Sebastian Boyd, Kyle Lawrence, KC Ensor Smith, Kent Swartz, Caleb Odendaal, Rafael da Silva, and Adriaan Steyn emerged victorious as the 2023 South African RMC Max National Karting Champions. Their triumphant moment arrived after an exhilarating day of racing at Zwartkops on Saturday.
DD2
The premier Rotax DD2 Masters gearbox class witnessed an eventful day, with reigning champion Sebastian Boyd not participating in the opening heat. This unexpected turn allowed wildcard teammate Jamie Smith to secure victories over championship leader Bradley Liebenberg in the initial two races. Boyd, however, rebounded impressively, securing fourth place in the second race and later clinching victory in the final two heats. The overall outcome saw Smith clinching the day’s victory, followed by Liebenberg, Kian Grottis, Nicolaos Vostanis, and Dusan Radojevic. Boyd’s performance landed him in the seventh position, with Masters winner Jonathan Pieterse ahead of him.
The day’s results left Sebastian Boyd and Bradley Liebenberg tied with identical National Championship points and outcomes. Ultimately, Boyd secured his second consecutive DD2 title due to his stronger regional contributions in the Cape compared to Liebenberg’s performance in Gauteng. Kian Grottis secured third place in the championship rankings, followed by Nicolaos Vostanis, and the Masters duo of Jonathan Pieterse and Kyle Lawrence, creating a captivating championship scenario.
DD2 MASTERS
In the over-32-year-old DD2 Masters category, KZN’s Jonathan Pieterse dominated with three race wins, outshining local contender Kyle Lawrence, who secured one win. Bjorn Roos completed the podium in this class. Despite Jonathan Pieterse’s overall success against Kyle Lawrence, the Masters title was claimed by Lawrence due to favourable results in the individual Masters championship tally. Cape duo Conor Hughes and Jared Jordan secured third and fourth positions, respectively, followed by Bjorn Roos and Niel Lambrechts.
SENIOR MAX
Roshaan Goodman’s outstanding performance defined the Rotax Senior Max races, featuring three different winners across four races. Consistency propelled Ethan Bostander to second place on the day, following heat 2 winner Goodman. Troy Snyman, the final race winner, secured the third spot. KC Ensor Smith secured two crucial race victories, with Olerato Sekudu, Muhammad Wally, Nielen Marx, and Kian Spies also contributing to the intense competition. Ensor-Smith’s achievements included adding the Senior title to his 2022 Junior crown. Snyman secured second place, followed by Wally, Bostander, Goodman, and Sekudu.
JUNIOR MAX
In the High school Junior Max category, Kent Swartz dominated with a flawless performance of four race wins, surpassing competitors Gianna Pascoal, Jonno Wilson, Georgia Lenaerts, and Wian Boshoff. Jordon Wadeley secured sixth place, while Mauro Da Luz and Amani Kinyua followed. Swartz secured a comfortable lead in the Junior Max championship, ultimately clinching the title over Boshoff. Wilson, Wadeley, Lenaerts, and Kinyua vied for the third spot.
MINI MAX
Reagile Mailula showcased dominant form in the under-13 Rotax Mini Max division, securing three out of four wins. Race 3 victor Kegan Martin followed, with Caleb Odendaal securing a composed third place. Durelle Goodman, Keagan Beaumont, and Taylin Patel completed the top positions, while Franco Gibhard and Emma Dowling also performed well. Caleb Odendaal’s consistent performance earned him a manageable back-to-back 2023 South African Mini Max title. Martin secured second place, narrowly holding off Mailula in third, followed by Beaumont, Goodman, and Dowling.
MICRO MAX
Rafael Da Silva’s performance shone in the Micro Max category, securing two wins and the under-11 title for the day. Matthew Shuttleworth and Cristian Verheul secured victories in the second and third races, respectively. Ronaldo Koen earned fourth place, trailed by Brodi Dowling, Callum du Toit, Ruvan Maritz, and Benjamin Gibhard. Rafael da Silva clinched a comfortable back-to-back Rotax Micro Max championship victory over Dowling. The battle for the third spot was intense, with Ronaldo Koen edging out Shuttleworth, and Cristian Verheul closely following, alongside Jayden van der Merwe.
BAMBINO
The competition among the youngest racers, the baby Bambinos, was fierce as Adriaan Steyn secured two heat victories, narrowly surpassing Luhan de Wet’s one win to claim the day’s victory. Ronald Venter secured third place overall, followed by Yaqeen Gamieldien, Alonzo De Oliveira, Lwashu Mathebula, Slater Smith, and Sebastien Shuttleworth. Adriaan Steyn’s remarkable performance led to securing the 2023 title, narrowly overtaking Luhan De Wet by a mere 1.5 points. Venter secured third place, followed by Luke du Toit, Smith, and Mathebula.
Adriaan Steyn’s achievement earned him a South African karting suit and the opportunity to support the South African National Team at the RMC Grand Finals in Bahrain, often called the ‘Olympics of Karting.’ The remaining champions, including Sebastian Boyd, Kyle Lawrence, KC Ensor Smith, Kent Swartz, Caleb Odendaal, and Rafael da Silva, now constitute the core of the National Team set to compete at the Bahrain Grand Finals. Additional winners from the upcoming RMC African Open event on October 1st at Zwartkops. will join them.
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Over 200 competitors have registered to compete in this year’s revolutionary new South African Rotax MAX Kart Championships. Have you?
Get South African Kart Championships news to your inbox…
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Over 200 competitors have registered to compete in this year’s revolutionary new South African Rotax MAX Kart Championships. Have you?