RMC African Open Champions Shine

African Champions Crowned as South African Team for RMC Grand Finals Revealed and Future Talents Emerge: Forging Africa’s Motorsport Future

The RMC African Open crowned the continent’s 2023 karting champions and completed the South African team for this year’s ‘Olympics of Karting’ RMC Grand Finals in Bahrain in December. There was however a far more significant theme at the annual continental affair at the Zwartkops International Kart Raceway, with the emergence of several competitive young karting talents from across Africa to underpin a stronger, greater motorsport future for the continent.

After a truly special day of International RMC Kart Racing, it was Eugene Brittz (Masters), Jamie Smith (DD2), Erich Heystek (Senior Max), Kent Swart (Junior Max), Reagile Mailula (Mini Max), Cristian Verheul (Micro Max) and Luke Du Toit (Bambino)  who were crowned Africa’s 2023 RMC Karting Champions. It was the ultimate prize for Smith, Heystek and Mailulu, whose wins secured a seat to represent South Africa at this year’s RMC Grand Finals in Bahrain along with Junior Max runner-up Wian Boshoff while born and bread Zwartkops duo, Brittz and Verheul’s wins ensured they took home the prize of an air-ticket to watch the RMCGF in Bahrain or a similar value gift voucher from RMC South Africa Series Sponsor EMR Karting. They will also provide backup for the team should a seat become available and Bambino winner du Toit walked away having bagged himself an official 2023 RMCGF suit.

The RMC African Open sees all classes racing two prefinals where drivers score qualifying points which ultimately sets the grid for each final.

DD2

It was all about the Smith brothers as Zwartkops expert Jamie beat Brandon and SA champion Sebastian Boyd in the opening DD2 race. Jamie then put it on pole for the final with another win over Nicolaos Vostanis and Boyd, who lined up second.

Jamie Smith however sped off to a three-second victory to claim his place on the National team alongside Sebastian Boyd and Bradley Liebenberg in the Grand Finals, as he left Nicolaos Vostanis to fight Boyd off in the African Open Final. Wildcard Délon Thompson was fourth from Capetonian Joseph Oelz, Brandon Smith who slipped back, and Dusan Radojevic after Kian Grottis took a three-place penalty. Namibian Justus Beulker and Jorden Moodley rounded out the top ten.

DD2 MASTERS

DD2 Masters proved an eventful day as Bjorn Roos beat Eugene Brittz and Mozambican ATCM Motorsport manager Cristian Bouché in the opening pre-final. Llewellyn Sutherland took pre-final 2 from Bouché and Veteran Philippe Chapat after Brittz and Roos clashed. So, Sutherland started on pole from Bouché after Roos’s damage saw him fail to start the final. It was however Eugene Brittz who raced back from sixth to take an easy win from Bouché and Sutherland to claim the African Open DD2 Masters title. Eugene will fly to the Grand Finals as a reserve entry in DD2 Masters, where SA champion Kyle Lawrence is confirmed to race. An impressive Chapat was fourth from Grant Veenstra, Ma Ming and Mark Villinger after Bjorn Roos did not make the start in the final.

SENIOR MAX

There was a surprise in Senior Max after South African champions past and present, Muhammad Wally, KC Ensor Smith, and Troy Snyman topped the first pre-final and Ensor Smith beat Wally and Snyman in the second to see Ensor Smith on pole. But there was drama in the Final. Ensor Smith picked up a penalty and Erich Heystek, who had qualified fourth, disposed of Wally and Snyman to take an emphatic win. Heystek now joins fourth on the day, SA champion Ensor Smith at the December Grand Finals. Behind them, Kian Spies was fifth from Mikel Bezuidenhout, Matthew Wadeley, Nielen Marx, Ethan Stier and Corban Spies. Mention must be made for the incredible sportsmanship on display in the class as a number of drivers halted their own pre-final to attend to Stier who found himself under his kart after a nasty crash on the main straight.

JUNIOR MAX

Kent Swartz beat Georgia Lenaerts and Wian Boshoff in the opening high school Junior Max pre-final before Jonno Wilson beat Swartz and Boshoff to pre-final 2. That saw Swartz on pole from Wilson and Boshoff. It was heartbreak for Jonno Wilson, who led the way for the entire race, only to retire on the penultimate lap to leave SA champion Kent Swartz to take the win from Wian Boshoff and Gianna Pascoal. Mauro Da Luz ended fourth from Georgia Lenaerts, Amani Kinyua, Jordon Wadeley and Jesse Swart. With SA champion Kent Swarts already confirmed for the Grand Finals, Wian Boshoff was delighted to pick up the remaining Junior Max seat thanks to his runner-up spot on the day.

MINI MAX

Tshepang Shisinwana was in fine form taking the opening under-13 Mini Max win from Franco Gibhard and SA champion Caleb Odendaal before Reagile Mailula took the win in pre-final 2 from Kegan Martin and Odendaal. That saw Mailula in pole position from Gibhard and Martin for the final. There was no stopping Reagile Mailula from storming to the African Mini Max title and claiming his Grand Finals seat alongside Caleb Odendaal. Kegan Martin was a lonely second from Odendaal, Emma Dowling, Franco Gibhard, Durelle Goodman and Tshepang Shisinwana. Kyle Spies followed ahead of Capetonian Nicolas Lennox, Zaydaan Hussain, and best of the African contingent, Mozambican Lucas Campos.

MICRO MAX

Local hero Cristian Verheul gave notice of his African under 11 Micro Max Open intentions by claiming pole position in qualifying and winning both pre-finals from Ronaldo Koen and SA champion Rafael Da Silva in the opener, and Da Silva and Koen in the second. Verheul then drove off to an easy win in the final to claim the African Micro Max title from Brodi Dowling, Da Silva, Matthew Shuttleworth, Koen, Benjamin Gibhard, and Ruvan Maritz. Callum du Toit was next home from Cape Town drivers Kiyaan Reddi and Michael O’Mahoney, and best continental finisher, Namibian Nande Kaiyamo. Cristian Verheul now travels to the Grand Finals as a Micro Max reserve, with Rafael Da Silva confirmed to start.

BAMBINO

Adriaan Steyn looked unstoppable as he took both baby Bambino pre-finals from Luhan De Wet and Michael O’Mahoney first, and from O’Mahoney and Luke du Toit in the second, to line up ahead of Michael O’Mahoney and du Toit on the Final grid. But dramatically, Adriaan Steyn hit trouble in the Final to tumble down the field and leave the latest scion of the Zwartkops du Toit family, Luke to take an emotional home win and the African Bambino crown while earning himself a green and gold SA National team race suit for his efforts. Cape driver Michael O’Mahoney impressed on his Zwartkops debit and was a close second from Aston Verheul, Luhan De Wet and Mathebula Lwashu.

The rest of the top ten and the balance of a superb 22-kart field in the kindergarten of karting, showed a great surge for the future of African motorsport as kids from all around Southern Africa starred at Zwartkops. Sixth as good as a win for Mozambican Eduardo Campos ahead of Ronald Venter, Daniel Resende from Mozambique, and Namibians Milla Botha and Russell Josephat. In all a very good sign of a far more vibrant African motorsport future.

So, once again the African Open dust has settled at Zwartkops and the South African team has emerged for the 2023 ‘Olympics of Karting’ RMC Grand Finals in Bahrain. Jamie Smith will join Sebastian Boyd and Bradley Liebenberg on the DD2 grid, Eugene Brittz goes to Bahrain as a reserve alongside Kyle Lawrence in DD2 Masters, and KC Ensor Smith and Erich Heystek are the SA Senior Max team. Double champion Kent Swartz and Wian Boshoff will fly the flag in Junior Max, Caleb Odendaal and Reagile Mailula will race in Mini Max and Rafael da Silva in Micro Max with Christian Verheul as reserve.