What Rotax Max Challenge South African National Round 2 Preview
Where Formula K Raceway, Benoni , Gauteng
When Saturday 29 April 2023
Community South Africa National
Formula K preparing for extreme Rotax Max National
South African Rotax Max Challenge karting is gearing up for war at the second National at Formula K in Benoni, Gauteng over the weekend of 28 and 29 April. Judging by the extreme action at the opening iDube National in KZN, and the various recent regional meetings around the country, the Battle of Benoni is set to deliver yet another extreme weekend of karting.
Four-time DD2 champion Bradley Liebenberg is chasing a record fifth title and arrives at Formula K in the championship lead. He beat KZN Masters legend Cristiano Morgado at the season opener but was also beaten in the past two regionals. So watch for Jozi rivals Jamie Smith, Wayland Wyman and Kian Grottis, and Sebastian Boyd, Joseph Oelz and Jason Coetzee out of the Cape. Morgado will have the on form Kyle Lawrence, Jonathan Pieterse, Eugene Brittz and Cape man Conor Hughes to deal with in DD2 Masters.
KZN lad Troy Snyman, Charl Visser from the Cape and Jozi racer Muhammad Wally may have shared out the Senior Max wins in the opening National, but SA Junior champion KC Ensor Smith may well be the kid to beat at Formula K judging by his recent regional pace. Also watch for Storm Lanfear, Ethan Stier, and Julius Schwager out of the Cape, and Olerato Sekudu, Roshaan Goodman, and the rest from Gauteng among a 20+ kart Senior Max field.
Kent Swartz and Uzair Khan may have been the top under-15 Junior Max kids at that opening National, but they will certainly have more to think about at Formula K. Wian Boshoff and Georgia Lenaerts have starred of late in the Gauteng regionals, with Amani Kinyua and Mauro Da Luz also showing well. But the Cape contingent will be up in force too, so look out for Reese Koorzen, Jordon Wadeley and William Marshall, as well as rookie Keagan Beaumont at the sharp end of the Junior Max pack.
In the primary school action, Gauteng kid Reagile Mailula may have started his season with the opening under-13 Mini Max win, but he will have his work cut out at Formula K. Hometown rival Caleb Odendaal has been in imperious regional form at home, where Emma Dowling, Taylin Patel, Durelle Goodman and Ewan Venter have also shown great form. Keagan Beaumont has meanwhile been the lad to beat in the Cape and he leads a strong WP contingent including Cody Schultz, Aaron Mason, Franco van der Merwe, Liam Koekemoer and Nicholas Lennox up to Benoni.
Rafael Da Silva may have dominated 2023 under-11 Micro Max until now, but he has to face up to Michael Danks and Liam Wharton out of the Cape. That’s over and above his regular home rivals, Rafael De Sousa, Brodi Dowling, Johan Nolte, Ronaldo Koen, Logan Billau and the rest. Jayden van der Merwe, Michael O’Mahoney, Kiyaan Reddi will also make the trip from the Cape for what is sure to be another dynamite day of Micro racing.
It’s Jozi lad Adriaan Steyn up against Cape kid Michael O’Mahoney for baby Bambino win, if regional form is anything to go by. But Luhan de Wet took that first national win and there’s also Yaqeen Gamieldien, Slater Smith, Carter Cedras, Jake Steyn, and the rest of the Cape contingent to contend with. Never mind Gauteng home gang Ronald Bodhi Venter, Luke du Toit, Luhan De Wet, Raidyn Reddy, and Sebastien Shuttleworth.
The second Rotax Max National at the Formula K Raceway in Benoni commences with practice and qualifying on Friday 28 April, before a full day of racing on Saturday 29 April. If the opening National, let alone the latest regional action was anything to go by, expect extreme karting action when they all come back together for the Battle of Benoni. Diarise it now!
Issued on behalf of Rotax Max Challenge
Photography by: Andre Laubscher
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