South African Karters Set for British COTFA Finale
Five young South African karters will fly the national flag in the UK this weekend as the inaugural British Champions of the Future Academy Program reaches its conclusion at Whilton Mill.
Noah Cronje, Zac Boshoff and Rofhiwa Ndwambi will line up in Mini 60, while Max Boshoff will contest OK-N Junior and Emma-Rose Dowling will represent South Africa in OK-N Senior.
Taking place from 21–23 August, the Whilton Mill event is the fourth and final stop of the 2026 British COTFA campaign following earlier rounds at Kart Silverstone, PF International and Larkhall Circuit International.
The championship, organised by RGMMC in conjunction with Motorsport UK, follows the proven Champions of the Future Academy concept and places considerable emphasis on driver ability. Rather than arriving with individually prepared machinery, competitors race in an arrive-and-drive format using controlled equipment allocated through a lottery system.
Mini 60 competitors race Parolin chassis powered by TM Kart engines, while the OK-N Junior and OK-N Senior categories use Kart Republic chassis with IAME power. The concept is designed to create a more level playing field while challenging drivers to adapt quickly to the equipment they receive.
For the South African contingent, that adaptability will be particularly important at one of British karting’s most recognised venues.
Whilton Mill’s 1,2 km layout features 13 corners and has helped develop numerous successful international drivers. Lando Norris and George Russell are among those to have raced extensively at the Northamptonshire circuit during their formative karting years.
Three-Kart South African Mini Challenge
South Africa will have its largest representation in Mini 60, with Cronje, Boshoff and Ndwambi taking on the highly competitive field.
Cronje arrives at Whilton Mill having already made his mark on the British championship. The South African produced an impressive performance at Larkhall in June, maintaining pressure at the front before finishing second on the road in Sunday’s final. A post-race penalty for the initial winner subsequently promoted Cronje to victory, earning him his first British COTFA final win.
That result showed Cronje has the pace and racecraft to compete at the sharp end of the British field and added confidence heading into the finale.
Zac Boshoff and Rofhiwa Ndwambi add further South African interest to the category as they debut in the series. Both youngsters have gained considerable experience in competitive South African karting, but Whilton Mill provides a different test. Racing unfamiliar machinery against a strong British and international field will demand that both drivers quickly find their feet during practice before the competitive sessions begin.
Regardless of the final result, racing in this environment offers valuable international experience at an important stage of their respective careers.
Boshoff Takes On OK-N Junior
Max Boshoff has already experienced the British COTFA environment this season, having contested the PF International round in May, and therefore heads into Whilton Mill with some knowledge of the Kart Republic-IAME package. That previous experience could prove valuable as he looks to finish his British campaign strongly.
The move into Junior machinery has been an important step in Boshoff’s development during 2026, and another weekend against a competitive international field gives the South African an opportunity to measure his progress.
Dowling Targets Strong Senior Finish
Emma-Rose Dowling heads into the finale carrying arguably South Africa’s strongest championship position. The Toyota Gazoo Racing Junior Academy driver, who represents the F1 ACADEMY DISCOVER YOUR DRIVE initiative in the British series, currently occupies third place in the OK-N Senior standings following an increasingly competitive campaign.
After a challenging opening round, Dowling made a significant breakthrough at PF International, where she raced to a podium finish. She followed that performance with fourth and fifth-place finishes in the two Larkhall finals, gaining two positions in the championship standings and moving into the top three ahead of Whilton Mill.
The South African will therefore have more than an individual race result to fight for this weekend as she looks to consolidate her championship position and conclude her British campaign on a high.
Final Test At Whilton Mill
The finale brings to an end the first season of the British Champions of the Future Academy Program, with champions set to be crowned across Mini 60, OK-N Junior and OK-N Senior.
The series also offers strong incentives for success. The Junior and Senior champions earn supported opportunities to compete at the FIA Karting World Championship with a factory team, while the Mini 60 champion earns an international racing opportunity in Macau.
For South African karting, however, having five drivers across all three categories is significant in itself. Competing internationally remains one of the most valuable ways for young drivers to broaden their experience, encounter different racing styles and benchmark themselves against competitors outside their domestic championships.
Cronje has already demonstrated South African winning potential within the series, Dowling heads to the finale inside the championship top three, while Zac Boshoff, Ndwambi and Max Boshoff have another valuable opportunity to test themselves on British soil.
With two days of competitive action ahead, all five will be hoping to ensure that the South African flag features prominently as the inaugural British COTFA season reaches its conclusion.
Follow The Action
Live timing and official results throughout the weekend will be available through the RGMMC Apex Timing portal:
https://www.apex-timing.com/live-timing/rgmmc/index.html
The racing can also be followed via the official Champions Karting Academy YouTube channel:
