TGR Junior Academy Celebrates Standout National Rotax Weekend

The Toyota Gazoo Racing Junior Academy delivered one of its strongest performances of the season during Round 2 of the South African Rotax MAX Challenge at Formula-K Raceway in Benoni.

Competing in Micro MAX, Mini MAX, Junior MAX, Senior MAX and DD2, the expanded academy lineup achieved race wins, podiums, strong pace and several notable recovery drives, marking a highly successful weekend for the Toyota-backed driver development programme.

With 14 drivers representing the academy across national Rotax categories, the weekend highlighted the depth of talent being developed under the TGRJA banner, from Micro MAX to DD2.

DD2

In DD2, Charl Visser stood out once again. After qualifying third, the multiple national champion won the first two heats and finished third in the final race. His consistent, disciplined approach secured another strong overall result and reinforced his status as a leading driver in the premier gearbox class.

Team-mate Jonno Wilson also demonstrated strong pace. He secured pole position in qualifying, finished second in Heat 1, and rebounded from a challenging Heat 2 to win the final heat. His performance further highlighted his growing confidence and race-winning potential in DD2.

SENIOR MAX

The Senior MAX class brought further success for the academy. Emma-Rose Dowling delivered an impressive performance, starting Heat 1 from the back of a 28-kart grid and finishing fourth. She won the second heat, which was later cancelled, and finished as runner-up in the re-run. Dowling continues to demonstrate her ability to perform under pressure in a highly competitive class.

Georgia Lenaerts also impressed in Senior MAX. After qualifying 13th, she finished sixth in Heat 1, fourth in Heat 2, and fifth in the re-run, demonstrating composure and consistent race pace.

Tshepang Shisinwana added further strength to the academy’s Senior MAX showing. After qualifying sixth, he charged to a brilliant second place in Heat 1, giving TGRJA a major result in the opening senior heat. Although his second race was compromised, he recovered with an eighth-place finish in the re-run, ensuring another solid points-scoring weekend.

JUNIOR MAX

In Junior MAX, Brodi Cooper Dowling was one of the stars of the weekend. After qualifying second, he converted his front-row start into victory in Heat 1. He then added third place in Heat 2 before returning to the top step in the final heat. Two wins and a podium from three races gave Dowling a superb overall result and confirmed his status as one of the leading Junior MAX contenders in the country.

The academy's latest addition, Logan Billau, also produced a strong showing in the same class. Qualifying sixth in a 22-kart field, Billau raced inside the leading group for much of the weekend. He finished fifth in Heat 1, fourth in Heat 2 and ninth in Heat 3, showing consistency, discipline and continued progress against a highly competitive national grid.

MINI MAX

Mini MAX proved another major highlight for the academy, with Luhan de Wet delivering a weekend that showcased his talent and tenacity. Although he was a few tenths off the ultimate pace for much of the weekend, the reigning national Micro MAX champion dug deep when it mattered most. After qualifying seventh in a 20-kart field, De Wet raced to third in Heat 1, second in Heat 2 and then delivered a determined drive to victory in Heat 3. His consistency and fighting spirit earned him the overall Mini MAX win.

Nande Kaiyamo also made a major statement in Mini MAX, claiming his maiden pole position in qualifying. The Namibian racer followed that with second place in Heat 1, fifth in Heat 2 and ninth in Heat 3. His pace over the weekend was a clear sign of his growing confidence and adaptation to the South African national karting scene.

Mandume Kaiyamo showed similar progress. After qualifying 11th, he endured a difficult opening race, dropping out of the top six following a penalty to finish 15th, but responded strongly with a podium finish in Heat 2, crossing the line third. He then added a 10th-place finish in Heat 3, giving him another valuable weekend of national-level experience.

The Du Toit brothers also added to the academy’s Mini MAX success. Luke du Toit qualified third and backed that up with fifth place in Heat 1 before taking a superb Heat 2 victory. Although battling for the lead in Heat 3, he dropped to 13th on the final lap, with his weekend again demonstrating his front-running pace. Callum du Toit qualified on the front row in second and remained firmly in the mix, recording eighth, 19th and fourth across the three heats, with his final-race recovery highlighting his ability to respond under pressure.

MICRO MAX

In Micro MAX, Rofhiwa Ndwambi represented the academy with a measured and determined performance. After qualifying fifth, he finished fourth in Heat 1 and remained in the thick of the front-running battle throughout the weekend. Sixth in Heat 2 and eighth in Heat 3 completed a solid national outing, giving the young driver more valuable race mileage and experience at the sharp end of the class.

For the Toyota Gazoo Racing Junior Academy, the weekend was about more than just trophies and results. It was a showcase of the academy’s driver development structure, with racers across all age groups demonstrating improved racecraft, adaptability, resilience and composure under pressure.

TEAM PRINCIPAL REFLECTS

Reflecting on the weekend, TGRJA Team Principal Leeroy Poulter praised the academy’s collective progress and the way its development structure is beginning to translate into results across the classes. “This was a very encouraging weekend for the academy, not only because of the wins and podiums, but because we could see clear progress from so many of our drivers,” said Poulter. “Driver development takes time, and weekends like this show that the work being done behind the scenes is bearing fruit. From our younger drivers learning how to race at the front, to our more experienced drivers converting pace into results, the growth across the team has been very pleasing. The focus remains on building complete drivers, and this weekend was a strong indication that we are moving in the right direction.”

From Visser’s experience in DD2 and Dowling’s front-running Junior MAX form to De Wet’s Mini MAX triumph and the continued growth of the younger academy drivers, the Formula-K round delivered a strong statement of intent.

With national championship battles now gaining momentum, TGRJA leaves Benoni with victories, podiums, confidence and clear evidence that its development pathway continues to produce drivers capable of competing at the front of South African karting.