ROTAX THRILLS AT SENSATIONAL FORMULA K

Multiple Max winners tighten national title chases

A sensational day of RMC South African Kart Championships karting not only delivered thrilling, close racing and multiple winners, but the results also served to tighten up the championship chase in every class racing at Formula K in Benoni on Saturday. In what proved a crucial day of racing, the heat is now squarely on with multiple drivers vying for the six titles that will also shape the South African team to compete in the Rotax Max ‘Olympics of Karting’ Grand Finals in Italy in October.

Multiple champion Bradley Liebenberg won the final premier DD2 gearbox class heat to take the day from heat 2 winner Sebastian Boyd and the consistent Nicolaos Vostanis. Championship leader coming into the meeting and Race 1 winner Jason Coetzee ran into trouble in the second race and was excluded from fourth in the third after being found underweight to close that title chase right up. Coetzee’s woes left the way open for Matthew Wadeley to nick fourth from Ethan Stier, Karabo Malemela, Dusan Radojevic and a troubled Jamie Smith in a dramatic day in the top class.

There were also multiple winners in the DD2 Masters, where second heat winner Justin Rogers took the day from the consistent Cristian Bouché on a count-back after the duo tied on points for the day. There was only one point in it for third too, as opening heat winner Bjorn Roos edged final race victor Jonathan Pieterse. Carlo Gil, former leader Jared, and Michael Jordan followed to also blow that title chase wide open.

Muhammad Wally took a close fought 16-kart Senior Max win for the day with a two heat to one win over Charl Visser. That allowed the two of them to close down on title leader and third on the day Jonno Wilson. He tied with Kent Swartz on points for the day as Brandon van der Walt, Mauro Da Luz, Kian Spies and Shrien Naidoo enjoyed the best seats in the house to follow the leaders home.

Under-15 Junior Max was another class to deliver triple winners. First in the opening race, William Marshall held the consistent Gianna Pascoal, final heat winner Georgia Lenaerts and middle race victor Kegan Martin at bay to also close that title chase right up in the lead up to that August Zwartkops finale. Amani Kinyua meanwhile held Luke Hill off for fifth with Jesse Swart and Jordon Wadeley in chase.

A twenty-kart under-13 age group Mini Max grid included several drivers from neighbouring counties to also thrill as it delivered completely different results over the three heats. Opening race winner Durelle Goodman however did enough to hold second heat winner Ronaldo Koen and Brodi Dowling off for the win, with Ruvan Maritz third for the day. Rafael De Sousa followed from championship leader coming into the weekend, Tshepang Shisinwana. He bounded back from a disastrous second race to win the final to lead Declan Jurgens, Kiyaan Reddi and Nande Kaiyamo home.

The 14-kart under-11 Micro Max races saw Luhan De Wet defeat Noah Cronje two races to one with championship contenders Matthew Shuttleworth and Liam Wharton next up. Luke Du Toit and Adriaan Steyn meantime tied for fifth ahead of Retlotleng Thekiso, Michael O’Mahoney and Alessio Britz.

Caleb Lingeveldt bounced back to take the second and third baby Bambino wins as he won the day from opening heat winner, Alonzo De Oliveira and Aston Verheul. The three of them closed the gap on fourth placed championship leader Radhi Harris. Sebastien Shuttleworth, Russell Josephat, Liam De Beer, Enzokuhle Ncwane and Anash Madikane followed to close off a thrilling day of racing that served to tighten up the championship in every class in the lead up to the Rotax Max National Finals at Zwartkops on 31 August.