TGR Junior Academy Brings 14-Driver Assault to Formula-K Raceway

The Toyota Gazoo Racing Junior Academy (TGRJA) will head to Formula-K Raceway next weekend for Round 2 of the South African Rotax MAX Challenge (SARMC), with its expanded driver line-up aiming to turn lessons from the season opener into stronger results at the Benoni-based circuit.

Rotax South Africa’s national karting championship opened at Killarney Kart Circuit in Cape Town with a weekend of mixed fortunes for the academy. While several drivers were left wanting more after a challenging opening round, the weekend also delivered several standout performances that underlined the depth of talent within the TGRJA structure.

Multiple national karting champion Charl Visser was one of the academy’s star performers in Cape Town, producing a dominant display in DD2 by claiming three wins from three heats. Junior MAX pilot Brodi Cooper Dowling also made an immediate statement in his new class with an opening heat victory, while Luke du Toit impressed in the highly competitive Mini MAX category by securing a double podium against some of the country’s strongest young drivers.

Now, with momentum to build and improvements to make, the academy heads to Formula-K with 14 drivers spread across all Rotax classes.

In DD2, Visser will be looking to extend his early championship advantage, while academy stablemate Jonno Wilson continues his class debut campaign on the national stage. With Visser bringing championship experience and Wilson building his foundation in the senior gearbox category, TGRJA will be well represented at the sharp end of the DD2 field.

The Senior MAX class will see a strong academy presence, with Emma-Rose Dowling returning to national competition after missing the opening round due to international karting commitments. Dowling joins fellow female racer and academy stalwart Georgia Lenaerts, while multiple national karting champion Tshepang Shisinwana adds further strength to the line-up after stepping up to the Senior MAX ranks. With three highly capable drivers in one of the most competitive classes on the grid, TGRJA will be looking for a strong collective showing.

In Junior MAX, reigning national Mini MAX champion Brodi Cooper Dowling will aim to add to his win tally after showing immediate pace at Killarney. He will be joined by Logan Billau, who makes his national debut in the 12-to-15-year-old category. For Dowling, the weekend presents an opportunity to reinforce his place among the Junior MAX front-runners, while Billau will look to mix it up with the best at national level.

The academy’s biggest assault will come in Mini MAX, where six drivers will fly the TGRJA colours. After a solid opening round, rookie Luke du Toit will spearhead the charge, joined by brother Callum du Toit and Namibian twins Mandume and Nande Kaiyamo, who return for another season of South African karting competition. The line-up is further strengthened by Luhan de Wet, the 2025 Micro MAX national champion, who steps into the Mini MAX fold, while internationally experienced and youngest driver on the grid, Ronald Venter completes the six-driver attack.

In Micro MAX, former Bambino ace Rofhiwa Ndwambi steps up as the academy’s sole entry in the class. The move marks an important stage in his development as he begins the next chapter of his karting career within the TGRJA system.

For Team Principal Leeroy Poulter, the Formula-K round represents far more than just a chance to chase trophies. It is another important step in the academy’s broader mission of developing disciplined, skilled and race-ready young drivers for the future.

“The vision of the Junior Academy has always been about more than winning races,” said Poulter. “Our goal is to identify young talent, give them the correct structure, and help groom them into future champions who can eventually make the transition from karting into circuit racing. Karting teaches the fundamentals, but through the academy we also focus on discipline, racecraft, preparation, technical understanding and the professional habits needed to succeed at the next level. Formula-K will be another important test for our drivers, and after a challenging opening round for many of them, we want to see how they respond, apply what they have learned and continue growing.”

With one national round completed and the championship picture beginning to take shape, Formula-K will provide the academy with an opportunity to reset, respond and reaffirm its place as one of South Africa’s leading karting development structures.

The championship rounds kicks off on Friday 12 June with six official practice sessions followed by a further four practice sessions on Saturday before qualifying brings an end to the day. Sunday will see the business end of the weekend with a warm-up session and three race heats to decide the overall round champions.

As the expanded TGRJA squad heads to Benoni, the focus will be on execution, consistency and continued progression across every class, with the next generation of TGR talent eager to make its mark on Round 2 of the SARMC season.