TOYOTA GAZOO Racing South Africa (TGRSA) ended the 2025 SA Rally-Raid Championship in spectacular fashion by taking all three podium positions at the Northam Zondereinde Bushveld 400, while 20-year-old Saood Variawa and his French navigator, Francois Cazalet, clinched both the Overall and Ultimate FIA T1+ Championships after a dramatic and fiercely contested final round. This makes Saood not only the new youngest race winner in the history of the SARRC, but also the youngest champion – a record previously also held by former teammate Henk Lategan.
The season decider unfolded across Limpopo’s rugged bushveld, with dry riverbeds, tight game-farm tracks, steep climbs and muddy patches after recent rain shaping a route that was as punishing as it was breathtaking. With only three points separating Variawa/Cazalet from their main rivals, Gareth Woolridge and Boyd Dreyer (Ford), at the start of the weekend, the pressure was immense, and the title remained undecided until the final kilometres of Saturday’s racing.
TGRSA set the tone early by locking out the top four positions in Friday’s 22 km Prologue, where the visiting Portuguese crew of Joao Ferreira and Filipe Palmeiro topped the times. They were followed closely by Guy Botterill and Oriol Mena in second, with Variawa/Cazalet just five seconds further back. Saood’s younger brother, Sa’aad, together with Zaheer Bodhanya, also started strongly, ensuring that TGRSA controlled the front of the field heading into the day’s 88 km Stage 1. By the end of Friday, Botterill/Mena had posted the fastest combined time to lead the event overall, setting the tone for what would become a strategic Saturday for the Kwazulu-Natal driver.
The championship narrative took a decisive turn on Saturday morning. Botterill and Mena were tasked with opening the road, a role that demanded precision and also formed part of a broader strategy to assist Variawa/Cazalet in gaining the cleanest possible road surface for their title push. Guy later reflected that he was pleased with the outright pace during qualifying and the opening loop, but emphasised how he “had to position ourselves in a good place for the team so Saood could fight for the championship.” After losing time early while opening the road, Botterill and Mena were able to push again later in the day, ultimately winning the final loop and securing third overall, rounding off the TGRSA podium lockout.
At the front, a decisive blow to the competition came when Woolridge and Dreyer suffered a series of setbacks, placing them under pressure. With their title rivals compromised, Variawa and Cazalet remained focused despite punctures and navigational challenges. They produced a calm, mature performance that belied their youth, winning the event in a total race time of 5 hours, 28 minutes and 17 seconds, taking their second outright victory of the season and sealing Variawa’s first SA Rally-Raid Championship title.
Ferreira and Palmeiro completed an excellent weekend to finish second overall in their GR Hilux IMT EVO, just under two minutes behind the winners. Botterill and Mena trailed them by only 59 seconds to take third. Sa’aad Variawa and Zaheer Bodhanya capped off an impressive drive in fifth place overall, marking the younger Variawa’s strongest national performance to date.
Speaking about his championship campaign, Saood said the season had been anything but straightforward: “The championship has been filled with ups and downs. We’ve had a lot of good results and some not so decent ones too. We had one or two races where we had to fight back from the rear of the field, which obviously affected the championship points. But I’m happy with the way we managed things. I stayed calm and collected, and it didn’t bother me too much when we lost points because we knew we were faster than a lot of the field at most races — we just had to put it all together. We’ve had so many events where we were much quicker but made mistakes, so learning to piece everything together was the biggest lesson this year. The team gave me a perfect car every time. They’ve worked incredibly hard and I’m glad we could bring the championship home for them. It really lifts the morale going into Dakar. I’m also grateful to my teammates — Guy winning stages and João winning races overseas — we have a great bond between the three of us. That’s why I believe we will be strong for Dakar. Our testing in Namibia showed that the setup works, even in tight terrain, and this weekend we were able to maximise it. This race had plenty of ups and downs, and at one point I didn’t think the title was possible, but I kept my head down and pushed. It’s amazing to be the youngest ever rally-raid champion in South Africa, and to win the title in only my second full season. It took a lot from me — a lot of work, a lot of learning, absorbing everything like a sponge — but we did a good job.”
Team Principal, Shameer Variawa, praised the entire squad following the podium sweep, saying he was immensely proud of what the team had accomplished during the season. “For Saood to become the youngest ever South African rally-raid champion at just 20 years old is a fantastic achievement, and I am overjoyed for him and Francois. We have great drivers, a great team, and of course great sponsors behind us. Now we shift our focus fully to the upcoming Dakar Rally, and I believe we can carry this momentum forward to the world’s greatest rally-raid race.”
The 2025 season closes with TGRSA celebrating a national champion, a commanding final-round performance, and a strong indicator of form ahead of Dakar. With the GR Hilux IMT EVO proving fast, resilient and capable across the country’s toughest terrains, the team now transitions into Dakar-preparation mode with confidence and momentum on their side.
Published by: Karabo Sethusha
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