With the 2025 South African National Circuit Championship already four rounds in, TOYOTA GAZOO Racing South Africa (TGRSA) is now preparing to launch its off-circuit campaign with a full weekend of racing in two different disciplines. The team will contest both the opening round of the South African Rally-Raid Championship (SARRC) and the National Rally Championship (NRC) this coming weekend, marking the official start of TGRSA’s rally-raid and rally seasons for the year.
RENAULT KEC 400 OPENS COMPRESSED 2025 SARRC SEASON
The 2025 SARRC season is finally set to get under way, following several delays caused by scheduling conflicts and weather-related disruptions. Originally expected to start earlier in the year, the local rally-raid season was pushed into the second half of the calendar, largely due to the international South African Safari Rally and flooding in the Thabazimbi area, where Round 2 had initially been scheduled.
Now, the season will begin exactly where 2024 ended — at the Legends Adventure Farm near Bronkhorstspruit, with the Renault KEC 400 serving as Round 1. The race kicks off on Friday, 28 June with the Falken Wild Peak Prologue at 10:15. This short qualifying section will determine the start order for Stage 1, a loop of approximately 85 km, which gets under way at 13:15.
On Saturday, competitors will face two loops of 175 km each, starting at 08:30 with Stage 2. After a 30-minute compulsory de-control at the Designated Service Park at Legends Adventure Farm, they’ll head back out for Stage 3, which repeats the morning’s route. As always, fans are welcome to follow the action at various public viewing points or track the crews live via the RallySafe App, available for download via Google PlayStore and iStore.
TGRSA will field three GR Hilux IMT EVO entries for the opening round. Guy Botterill, who narrowly missed out on the SARRC title in 2024, returns for another full season, now partnered with experienced Spanish navigator Oriol Mena Valdearcos. Also returning is rising star Saood Variawa, partnered once more by French co-driver Francois Cazalet. The pair showed impressive pace at the recent South African Safari Rally, and will be keen to bring that form into the domestic series.
Joining the team for 2025 is international driver João Ferreira from Portugal, who will be partnered by fellow countryman Filipe Palmeiro. Ferreira brings impressive experience at global level, having won the 2022 European Baja Championship and competed extensively in both T3 and T4 categories. Palmeiro, meanwhile, has had an exceptionally busy and successful year, including multiple championship titles. Together, they’ll contest part of the 2025 SARRC season as well as the remaining rounds of the W2RC for TGRSA.
NRC CAMPAIGN BEGINS WITH DOUBLE-ROUND IN TZANEEN
TGRSA will also be in action in the opening round of the 2025 South African National Rally Championship (NRC), taking place in the lush surrounds of Tzaneen, Limpopo. This event, officially titled the NTT Tzaneen National Rally, doubles as Rounds 1 and 2 of the NRC season, with six special stages scheduled for Friday and another six for Saturday. In total, crews will face 173 kilometres of stage racing, with the ceremonial start taking place at NTT Toyota Tzaneen at 12:00 on Friday.
The team’s Starlet rally car will be piloted by Mandla Mdakane, who returns to the series after a solid 2024 campaign. For the opening round, Mandla will be partnered by Henry Adams, stepping in for regular co-driver Simon Vacy-Lyle, who is away due to family commitments. Despite the change, the team is targeting a strong start to the season on a rally route renowned for its variety, rhythm, and demanding surface changes.
As TGRSA opens its off-circuit season with this high-profile double header, the team’s focus will be on consistency, development and results. With new partnerships and returning talent in both rally-raid and rally, the team is confident of making a strong start to what promises to be a busy and competitive 2025 campaign.
