Global brands join forces to bring the World Rally Raid Championship to South Africa for the first time.
The inaugural South African Safari Rally, presented by Toyota Gazoo Racing, is set to take place from 18 to 24 May 2025 at the Sun City Resort, near Pilanesberg in the North West Province of South Africa. Hosting this world-class event would not have been possible without the support of dedicated partners and sponsors, including DHL Global Forwarding and Red Bull.
“It is a privilege to have top-tier companies like DHL Global Forwarding and Red Bull, along with our official partner Toyota Gazoo Racing, supporting the South African Safari Rally and helping make our dream of hosting a round of the World Rally-Raid Championship in South Africa a reality,” said Archie Rutherford, CEO of the South African Safari Rally.
“Thanks to their enthusiastic support for the first W2RC event to be held in Southern Africa, competitors and enthusiasts can look forward to spectacular action and world-class competition, hosted in the spectacular landscapes and terrain that South Africa has to offer, combined with the country’s rich heritage in rally-raid racing,” Rutherford said.
DHL Global Forwarding
Managing the transport of hundreds of race and support vehicles, along with tons of equipment, spare parts and tyres around the world for an international motorsport series, is a complex task. As the official logistics partner of the South African Safari Rally, DHL Global Forwarding is responsible for ensuring the seamless transport of teams and materials from the second round of the W2RC season, the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge (21-27 February), and from Europe to Sun City.
DHL Global Forwarding will also provide the trucking, transport and logistics support for the rally organisation team, helping ensure the safe and efficient running of this international event.
No stranger to world motorsport, DHL is also the official logistics partner to Formula 1, the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship, MotoGP and the World Endurance Championship.
“At DHL Global Forwarding, we specialise in delivering global events with precision and reliability. As the Official Logistics Partner, we are proud to support our partners with tailored solutions to complex logistics challenges across sports, arts, and culture. Events like the South African Safari Rally demonstrate the critical role logistics plays behind the scenes and allow us to bring our operational expertise to life in a meaningful way,” said Shabnum Dawood, CEO of DHL Global Forwarding South Africa. “We are proud to support the South African Safari Rally, enabling competitors to experience the breathtaking landscapes of South Africa while competing at the highest level.”
Red Bull
Pioneering energy drinks company Red Bull is backing the first-ever South African Safari Rally, bringing its unique blend of energy and excitement to this world-class event.
Few brands embody the spirit of pushing the limits of performance and endurance like Red Bull. It has built a powerful association with many of the world’s top athletes and teams in an incredibly diverse range of sports, and has been the driving force behind some of the world’s most iconic events and collaborations.
Red Bull is synonymous with all types of motor racing, on track and off-road, on both two and four wheels – from Formula 1 to MotoGP, World Rally Championship, World Rallycross, drifting, motocross, enduro, and many more. Red Bull has also been at the forefront of rally-raid competition for many years, supporting numerous high-profile W2RC and Dakar Rally winning teams, riders, drivers and navigators, while empowering up-and-coming stars of the future.
The closing date for entries to the South African Safari Rally is 30 April 2025.
