Mikel Bezuidenhout Delivers Breakout Zwartkops Performance

Mikel Bezuidenhout put on an impressive driving display at Zwartkops Kart Raceway this weekend during Round 3 of the Northern Regions Rotax Kart Championship, finishing as the runner-up in massive 17-kart field.

After a frustrating national round at Vereeniging that plagued him with power-valve issues, the Xtreme Racing Team driver returned to form with a sensational qualifying effort. Clocking a lap just 0.009 seconds off the pole time, Mikel secured a front-row start for Race 1 and reaffirmed his pace with the race's fastest lap.

Race 1 saw Mikel drop to fourth after the start but immediately assert himself, moving up the field to slot into second behind the leader. Setting the fastest lap of the race and closing the gap to the leader, the Sandton teenager crossed the line as runner-up to record the first of his two podiums.

In Race 2, Mikel made no mistake. From pole, he took control early and never looked back, leading all 15 laps and setting consistent lap times. His margin of victory over Swartz was a commanding 3.6 seconds, highlighting the strength of his pace and composure under pressure. This was Mikel's second win in Senior MAX.

Unfortunately, the final race saw his momentum stall. Caught in mid-pack scuffles after a closely bunched start, Mikel had to dig deep. Despite carving his way back up the order and setting the fastest lap again, a nose-cone infringement penalty dropped him from fourth across the line to sixth in the final classification.

Across the day, Mikel arguably put on his best performance to date, and his Zwartkops outing not only signalled a clear return to form but also boosted his confidence.

"It felt great to bounce back after Vereeniging. The pace was there from the start, and I'm proud of the work the team put in to get us back up front. We've shown we can run at the sharp end, now it's about building on this and pushing for more wins," Mikel reflected.

With strong backing from MTN Cosmo-Net and Huawei Mobile South Africa and the expertise of the Xtreme Racing Team, Mikel remains a force to be reckoned with in the Senior MAX ranks. As the regional and national championships unfold, his blend of maturity and raw speed will be key to his push for podiums and more victories.

Mikel will now focus on his MSA4 campaign with the Corsa Dei Gemelli race team set for a showdown at Zwartkops Raceway on 20-21 June.