BONUS - RUSTENBURG - The countdown has begun! Next month between 18 – 24 May South Africa will make motorsport history as it hosts the South African Safari Rally - Round 3 of the prestigious World Rally-Raid Championship (W2RC) for the first time ever. The inaugural event, presented by event partner, Toyota Gazoo Racing, is no ordinary event. It’s a global spotlight moment - and South Africa is ready to shine.
“With entries closing at the end of April, the lineup of top local and international participants is growing and fans can expect to see some of the biggest names in international rally-raid on local soil,” says Archie Rutherford, CEO of SA Rally Raid Championship (SARRC).
Exciting news for South Africans is the inclusion of Ross Branch, Botswana’s homegrown FIM W2RC champion and fan favourite “Kalahari Ferrari”, riding with Hero Motorsports.
Breaking news this month is also the addition of Giniel de Villiers, Dakar Rally legend who is coming out of retirement and joining the high-octane #TeamHiluxRallyRaid for the next two seasons. Rutherford says he will be making his debut at the SA Safari Rally. “Having Giniel on board is like adding a turbocharger to our team,” says teammate Fouché Blignaut. “He brings unmatched experience and passion to the track.”
On the international front, headlining the entries received, is of course Qatari star, Nasser Al-Attiyah, and French co-driver Edouard Boulanger from The Dacia Sandriders team. Al-Attiyah is not only the reigning W2RC champion, but has won all three titles since this premier international rally-raid championship debuted in 2022. This is backed up by no less than five FIA World Cup for Cross-Country Rallies titles, as well as five Dakar Rally wins.
But Al-Attiyah will have to face some stiff local competition. Bracing up are the young guns from TGRSA - Saood Variawa and Guy Botterill, Neil Woolridge Motorsport’s (NWM) Gareth Woolridge - 2023 South African Rally Raid Champion and Century Racing's Brian Baragwanath.
The event will attract approximately 100 participants across the different classes. From Sun City to the desert dunes, the W2RC route will test the best of the best in a uniquely African setting.
Fans can follow the action on social media, meet the drivers, and get behind the scenes of this thrilling international spectacle.
