What South African Rally Raid Championship Rounds 4 & 5 Preview
Where Parys, Free State
When 18-19 August 2023
Community South Africa National
Three international crews join SA’s five-car Red-Lined Parys 800 team
South African rally raid team Red-Lined Motorsport will once again showcase its immense international depth within the five-car team it will take to the South African Rally Raid Championship Parys 800 on 18-19 August. Three international teams and Red-Lined’s two regular factory crews will tackle the double-points double-header Free State race, which will also see three Red-Lined REVO T1+ race cars lining up to race for the first time.
“Red-Lined Motorsport is immensely proud to continue making significant contributions to South African motorsport,” team principal Terence Marsh points out. “We have now had more than twenty international crews come to race with us in South Africa over the past few years, and to compete in what is regarded to be the most professional and competitive Rally Raid Championship in the world today. With representation in 19 countries across the globe we are delighted to welcome no less than three of these international teams, who will once again bring a global presence to the race in Parys this weekend.”
Two of the three Red-Lined international entries will debut their brand new REVO T1+ race cars. 19-year old lady rally raid racing sensation Aliyyah Koloc returns for her second crack at a South African race alongside local notes man Riaan Greyling, but this time aboard a brand new Buggyra powered REVO T1+. They will be joined by Belgian international Stefan Carmans and Dutch navigator Arjan Van Tiel on their South African debut in their new CSA Racing REVO T1+. Both crews are using the Parys event to step up their preparations for their entry to Dakar 2024.
Dutch crew Dave Klaassen and Tessa Rooth continue to use the South African Rally Raid Championship as the perfect training ground for their international aspirations in their DaklaPack Rallysport powered VK50. Dave and Tessa finished the Dakar on the T1 podium on debut earlier this year and have been a regular feature in the local series as they continue to gain confidence and pace ahead of the delivery of their REVO GT-R T1+ in 2024.
They will join two regular crack South African Red-Lined factory racing crews in Parys. Chris Visser and Albertus Venter will be out for another strong top-five finish in the hotly contested FIA T1+ premium class as they continue to develop the team’s Dragon Energy powered REVO T1+. “We’ve had a good season so far with some great results for a newly designed race car, and we’re now getting a good understanding of our Red-Lined REVO T1+” Chris explains. “We’re up against the top rally raid crews on the planet in this T1+ class, so a podium would be an incredible result, but the objective remains another strong finish with further learnings of this new machine.”
Johan de Bruyn and Gerhard Schutte head across the Vaal in a strong second place in the FIA T1 class championship aboard their OdorCure REVO T1. They are likewise looking forward to bounce back following a tough but rewarding outing at the Desert Race last time out. “We have enjoyed a great season so far and have built up a strong title case,” circuit racing refugee Johan pointed out. “This is a double-points round, so we’re fully focussed on a strong points haul in Parys this weekend.”
“We are immensely proud to yet again host international crews competing within locally developed and built Red-Lined race cars in South African events,” Terence Marsh concludes. “At the same time, we continue to develop our REVO T1 and REVO T1+ race cars within the best championship in the world and look forward to another strong weekend as a team. So best of luck to our entire Red-Lined team and hats off as ever, for the incredible team effort across the board.”
*Red-Lined Motorsport competes with premium strategic partners, the Penta Motor Group, BFGoodrich, Motul, Dragon Energy, PentaSure, OMP, ExpandaSign, Ingco Tools and Wheel Collision.
Issued on behalf of Red-Lined Motorsport
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