TOYOTA GAZOO Racing South Africa (TGRSA) is gearing up for a decisive weekend as the 2025 South African Rally-Raid Championship (SARRC) reaches its finale at the Northam Zondereinde Bushveld 400 on 21–22 November. With the title battle going right down to the wire, the team will field a powerful four-car GR Hilux IMT EVO line-up, marking its final South African outing before Dakar 2026 preparations begin in earnest.
This year’s championship has seen fierce competition, unpredictable weather, and tight margins across every category, and the showdown near Thabazimbi promises more of the same. Just over 100 km of racing awaits crews on Friday, followed by nearly 300 km on Saturday — a compact but unforgiving test through game farms, rocky bushveld trails and open savanna, with extreme heat or storms both possible according to forecasts. For championship contenders, there can be no half-measures.
For TGRSA, all eyes will be on Saood Variawa and Francois Cazalet, who arrive in the Bushveld sitting second in the championship, just three points off the overall lead. The young pairing have delivered a season of pace, grit, and impressive maturity — including a race victory and multiple podiums — and now have a genuine shot at clinching their first national title.
The duo were just 53 seconds away from victory at the recent Vryheid 400, after a storm-shortened event prevented a full-distance fightback. Heading into the finale, the objective is clear: maximise points and apply pressure to their closest rivals.
Alongside them, Guy Botterill and Oriol Mena are hunting a big finish to cap a season filled with front-running speed but marred by misfortune. Their pace at Vryheid was exceptional — winning splits throughout the race — before a differential failure forced them out of contention.
Despite sitting fourth in the standings and out of the title hunt, their speed makes them a genuine threat for overall victory in the finale. A win would be the ideal springboard into their Dakar programme for 2026.
Portuguese stars João Ferreira and Filipe Palmeiro return to South Africa for one final competitive appearance before returning their focus to their international campaign. Having impressed earlier in the season despite limited local experience, the crew will now use the Bushveld 400 to build further mileage in the GR Hilux IMT EVO ahead of the Dakar Rally.
Rounding out the team is the young pairing of Sa’aad Variawa and Zaheer Bodhanya, who continue their accelerated development within the TGR system. They’ve shown encouraging speed and commitment during their previous outings, and the technical, mixed-terrain nature of the Bushveld 400 will offer another valuable learning opportunity.
The route for this year’s Northam Zondereinde Bushveld 400 will feature some of the most distinctive racing terrain of the season. The 22 km Prologue on Friday morning opens the curtain, followed by an 87 km Stage 1 later that day. Combined times then set the starting order for a demanding Saturday, which features a 184 km morning loop, a short servicing window, and a repeat 87 km final stage to round out the championship.
The bushveld roads are fast but technical, snaking through thick vegetation, rocky ridges and farmlands, rewarding rhythm and punishing even small errors. Rain — always a possibility this time of year — could dramatically alter the conditions, adding mud, runoff and reduced visibility to the challenge.
Team Principal Shameer Variawa believes TGRSA arrives at the finale in a strong position:
“This is the final push of the season, and we’re throwing everything at it. Saood and Francois are firmly in the fight for the championship, Guy and Oriol have the pace to win on any day, and it’s great to have João and Filipe back with us as we prepare for next year’s Dakar. Sa’aad and Zaheer are also making big strides. The Bushveld 400 is always tough — the terrain, the weather, the pressure — but the whole team is ready. We want to finish this season the way we’ve raced it: strong, determined and pushing for the top step.”
With four crews, a competitive package, and everything still to race for, TGRSA enters the Northam Zondereinde Bushveld 400 fully primed for a high-stakes finale.
Published by: Karabo Sethusha
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