Highs, Lows & Lessons: CDG’s Red Star Story
The Investchem MSA4 Championship returned to the National Extreme Festival spotlight this past weekend, as Red Star Raceway welcomed the country’s premier single-seater category back to Mpumalanga for the first time in four years. With limited prior testing at the fast and technical Delmas circuit, Corsa dei Gemelli faced a demanding weekend, compounded by the evolving nature of a championship still in its infancy following its 2025 debut.
Championship leader Mikel Bezuidenhout arrived at Red Star off the back of a strong opening round in Cape Town and immediately established himself as a front-runner. Across Friday’s practice sessions, the 17-year-old consistently featured at the sharp end, finishing third in Practice 1, before improving to second in both Practice 2 and Practice 3. That pace translated into a strong qualifying performance, where Bezuidenhout secured third on the grid, firmly in contention for podium honours.
In Race 1, Bezuidenhout delivered a composed and clinical drive to finish second, remaining within striking distance of the race winner and reinforcing his championship credentials. Race 2 saw another competitive showing on track, with Bezuidenhout crossing the line in second again, but a post-race penalty ultimately compromised his final result, and he was classified eighth.
On the other side of the garage, rookie Wianko Fourie enjoyed a clean and productive weekend, focusing on development and consistency. The young driver showed steady improvement through the practice sessions, progressing from 19th in Practice 1 to 10th in Practice 2, before ending 11th in Practice 3 .
Fourie qualified 12th, placing him firmly in the midfield battle. From there, he gained valuable race experience, fighting through the pack to secure ninth in Race 1 and 10th in Race 2, continuing his upward trajectory in the championship.
The weekend also marked the circuit racing debut of Khanya Mahanjana in the Formula Ford Kent class. Transitioning from karting, Mahanjana faced a steep learning curve, further complicated by a series of mechanical setbacks.
A loose distributor cap hampered his qualifying performance, placing him on the back foot from the outset. Despite showing resilience, his race outings were disrupted, including a premature retirement in Race 2 following an accelerator cable failure. His Race 1 classified finish further highlighted a weekend defined more by adversity than outright pace.
Team Principal Jean Bezuidenhout remained optimistic following a mixed but encouraging weekend:
“Red Star was always going to be a challenge with the limited testing we had, but overall there are plenty of positives to take away. Mikel remains firmly in the title fight and showed again that he has the pace to compete at the front. Wianko continues to make steady progress, gaining confidence and experience with every session, which is exactly what we want to see from a rookie. As for Khanya, it was a tough introduction to circuit racing, but his potential is clear — he’s an exciting addition to the team and we’re confident his results will come.”
While the results sheet reflects a weekend of mixed fortunes, the broader picture remains positive for Corsa dei Gemelli. With Bezuidenhout still firmly in championship contention, Fourie building momentum, and Mahanjana gaining invaluable experience, the team continues to establish itself as a competitive and developing force in South Africa’s premier single-seater category.
The championship will now head to Zwartkops Raceway for Round 3 on 22-23 May 2026.
