TOYOTA GAZOO Racing South Africa (TGRSA) kicked off its 2025 South African Rally-Raid Championship (SARRC) campaign this weekend with a determined performance at the Renault KEC 400, held at the Legends Adventure Farm near Bronkhorstspruit. The season opener featured changing conditions, technical terrain and tight competition, with TGRSA’s Saood Variawa and co-driver Francois Cazalet securing an impressive second place overall — their highest SARRC finish to date.
The two-day event began with the Falken Wild Peak Prologue on Friday morning, followed by Stage 1 in the afternoon. Variawa/Cazalet clocked the 9th-fastest time in qualifying before climbing to third overall after the opening race loop. On Saturday, competitors tackled two challenging 175 km loops, comprising Stages 2 and 3. The route demanded pinpoint accuracy, quick reflexes and tough decisions, with a mix of muddy sections, dust, rutted tracks and rocky outcrops throughout.
Starting the final day just 11 seconds behind the leaders, Variawa and Cazalet pushed hard in pursuit of victory. “We had the pace and were on for the win in my eyes,” said Variawa. “But two punctures cost us time, and we also took a two-minute penalty. Still, it’s a podium finish — my best so far in the championship — and I’m really happy with the team, the car and our performance.”
The pair completed the event in a time of 6hr 10min 02sec, just 2min 38sec behind eventual winners Gareth Woolridge and Boyd Dreyer (Ford NWM). It was a confident statement of intent from the young TGRSA driver, who continues to show maturity and raw speed in the premier Ultimate T1+ class.
Guy Botterill and Oriol Mena, who had set the third-fastest time in the Prologue and were leading the rally after Stage 1, saw their strong weekend cut short by mechanical trouble. A power steering failure just 3 km into Saturday’s opening stage forced them into the pits for repairs. They rejoined the event under penalty and completed the race in 15th overall, seventh in class. “Guy did an amazing job on Friday,” said Shameer Variawa, Team Principal. “He was really quick, and it was just bad luck that cost him the result on Saturday.”
TGRSA’s third crew, João Ferreira and Filipe Palmeiro, had been hoping for a strong South African debut. The Portuguese pair showed pace in Prologue, but their race ended prematurely when they left the road and landed in a river during Stage 1. While neither crew member was injured, their retirement was a disappointment after a promising start. “João was adjusting well,” added Saood Variawa. “It was just one of those things — a tricky corner caught a few of us out.”
Despite the setbacks, all three TGRSA crews demonstrated the competitiveness of the GR Hilux IMT EVO, with the platform once again proving its strength and pace under pressure. The team now turns its attention to the next two rounds of the championship, the Parys/Vaal 400, scheduled for 15–16 August, where the crews will look to consolidate their momentum and target valuable championship points.
