De Wet Continues Strong Mini MAX Progression with Formula-K Podium
The second round of the 2026 Northern Regions Rotax Kart Championship at Formula-K Raceway delivered another encouraging weekend for rookie Luhan de Wet, with the OMP/Motorsport Fanatix™ ambassador fighting his way to third overall in the fiercely competitive Mini MAX category.
Still adapting to the step up into Mini MAX, Luhan arrived at the Benoni circuit eager to build on the momentum from the opening months of the season. Right from qualifying, the pace was evident. Against a stacked 19-kart field, the young Centurion racer secured fifth on the grid, just over two tenths of a second off pole position in one of the closest qualifying sessions of the weekend.
That speed immediately translated into results once racing got underway.
Launching off the line in Heat 1, Luhan wasted little time making his intentions clear. Aggressive but controlled in the opening corners, he quickly moved into the lead and managed the pressure from a tightly packed front group superbly. Despite several drivers remaining within striking distance throughout the six-lap race, Luhan kept his composure to take an impressive victory and maximum points.
Heat 2 proved far more intense as the leading pack once again fought nose-to-tail around the Formula-K circuit. Luhan remained firmly in the battle throughout, trading positions in a race where the margins between the frontrunners were incredibly small. He eventually crossed the line in fourth place, after another highly competitive encounter.
The final heat of the day presented another challenge altogether. Starting deeper in the field, Luhan had work to do from the outset. Refusing to back down, he pushed forward through the traffic and remained in the thick of a multi-kart scrap for the off-podium positions. Although he ultimately finished eighth in the final race, his pace remained among the quickest in the class.
When the points were added together at the end of the day, consistency across the three heats rewarded Luhan with third overall for the weekend and another important podium in his Mini MAX development season.
Perhaps most encouraging was the outright speed shown throughout the event. Luhan recorded the third-fastest lap time across all three races, once again proving he has the pace to consistently challenge at the front of the highly competitive Mini MAX field.
“It was a challenging weekend because everyone is so close in Mini MAX, but I’m really happy to come away with another podium,” said Luhan. “Winning the first heat gave me a lot of confidence, and I felt we had really good pace throughout the day. There are still things we can improve on, but every race weekend I’m learning more and getting more comfortable in the class. Thank you to my team, my family, and everyone supporting me.”
With another solid result now added to his growing Mini MAX résumé, Luhan continues to show why he remains one of South Africa’s brightest young karting prospects as the 2026 season gathers momentum.
