The inaugural Karting Africa Showrun has delivered an important milestone for African motorsport, bringing together 39 drivers from 14 countries in Benguela, Angola. For WORR Motorsport founder Wesleigh Orr, the achievement represents more than a successful racing weekend. It marks the beginning of an ambitious effort to establish a sustainable continental karting championship.
What began as a vision presented at the FIA Conference in Macau earlier this year became a reality on 10–11 October, when the Karting Africa Trophy – Angola Showrun Edition took place at the Santos Pêras Karting Circuit in Benguela.
Supported by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA), the Federação Angolana de Desportos Motorizados (FADM) and the Angolan government, the event brought together young competitors, national motorsport representatives and stakeholders from across Africa.
For Orr, who founded Karting Africa to create greater opportunities for African drivers, the weekend marked a significant step toward building a championship capable of bringing the continent together.
"For me, the biggest achievement was seeing a vision for African motorsport become a reality. What started as an idea presented at the FIA conference in Macau brought together 39 drivers from 14 African countries in Angola," said Orr.
"This was about far more than a karting event. It was about bringing African nations together, creating opportunities for young drivers, and demonstrating what is possible when we work together towards a common goal."
African Talent Takes Centre Stage
While the Showrun carried considerable significance for the sport’s future, the competition also gave drivers a chance to measure themselves against international opposition.
South African competitors won both the Junior and Senior MAX finals on Sunday, 11 October.
Santiago Frade claimed the Junior MAX victory after 20 laps, finishing ahead of compatriot Okhethwaho Nangammbi. Madagascar's Alexia Rakotomala completed the podium, with Angolan drivers José Teixeira and Ryan Cristão finishing fourth and fifth respectively.
The Senior MAX final produced a closer contest, with South Africa's Jordan Klassen taking victory over Angola's Jorge Saraiva. Madagascar's Andi Rajoelison finished third, followed by compatriot Matthew Andriambelo and Kenya's Myles Imbayi. Saraiva had earlier won the opening Senior MAX heat, while Cristão also secured a Junior MAX heat victory, giving the host nation performances to celebrate.
Elsewhere at the circuit, a separate Angolan championship Mini MAX heat on Saturday produced another close finish, with South Africa's Lwashu Mathebula defeating compatriot Radhi Harris by just 0.082 seconds.
The results provided a sporting dimension to an event whose longer-term importance may ultimately be measured by the opportunities it creates beyond the circuit.
Overcoming the Challenges of a Continental Event
Bringing together competitors and representatives from numerous African countries presented considerable organisational demands.
Different national motorsport structures, international travel, equipment requirements and coordination between stakeholders all required attention.
Orr acknowledged that staging a pioneering event of this nature would never be straightforward.
"As with any pioneering event of this scale, there were logistical, operational and coordination challenges. Bringing together drivers, equipment, national sporting authorities and stakeholders from multiple countries requires significant planning and collaboration," he explained. "However, these challenges are part of building something new, and they provide valuable lessons for the future."
The response from the participating countries was particularly significant. According to Orr, the event showed genuine interest in creating a competitive platform that lets African drivers gain international experience without depending entirely on opportunities outside the continent.
The Showrun also provided an opportunity to strengthen relationships between participating motorsport authorities and lay the groundwork for future cooperation.
Building Towards the 2027 Championship
Attention now turns towards the proposed 2027 Karting Africa Championship, which aims to transform the momentum generated in Angola into a structured, sustainable continental competition.
The championship is being developed around Junior and Senior categories, with a standardised equipment approach intended to promote fair competition and help control costs. A one-make competition model is among the measures being explored to reduce barriers to participation.
However, several important details remain under development.
The proposed calendar, host countries, age requirements, equipment specifications, entry criteria and sporting regulations have not yet been finalised. Orr confirmed that these will be communicated through official championship documentation, with applications and participation opportunities expected to open in due course.
Participation will be coordinated with national sporting authorities and relevant stakeholders, with the intention of establishing a transparent selection process. For Orr, accessibility is central to the project's ambitions.
"We recognise that African motorsport cannot grow sustainably if participation is financially out of reach for the majority of talented young drivers," he said. "By developing a more standardised platform, building regional partnerships and working towards a one-make competition model, we aim to reduce barriers and create greater opportunities across different countries."
The success of these efforts will depend on how effectively the proposed structure is implemented, particularly in countries where competitive karting opportunities and financial resources remain limited.
A Vision Beyond the Racing Circuit
Karting Africa's ambitions extend beyond organising another championship.
The longer-term objective is to strengthen the structures supporting motorsport across the continent, including opportunities for young drivers, the development of local infrastructure and closer cooperation between national sporting authorities.
For WORR Motorsport, the initiative represents an opportunity to contribute to a broader development programme that could benefit successive generations of competitors.
"We must also think generationally. The objective is not simply to organise a championship in 2027. It is to build a foundation that will still be developing African talent five, ten and twenty years from now," Orr explained.
That ambition will require sustained cooperation, commercial support and practical solutions to the challenges of running an international competition across a geographically diverse continent.
The Angola Showrun has demonstrated that the necessary enthusiasm exists. The next step is translating that enthusiasm into confirmed events, clear regulations, and a championship accessible to competitors from different countries.
The Real Work Begins Now
The inaugural Showrun was an important achievement, but Orr is clear that the project is still in its early stages.
"Looking back, I believe the Showrun achieved its most important objective: it demonstrated that a Pan-African karting movement is possible. We have established a foundation on which we can now build."
Immediate priorities now include finalising the championship structure, engaging participating nations, and establishing the practical arrangements needed for the first season.
For the drivers who competed in Benguela, the weekend offered an opportunity to experience international karting on African soil. For those working to develop the sport, it provided a starting point for something potentially much larger.
As Orr concluded: "I believe it is important that the conversation around African motorsport shifts from what the continent lacks to what we can build together."
Angola has provided the beginning. The challenge now is to build a championship that can deliver on that promise.
More information: www.kartingafrica.com | www.worrmotorsport.com
