for legal options built around machine sports and tech, start with our US drone betting sites guide or prediction markets hub. Trading event contracts involves risk of loss.