Toyota Gazoo Racing South Africa Chases Hat-Trick of Wins as South African Rally-Raid Championship Reaches Halfway Mark at Outeniqua 400
TGRSA CHASES HAT-TRICK OF WINS AS SARRC REACHES HALFWAY MARK AT OUTENIQUA 400
TOYOTA GAZOO Racing South Africa (TGRSA) heads to the Western Cape’s Garden Route this weekend for the Century Property Developments – Century Racing Outeniqua 400, Round 3 of the 2026 South African Rally-Raid Championship (SARRC) and the event that marks the halfway point of the season. Having won both rounds contested so far this year, TGRSA arrives at Louvain Guest Farm in the Upper Langkloof on 28 and 29 August chasing a hat-trick of victories, and occupying the top two positions in the championship standings.
Guy Botterill’s victory at last month’s GR Stella 1000 Marathon lifted him to the top of the overall standings on 60 points, six clear of team-mate Saood Variawa, who sits second on 54 points, level with Ford’s Gareth Woolridge. Young Sa’aad Variawa, continuing his development in the team’s third GR Hilux IMT EVO, is sixth on 32 points heading into the weekend.
Botterill will again be partnered by Henry Köhne, with whom he claimed a maiden victory together at Stella after leading the marathon from start to finish. The pair will look to build on that momentum and extend their advantage at the top of the championship over the Outeniqua weekend.
Reigning champion Saood Variawa, who opened his title defence with victory at the INGCO Parys 400, continues his partnership with Charan Moore. The pair showed strong pace throughout the recent marathon before an incident on a transfer section cost them time, and they will be eager to return to winning form as the championship reaches its halfway point.
Sa’aad Variawa will take on the Garden Route for the first time, with Spanish navigator Oriol Mena stepping into the car for this round. Mena partnered Botterill at the season-opening INGCO Parys 400 and brings experience of the team’s GR Hilux IMT EVO to the pairing as the young driver continues to build his rally-raid mileage.
TGRSA will also be eager to make amends after a tough 2025 visit to the Langkloof, when both crews had to fight back from early setbacks to salvage championship points. With the team in stronger form and better placed in the standings than 12 months ago, TGRSA will be targeting a smoother run to the finish this time around.
“Sitting first and second in the championship at the halfway mark of the season says a great deal about the durability and reliability of the GR Hilux IMT EVO,”
said TGRSA Team Principal Shameer Variawa.
“These cars have been pushed hard across some of the toughest terrain the country has to offer, and to still be leading the way on points is the clearest proof we could ask for that our preparation, our package and our people are getting it right. Outeniqua has not always been kind to us, but the team goes into this round in a strong position, and we are determined to keep building on what we have achieved so far this season.”
Conditions for the weekend are expected to add a further variable to the demanding Langkloof route. Friday’s Qualifying Race and Stage One are forecast to be contested in dry, mild weather, while Saturday’s two stages are expected to be cooler and overcast, with a chance of light rain.
The Century Outeniqua 400 gets under way on Friday morning with a 33-kilometre Qualifying Race from Louvain Guest Farm at 09:30, which will set the starting order for Stage One (91 kilometres) at 13:00. Saturday’s action starts at 08:30 with Stages Two and Three, each approximately 177 kilometres and covering some of the same sections used in 2025. Race Headquarters and the Designated Service Point will again be based at Louvain Guest Farm, just off the N9 between George and Uniondale, where spectators are welcome to view the podium ceremonies. Following the Outeniqua 400, TGRSA’s attention turns to Round 4 of the championship in Vryheid, KwaZulu-Natal, on 9 and 10 October.
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