Splendid second round Gauteng karting at Formula K
What Rotax Max Challenge Northern Regions Round 2 Race Report
Where Formula K Raceway, Benoni, GP
When Saturday 11 March 2023
Community Gauteng Regional
Packed grids, close racing and varied results across the board typified the second round of the Northern Regions Rotax Max Karting Challenge at the Formula K raceway in Benoni on Saturday. It was also a great day for the Toyota Gazoo Karting Academy drivers, who swept the board with wins in five of the seven classes.
Kian Grottis won the first two DD2 races to secure the day. Bradley Liebenberg gained pace throughout the weekend to take the final heat and beat Wayland Wyman to third. Hamza Jassat was fourth from Masters’ winner Kyle Lawrence and Dusan Radojevic, with Llewellyn Sutherland second in Masters. Philippe Chapat beat Jonathan Kairuz to the Vets win.
Although he had to fight for the lead early on in each heat, KC Ensor Smith put his memories of a tough national the week before behind him with a dominant three race Senior Max overall win. He left Muhammad Wally to fight it out with Olerato Sekudu for second ahead of Kian Spies, Ethan Bostander and Roshaan Goodman among another full field of karts.
Kent Swartz was in imperious high school Junior Max form as he too stormed to a triple victory. Swartz had to however fight Wian Boshoff for the first race win before breaking away early in the second and dominating the final. Boshoff staved Amani Kinyua off for second for the day, ahead of Georgia Lenaerts, Jono Wilson, and Jean Hendrik De Villiers.
Opening heat winner Reagile Spice Mailula emerged on top of a splendid under-13 Mini Max day after and second and third kids Kegan Martin and Caleb Odendaal, who trounced the final, each won a race too. Taylin Patel, Durelle Goodman and Keagan Beaumont were also close behind following a cracking trio of races. All of the above winners are Toyota Gazoo Racing Academy drivers.
It was close in under 11 Micro Max as first and last heat winner Rafael Da Silva fought back from a race 2 start penalty to beat an on form heat 2 winner Cristian Verheul to overall victory by all of a single point. It was just as close for second too, as Matthew Shuttleworth overcame Rafael De Sousa, Ronaldo Koen, and Johan Nolte in another packed regional field.
Luhan De Wet dominated the first two baby Bambino races before Adriaan Steyn found pace in the final to catch and pass him for the win. De wet had done enough to take the day from Steyn, Caleb Rogers who entertained in his dice for third with Raidyn Reddy, Sebastien Shuttleworth and Lwashu Mathebula.
Rotax Max regional action moves to iDube for the second round of the KwaZulu Natal championship in the Midlands this coming week before an Easter break. The next Zwartkops Gauteng and Killarney Cape rounds follow on 15 April, before round 2 of the SA Rotax Nationals back at Formula K on 28 April.
Issued on behalf of Rotax Max Challenge
Photography by: Motorsport Fanatix
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