Rookie De Wet Claims Africa Open Crown in Zwartkops Thriller
Luhan de Wet delivered one of the standout drives of his young karting career at Zwartkops Kart Raceway this past weekend, where the OMP/Motorsport Fanatix™ ambassador contested the third national round of the South African Rotax MAX Challenge before storming to his first Africa Open title in a dramatic winner-takes-all finale.
The weekend proved to be a challenging national outing, with the result not going quite the rookie's way. Contested over three heats, the championship round saw the double national champion show strong pace throughout Friday and Saturday, underlining his potential in the highly competitive Mini MAX field.
Luhan opened his national campaign with a solid runner-up finish in Heat 1, immediately placing himself among the front-runners. However, a post-race penalty in Heat 2 and an on-track skirmish in Heat 3 saw him finish ninth overall, leaving the Lyttelton youngster with work to do heading into the Africa Open final.
Starting ninth on the grid, Luhan faced a significant challenge in the decisive race. Yet he once again showed why he is regarded as one of South Africa’s rising karting stars. With determination, composure and impressive racecraft, he worked his way forward and went on to lead the majority of the final heat.
The race built towards a nail-biting final lap. After being passed for the lead, Luhan refused to settle for second. In a thrilling response, he fought back at the final corner, retook the lead, and crossed the line to claim the chequered flag and his first Africa Open crown.
The victory also secured Luhan a place at his second consecutive Rotax MAX Challenge Grand Finals, following his appearance in Bahrain last season in the Micro MAX category. For the young racer, the achievement marks another major milestone in a career that continues to gather momentum.
“Thank you to everyone who supported me this weekend,” said Luhan. “It was not an easy weekend, but my family, my team, my sponsors and everyone behind me kept believing. I am very proud to win my first Africa Open title, and I am really looking forward to heading back to the Rotax MAX Challenge Grand Finals for the second year in a row after racing in Bahrain last season in Micro MAX. I will keep working hard and give everything.”
With the national championship round and Africa Open now complete, Luhan leaves Zwartkops with another major title to his name and renewed confidence as he prepares to represent South Africa once again on the international Rotax stage.
