SA Chasing Olympics of Karting Glory

Strong Green & Gold team for Rotax Max Grand Finals

Three years later, the green and gold returns to the ‘Olympics of Karting’ Rotax Max Challenge Karting Grand Finals, which roll out at Portimão, Portugal over the coming week from 20 to 26 November, and back to their full glory for 2022.

South Africa was one of many nations prevented from competing in the annual Grand Finals due to lockdown restrictions over the past two years. The event sees the National Champions and some of their leading rivals in the various Rotax Max classes from around the world, competing for the ultimate crowns in those classes.

Twelve South African drivers and their support crews will be tested to the limit against the world’s best at Portimão. Far more than just about who is fastest on track, each driver is given a brand new, unsorted kart, a Rotax Max race engine, tyres and fuel for the week of this unique arrive and drive festival of karting.

They have a few practice sessions to tinker and tweak the kart before a series of ruthless heats. Only the top 33 qualifiers will line up for the final in each class. Twelve drivers from across the classes will comprise the South African Rotax Max Grand Finals team for the event that returns to Portimão’s 1.6 km Algarve Karting facility this week.

Three drivers represent South Africa in the premier class DD2 Grand Finals. Capetonian archrivals, SA DD2 champion Sebastian Boyd and runner up Joseph Oelz qualified by virtue of that 1-2. They will be backed by wildcard African Open winner and multiple SA DD2 champion and Grad Finals regular Brad Liebenberg, in a mighty top class team.

2022 National over-32 DD2 Masters champion Eugene Brittz returns to the Rotax Max Grand Finals as SA’s only representative in the Masters age group class at Portimão. National runner-up, Gauteng lad Karabo Malemela and KZN driver, African Open winner Shrien Naidoo will fly the flag in the Senior Max Grand Finals. A third Senior Max driver, Moosa Kajee will race in the new Rotax Max Project E20 Electric class.

Moving on to the school kid classes, dominant South African high school under-15 Junior Max champion KC Ensor-Smith dons the Junior Max Grand Finals green and gold alongside Wian Boshoff in Portugal this week.

In the primary school classes, another dominant SA champion, Caleb Odendaal won both the SA title and African Open to clinch an under 13 Micro Max Grand Final seat alongside SA runner-up Adam Kajee. 2022 South African under-13 champ Rafael da Silva will race the under-11 Rotax Micro Max Grand Final.

“The South African team is ready to make a huge comeback at the 2022 Rotax Max Grand Finals at Portimão after two years of missing the ‘Olympics of Karting’ through lockdown,” South African Rotax Max boss Ed Murray explained. “Twelve South Africans have qualified for the regular classes, plus one driver competing in Rotax Max’s new electric kart class.

“South Africa has a rich history in the Rotax Max Grand Finals, we’ve brought many a world title home over the years. “We have a strong and experienced team heading over this year and would like to thank MSA for kindly licensing all our drivers for this FIA sanctioned event.

“The Rotax Max Grand Final is an unforgettable experience. “Each kid and their parents in green and gold qualified for this unique opportunity of representing South Africa by winning championships and races back home. “Irrespective of how they fare, they will treasure these memories for life.”

The Rotax Max Grand Finals commence on Sunday 20 November, with the finals in each class going down on Saturday the 26th. Follow the action on live stream via the newly launched Rotax Grand Finals website or right here on KART.CO.ZA’s Official Grand Finals page.