Intensity Peaks at Vereeniging as Rotax National Title Race Heats Up

The Vereeniging Kart Circuit hosted the second round of the South African Rotax MAX Challenge Championship on 26 April and fans were treated to fast-paced, closely-contested kart action.

The second round of the 2025 South African Rotax MAX Challenge (SARMC) brought national karting action back to the Vereeniging Kart Circuit, Gauteng, this past weekend. Nearly 100 competitors nationwide took on the technical 1,000m circuit. With only two rounds left in the championship, Round 2 was a vital stop to becoming the national champion and competing at the Rotax MAX Challenge Grand Finals (RMCGF).

DD2 – Coetzee Cleans Up

Jason Coetzee delivered a clinical performance in the DD2 class at Vereeniging, underlining his championship ambitions with a clean sweep of all three heats. The Cape Town star was in a league of his own, combining blistering pace with unshakable composure to make it five national heat wins out of six for the season. His chief rival, 2023 champion Sebastian Boyd, pushed hard all weekend, staying within striking distance and challenging Coetzee in the early laps, but ultimately had no answer to his pace and consistency.

Matthew Wadeley added to the Cape Town charge with two strong podium finishes to secure third overall, narrowly edging out fellow WPMC teammate Anwill April and Gauteng contender Dusan Radojevic. With two rounds remaining, including the technical iDube Raceway, Coetzee now leads Boyd by 12 points in what’s shaping up to be a fierce battle for the title.

Capetonians Sebastian Boyd (#69) and Jason Coetzee (#77) went toe-to-toe for the DD2 honours.

DD2 Masters – Pieterse Edges Auby

The DD2 Masters category delivered three thrilling races, with three different heat winners and five seasoned contenders battling it out across the weekend. Jonathan Pieterse emerged as the victor at Vereeniging, claiming the win through consistent results (1st, 2nd, 4th) to edge out former Wesbank V8 Modified Saloons car driver Jimmy Auby by a single point. Auby, who clinched the final heat, finished second overall with a pair of third places backing up his win.

Five-time RMCGF winner Cristiano Morgado had solid pace, setting the weekend's fastest lap, but a DNF in the final heat saw him drop to third in the final standings. Mozambique's Cristian Bouché and Johannesburg's Justin Rogers completed the top five, each showing moments of speed but unable to convert them into higher overall points.

Eleven points now separate the championship leader, Pieterse, and Morgado.

Jonathan Pieterse was victorious in the DD2 Masters class

Senior MAX – Pascoal Records Maiden Win

In a weekend filled with tight margins and fearless racing, Gianna Pascoal stole the spotlight in Senior MAX. The WORR driver delivered a landmark performance, claiming her first-ever national heat victory in Heat 2. She backed it up with two runner-up finishes in the other races to secure the overall win, a breakthrough moment in her national karting campaign.

Pascoal was relentless throughout the weekend, clocking the fastest lap in all three heats and showcasing mature racecraft as she held off a strong field that included former national champions. Her results were enough to edge out Charl Visser, who finished second overall after winning Heat 1 and placing third in the other two.

Kent Swartz, who started from pole and claimed a dramatic third heat victory, rounded out the podium in third overall. Swartz showed excellent pace but was hampered by a nose-cone penalty in Heat 2, which ultimately cost him a higher finish.

Tayla Scrimgeour and Ethan Bostander, who finished fourth and fifth, respectively, also recorded strong drives, with Scrimgeour the standout performer. Visser, however, extends his lead to 32 points over Fellow Cape karter Jordon Wadeley.

Gianna Pascoal (#317) recorded her maiden Senior MAX victory this weekend.

Junior MAX – Mason Doubles Up, Moss Rallies

Mattao Mason came into Round 2 determined to make a statement, primarily competing in Germany and Italy while making his first national Junior MAX appearance. The double national champion stormed to pole position and won the opening two heats, setting the fastest lap in the opener. In the final race, Mason initially led, but a mid-race exchange saw Tshepang Shisinwana briefly take the lead before Caleb Moss pounced and powered through to take his first national heat win.

Mason’s 1-1-2 scoreline still handed him the overall win on points, while Moss's strong finish kept him firmly in title contention. Sebastian Blignaut, Shisinwana and Reagile Mailula rounded out the top five. A notable performance from Emma-Rose Dowling saw her secure an impressive third and fourth place in the opening two heats, demonstrating her remarkable rise in the standings. Despite facing a challenging race-ending crash that prevented her from achieving a top-three finish, her perseverance and strength inspire many.

Dowling drops to third in the championship, with Moss leading out Sebastiano Human by 16 points.

Mattao Mason (#428) claimed a double heat victory and the overall Junior MAX spoils.

Mini MAX – Dowling Triumps, Boshoff Stays Top

After two dominant race wins, Brodi Dowling made it an overall victory in a massive Mini MAX field. The Kart Republic driver, who recently returned from a stint in the Champions of the Future Academy Program, held his composure under pressure from championship leader Max Boshoff and a charging Declan Jurgens. Boshoff and Jurgens showed a strong pace but couldn't match Dowling's consistency.

Boshoff, however, kept his championship momentum alive with a trio of top-three finishes, while Jurgens remained in the hunt with a second place in Heat 2. Rafael De Sousa and Michael Arde completed the top five finishers. Boshoff leads Dowling by 11 points heading to KZN.

Brodi Dowling (#522) claimed two wins in Mini MAX.

Micro MAX – O'Mahoney Takes Two, De Wet Fights Back

After two breathtakingly close heats, Michael O'Mahoney looked set for a clean sweep in Micro MAX, taking wins in Heats 1 and 2. But championship leader Luhan de Wet, who had narrowly lost Heat 1 by just 0.051 seconds, returned the favour in Heat 3, delivering a sensational drive and posting the fastest lap of the day to take the victory.

Former National Bambino Champion Adriaan Steyn finished second overall, ahead of a podium-less Luke du Toit. Radhi Harris, Ronald Venter, and Riley van Staden each secured a podium finish on the day and were consistently among the frontrunners. O'Mahoney takes a three-point lead into the second half of the championship.

Bambino - De Oliveira Untouchable

Alonzo de Oliveira delivered a dominant performance at the Vereeniging Kart Circuit, sweeping all three heats to secure a perfect points haul in the Bambino class. After setting the pace in qualifying, the young Rand Kart Club driver held his nerve under pressure to lead every race from the front except two laps.

Winning the opening heat by almost 10 seconds, he had to fend off the challenges of his championship rival Sebastien Shuttleworth in Heats 2 and 3, with the winning margin just over two-tenths of a second on each occasion. 

Divaaj Govender, the championship leader heading into this round, finished third overall with three podiums, while Sean Arde and Zonkizizwe Holomisa claimed fourth and fifth, respectively.

The top driver's consistent pace bodes well for an exciting title fight heading into Round 3, where De Oliveira takes a 14-point advantage into the weekend.

Next Up: Idube Raceway, KZN

With two rounds remaining, including a return to the picturesque iDube Raceway in June, the 2025 SARMC championship battles are far from settled. The quest to earn a place on Team South Africa at the RMCGF intensifies from here, and every point matters.