With the South African Rally-Raid Championship coming to a close this weekend, the title fight will be decided at the Northam Zondereinde Bushveld 400 on 21 and 22 November. Toyota Gazoo Racing South Africa (TGRSA) is entering a four-car GR Hilux IMT EVO team for this final round, which also marks the squad's last competitive outing in South Africa before its focus shifts to the 2026 Dakar Rally.
The championship battle remains open heading into the Bushveld event, which is set on a mix of game farms, rocky trails and open savanna near Thabazimbi. Crews face a compact route of just over 100 kilometres on Friday, followed by nearly 300 kilometres on Saturday. Weather forecasts indicate the potential for extreme heat or storms, either of which could change the character of the race.
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For TGRSA, the primary championship hope rests with Saood Variawa and Francois Cazalet, who are positioned second in the standings, a mere three points from the lead. The pair have recorded a race win and several podium finishes this season. They narrowly missed victory at the previous Vryheid 400, finishing 53 seconds behind the winners after a storm forced the event to be shortened.
Their teammates, Guy Botterill and Oriel Mena, are also contenders for a strong result. Although they are fourth in the championship and no longer in title contention, their pace has been evident. They led many stages in Vryheid before a differential failure ended their challenge. A win at the finale would provide a positive conclusion to their season ahead of their own Dakar campaign.
The TGRSA line-up is bolstered by the return of Portuguese drivers João Ferreira and Filipe Palmeiro, who are using the event to gain more seat time in the GR Hilux ahead of the Dakar Rally. The team is completed by the developing pairing of Sa’aad Variawa and Zaheer Bodhanya, for whom the technical Bushveld terrain will serve as a key learning experience.
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The route for the Bushveld 400 includes a 22 km Prologue on Friday morning, followed by an 87 km stage. Saturday’s running consists of a 184 km morning loop and a repeated 87 km stage in the afternoon. The terrain is known for being fast yet technical, with thick vegetation and rocky ridges posing a consistent challenge.
Facing them is the Castrol NWM Ford Rally-Raid Team, which arrives with Gareth Woolridge and Boyd Dreyer leading the championship for the first time this season. Their recent victory in Vryheid moved them to the top of the table, but with a narrow margin of just three points over the Toyota pair. Veteran Giniel de Villiers also remains in mathematical contention.
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Neil Woolridge, Team Principal for the Castrol NWM Ford team, acknowledged the intensity of the challenge, noting that the Bushveld conditions are fast, hot, and dusty, placing a premium on visibility and consistency. He stated that the entire team would need to work in concert to secure the championship.
The Castrol NWM Fords have been prepared at the team’s Pietermaritzburg base, where mechanics carried out detailed rebuilds and implemented several refinements aimed at improving stability on the high-speed terrain.
The event will be based at the Koedoeskop Primary School, which will host the Start/Finish and designated service park. The qualifying stage begins at 9:30 on Friday, with the first competitive stage scheduled for 13:00. The main race action on Saturday starts at 8:30.
Colin Windell for Colin-on-Cars in association with
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