African Open Awaits: TGRJA Drivers Eye Grand Finals Berths
Emma-Rose Dowling at last season’s African Open held at the Killarney Kart Track, Cape Town
The Toyota Gazoo Racing Junior Academy (TGRJA) heads to Zwartkops Kart Raceway this weekend with one goal in mind—securing the ultimate prize at the Rotax African Open. Unlike any round on the national or regional calendar, the African Open is a unique, high-stakes event where consistency in two qualifying heats determines a driver’s grid slot for a single, winner-takes-all final. And with a golden ticket to the 2025 Rotax MAX Challenge Grand Finals in Bahrain on the line, every lap counts.
Blank Slate, Big Stakes
This event resets the playing field. Regional dominance and national podiums hold no significance here. Each TGRJA driver arrives at Zwartkops with a clean slate, where raw speed, smart racecraft, and calculated aggression could unlock the door to international glory. For those who don’t win their national championships, this could be their one shot at a Grand Finals berth.
Mini MAX – Mandume & Nande Kaiyamo
The Namibian twins face their biggest grid yet, with over 35 competitors set to take the start. Nande has shown rapid progress in recent national events, while Mandume continues to close the gap to the front. With a large field and tight margins, the brothers must remain composed throughout the heats to have a chance at securing a competitive grid slot in the final.
Junior MAX – Tshepang Shisinwana & Emma-Rose Dowling
Both drivers have tasted success this season. Emma-Rose stormed to victory in the Killarney national opener and leads the Junior standings. Tshepang, the 2024 Mini MAX champion and one of only two academy drivers to have participated in the RMCGF before, has shown blistering pace but has been hampered by incidents. In a 19-kart field, both will be eyeing the front row come final time.
Senior MAX – Kent Swartz & Georgia Lenaerts
Kent, a former champion and another who has raced for South Africa at the RMCGF, enters the weekend with confidence, having shown good pace at Zwartkops earlier this season. Lenaerts, while unlucky with incidents, has consistently been on the pace. A clean run through the heats could see both firmly in the hunt for victory in a stacked 25-kart field.
DD2 – Jason Coetzee
TGRJA’s DD2 stalwart heads into the weekend as one of the class favourites. After winning five of six national heats this season, Coetzee will look to convert his form into African Open success. With a 16-driver field, his experience and pace could prove decisive in the final.
Weekend Format
The event kicks off with six practice sessions on Thursday, followed by four more on Friday before a late-afternoon qualifying session. Saturday delivers the main action, two qualifying heats set the stage before the crucial final race, where only one name per class will be etched into the Rotax African Open history books.
For the TGRJA, this weekend is about more than trophies. It’s about seizing the moment, stepping up on the continental stage, and chasing a dream that ends under the lights of Bahrain.
Team Principal’s Perspective
TGRJA Team Principal Leeroy Poulter, a former Rotax MAX Challenge Grand Finals winner himself, shared his thoughts ahead of the weekend:
“The African Open is a pressure cooker, it’s one race, one chance, and anything can happen. As someone who’s stood on the top step at the RMCGF, I know how much this opportunity means. Our academy drivers have shown resilience and speed this year, and I believe every one of them has what it takes to bring home the ticket to Bahrain. Now it’s about staying focused and delivering when it counts.”
