Summarize

The 2026 South African Rotax Max karting Challenge comes to a head at the Zwartkops International Kart Raceway in Pretoria over the 28 and 29 August weekend. Six National Champions will be crowned after four heats on the day. They qualify to represent South Africa at November’s ‘Olympics of Karting’ Rotax Max Grand Finals in Portugal. 

It may be difficult to stop Charl Michael Visser in premier class 25 kW direct drive two-speed Rotax DD2. The Western Cape driver holds a sizable 48 point advantage over Gauteng rival Jamie Smith, who has another Cape lad, Matthew Wadeley, Gauteng driver Dusan Radojevic, Durban lad Shrien Naidoo and Capetonian Ethan Stier all way too close for comfort.

It’s super close in DD2 Masters, however. KZN driver Jonathan Pieterse has a 3 point advantage over Bloemfontein man Justin Allison, with Cape duo, Jared Jordan and Conor Hughes also looming large.

Super competitive 22 kW chain drive Senior Max drivers promises a record grid and a championship that is also by no means decided. Cape lad Sebastiano Human has Gauteng local Kian Spies, another Capetonian Jordon Wadeley, Eastern Cape star Caleb Moss, Keagan Beaumont, and KZN kid Travis Mingay on his case. With the prospect of heats required to qualify for the final, it’s anyone’s guess who will end up on top there.

Gauteng drivers have dominated 17 kW high school Rotax Junior Max, where Brodi Dowling leads the chase to the Finals with a reasonably comfortable championship advantage over compatriots, Declan Jurgens, Ronaldo Koen, Keenan du Plessis, and Rafael da Souza. And if last round’s shake-up was anything to go by, Junior Max is another class with an outcome that’s impossible to predict.

Pretoria home hero Luke du Toit heads to the Finals with a handy 39 point advantage in 10 kW under-13 Rotax Mini Max. Cape lad Liam Wharton is his closest threat, with Gauteng home rivals, Adriaan Steyn, Diego Antunes, Luhan de Wet and Christian Naidoo all on his case as they fight over second in that primary school karting chase. 

Cape kid Radhi Harris who races out of Gauteng, holds a handy lead in 6 kilowatt under-11 Rotax Micro Max. Another WP lad, Slater Smith sits second ahead of Gauteng trio Alonzo de Oliveira, Jordan Jurgens and Rofhiwa Ndwambi, with Mozambican lass Teresa Bettencourt an impressive sixth in the chase.

Last but not least, the baby Bambinos see Jozi cousins Tiyani and Yerhu Malabie leading the chase to the Finale. KZN kid Ndlovu Melohkule is their closest challenger in third ahead of Jozi quartet, Zonkizizwe Holomisa, Tyler Stanyer, Siyanda Nkwanyana and Gerrard Martin.

“2026 has been a record year for Rotax karting in South Africa and it all comes to a head at this weekend’s National Finals at Zwartkops” Rotax South Africa’s Jennifer Verheul concludes. “With four heats in all classes and drop points ready to skew the scoring, let’s see who comes out on top as we finalise the African team to represent South Africa Rotax Max Grand Finals in Portugal. May the best men and women win!”