Klerksdorp Record, Klerksdorp - The countdown has begun! Next month, between May 18 and 24, 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. “This is definitely a defining moment for motorsport in South Africa,” says Vic Maharaj, CEO of Motorsport South Africa.
“It’s about more than racing - it’s about showcasing our talent, our terrain, and our ability to deliver world-class events. With SA manufactured cars making up more than half of the field, a testament to our engineering excellence and deep motorsport roots, having the event on our home ground for the first time is incredibly exciting. We believe this could open doors to even bigger opportunities, including F1 in the future.”
The event will be based at Sun City with stages throughout the province. Some of the stages will be at Lichtenburg, Stella and Barberspan.
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.
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.
“This is a once in a lifetime opportunity for our local talent, regardless of rank, to compete with, and learn from, the best drivers in the world. Where else would SA talent have an opportunity to share the same bivouac as these huge global Dakar stars,” says Roux.
The event will attract approximately 100 participants across the different classes.
