Summarize

There was a double dose of Rotax Max karting over the weekend as the Northern Regions crowned its 2023 Gauteng champions at a fresh Formula K in Benoni, while the penultimate Western Province round went down at a blustery Killarney in Cape Town.

Jamie Smith romped to a triple Gauteng DD2 victory to take the day from Kian Grottis, whose three second places on the day were enough to take the title. Carlo Gil ended third from Dusan Radojevic, Jorden Moodley and Llewellyn Sutherland. Gil took the masters win from Sutherland and Bjorn Roos as Kyle Lawrence was crowned champion. Philippe Chapat won Vets from Robert Fulton and Grant Veenstra. Sebastian Boyd meanwhile beat Joseph Oelz two wins to one to take the day at Killarney as Jason Coetzee held Reza Levy off for third. Jared Jordan took two Cape Masters wins to Conor Hughes’s one to take the day with brother Michael Jordan third.

KC Ensor-Smith rounded off a perfect season of South African karting with a typically competent triple Senior Max victory to take the day and add the Gauteng title to his National crown. He defeated Roshaan Goodman, Olerato Sekudu, Mikel Bezuidenhout, Nielen Marx and Liam Polome on the day. Newly crowned CompCare Polo Cup champion Charl Visser was untouchable in the Cape Senior races despite Julius Schwager, Matthew Wadeley, SupaCup racer Tate Bishop, Ethan Stier and Gabriele Gazzilli’s best efforts.

Jonno Wilson took two Junior Max wins to take the Formula K day from Mauro Da Luz and karting lasses Georgia Lenaerts, Emma Dowling and Gianna Pascoal, and race 2 winner Amani Kinyua. Wian Boshoff had already wrapped up the 2023 Gauteng high school title. William Marshall went unbeaten in the Cape Junior races with Jordon Wadeley second each time. James Nash topped a close midfield spat for third from Ethan Deacon, Matthew Chiwara and Anwill April.

There were three winners in a close fought day of Gauteng under-13 Mini Max. Final heat winner Franco Gibhard took the day from race 2 winner Tshepang Shisinwana, who beat opening heat winner Durelle Goodman on a count-back. Ruvan Maritz was third from Zaydaan Hussain and Jordan Klaasen as Caleb Odendaal was crowned champion despite missing the day. It was another story at Killarney as Michael Danks left his Mini rivals to fight it out has he sped to a triple victory. Franco Bensch was second on a count-back over Matthew Roach, ahead of Nicolas Lennox, Zach McAuley, and Mikko Arries.

It was the opposite in Micro Max. Brodi Dowling was unstoppable with a triple win in Benoni as Cristian Verheul held Ronaldo Koen off for second with Matthew Shuttleworth, Bophelo Molatlhegi and Benjamin Gibhard in chase. The absent Rafael Da Silva took the Gauteng Micro title. The Cape under-11 races proved most exciting with three winners and varied results. Race 3 winner Kiyaan Reddi beat heat 2 winner Liam Wharton and race 1 victor Michael O’Mahoney to the overall win with Jayden van der Merwe, Carter Cedras and Ruan Lewis in chase.

Adriaan Steyn beat Ronald Venter two races to one to take to Gauteng Bambino honours for the day and also wrap up the 2023 Northern Regions baby kart title. He beat Alonzo, De Oliveira, Sebastien Shuttleworth and Aston Verheul on Saturday. Yaqeen Gamieldien took all three Killarney Bambino wins as Michael O’Mahoney and Slater Smith shared out the seconds and thirds with Radhi Harris, Jake Steyn, and Caleb Lingeveldt in chase.

Killarney will host the final round of the WP Regionals on Saturday 11 November. The 2023 Rotax Max Karting season then comes to a head when the South African team of National Champions heads off to take on the best of the world in the Rotax Max ‘Olympics of Karting’ Grand Finals in Bahrain 6 – 9 December.