From Regional Circuits to the World Stage — De Wet Prepares for Bahrain Grand Finals

Newly crowned South African Rotax Micro MAX Champion, Luhan de Wet, concluded his 2025 Northern Regions Rotax campaign at Zwartkops Kart Raceway yesterday, where he took part in only his second outing in the more powerful Mini MAX class.

Having already secured the national Micro MAX title earlier this season, Luhan chose to forgo the regional championship fight to focus on preparing for 2026. His participation in Mini MAX served as a valuable step toward mastering the higher-performance machinery he’ll face next year.

Despite challenging mixed conditions early in the day, the Centurion-based youngster displayed impressive adaptability and maturity against a strong 12-driver field. After qualifying a strong fourth in the wet, he went on to secure fifth in Heat 1, fourth in Heat 2, and fifth in Heat 3, ultimately earning fourth overall for the day. His best lap of 52.258 seconds came during Heat 2, a clear indication of his growing confidence with the step up in class.

This weekend marked Luhan’s final local event before he embarks on his biggest challenge yet, representing South Africa at the Rotax MAX Challenge Grand Finals in Bahrain, where he will be the country’s sole Micro MAX competitor.

Reflecting on the outing, Luhan shared, “It’s a big learning step racing against older and more experienced drivers, but I’m enjoying every moment. I’m thankful for all the support from my family, team, and everyone who believes in me. Bahrain will be something really special, and I can’t wait to race for South Africa.”

With his Mini MAX experience now firmly under his belt, Luhan continues to prove why he’s one of South African karting’s brightest young stars, already looking beyond national success and toward an international stage that awaits him in December.