Heat, Hills and Hard Racing: Toyota Gazoo Racing Junior Academy Delivers Grit and Growth
HEAT, HILLS AND HARD RACING: TGRJA DELIVERS GRIT AND GROWTH
The Toyota Gazoo Racing Junior Academy (TGRJA) showcased its resilience and racecraft at iDube Raceway this past weekend, battling the undulating terrain and technical challenge of the KZN circuit for Round 3 of the 2025 South African Rotax MAX Challenge (SARMC). With national titles and Rotax MAX Challenge Grand Finals (RMCGF) tickets edging closer, every driver in the academy brought their A-game to the mid-season showdown.
DD2 – Coetzee Dominates, Extends Lead
Jason Coetzee proved once again why he's considered the benchmark in South African DD2 racing this season. After narrowly missing out on the pole position, the Cape Town ace went on to secure two race wins and a third-place finish, extending his championship lead with clinical precision. With three rounds completed, Coetzee remains undefeated in terms of overall round victories and has been victorious in seven of the nine heats so far.
Senior MAX – Points and Positives for Swartz and Lenaerts
Kent Swartz had a weekend to forget, despite demonstrating strong pace that allowed the former national champion to qualify in second position for Sunday's opening heat. His best result came in that heat, where he finished fourth in a highly competitive Senior MAX field. Unfortunately, the rest of the day ended with two did-not-finish (DNF) results.
Georgia Lenaerts bounced back from a challenging start to her season, claiming fourth overall after scoring two fourth-place finishes and a sixth. Her upward trajectory in the class and championship table continues as she grows more comfortable in the ultra-competitive Senior MAX class.
Junior MAX – Podiums for Dowling, Recovery Drive for Shisinwana
Emma-Rose Dowling put in a stellar performance to claim fourth overall in Junior MAX, highlighted by a brace of podiums. Consistency across the heats kept her within striking distance of the podium, helping her maintain valuable championship momentum heading into the final round.
Teammate Tshepang Shisinwana endured a mixed outing. While his raw speed remained evident, a DNF in the final heat saw the former national champion classified eighth overall for the round. Tshepang, however, continues to adapt well to the demands of the Junior category and is still very much in the fight for a top-five season finish.
Mini MAX – Kaiyamo Twins Fight Hard on Demanding Circuit
Namibian brothers Mandume and Nande Kaiyamo continued their steep learning curve in the Mini MAX class. Mandume delivered three consistent races to finish 11th overall, narrowly missing the top 10. Nande had a tougher outing, collecting a 21st place for the round, but his determination remains strong as he builds experience at national level.
Poulter's Perspective
Team Principal Leeroy Poulter praised the weekend's performances: "Jason continues to deliver at an elite level, while Emma and Kent once again showed their class in very tough fields. Tshepang is learning fast, and it was great to see both Georgia and the Kaiyamo twins put in gritty drives. iDube isn't easy, this was a weekend of character building, and that's exactly what the academy is about."
With just one round remaining in the 2025 SARMC championship, the TGRJA enters the business end of the season with confidence and momentum. All eyes now turn to Zwartkops Kart Raceway for the African Open on 4-5 July where drivers will have another chance to gain entry to the RMCGF in Bahrain.
