Toyota Gazoo Racing South Africa Extends South African Touring Car Championship Leads with Strong Results at Zwartkops
TGRSA EXTENDS SATC CHAMPIONSHIP LEAD WITH STRONG RESULTS AT ZWARTKOPS
Round 4 of the 2025 South African Touring Car Championship (SATC) and SupaCup season took place this past weekend at Zwartkops Raceway, near Pretoria. TOYOTA GAZOO Racing South Africa (TGRSA) once again fielded a full complement of three GR Corolla entries in the SATC championship, and the GR SupaStarlet in SupaCup. With sunny and mild conditions across both days, the team continued its consistent run of form as the season reached its midpoint.
SATC
Friday’s practice sessions saw Michael van Rooyen setting the pace, topping the timesheets in every outing. However, during Saturday morning’s qualifying, Van Rooyen had to settle for second on the grid, narrowly missing out on pole. He was followed by teammates Nathi Msimanga, who qualified fifth, and Saood Variawa in sixth – all within striking distance of the front.
Race 1 saw Van Rooyen stuck behind the leader early on. Conscious of the bigger championship picture, he opted not to take unnecessary risks and instead settled into second place, banking a strong haul of points. Msimanga delivered a solid drive to finish fourth, while Variawa came home in sixth – all three GR Corollas safely inside the top six at the chequered flag.
The second race of the day featured the usual reverse-grid format. Van Rooyen started from fifth and made a strong getaway, only for the race to be red-flagged on the opening lap. A slower second launch left him with work to do, and he had to fight his way past two rivals before reaching his teammates running up front. In a demonstration of strong teamwork, Msimanga and Variawa allowed Van Rooyen to pass and take the lead – ensuring maximum points for the championship leader. Van Rooyen later acknowledged their support, thanking Saood in particular for letting him through quickly and then helping to hold off the chasing pack. Variawa crossed the line in second, with Msimanga in fourth to round out another strong team performance.
SupaCup
In the SupaCup championship, Dawie van der Merwe qualified sixth in class with a best lap of 1:05.982 – placing the SupaStarlet firmly in the mid-pack and within touch of the lead group.
Race 1 saw Van der Merwe maintain his sixth-place qualifying form. He drove a clean and consistent race, avoiding trouble and once again scoring valuable championship points in a tightly contested field.
In Race 2, Dawie replicated his earlier result, once again finishing sixth in class. With another fault-free run and competitive lap times throughout, the result marked a solid and productive weekend for the young driver.
With strong results across both championships, including a race win and another double-podium in SATC, TGRSA continues to lead the way in the 2025 season. The team now shifts its focus to Round 5, which will take place on 19 July at the fast and flowing East London Grand Prix Circuit, as the title fight intensifies.
