Summarize

Rotax Max crowned it’s 2026 South African karting champions at the epic National Finals at the Zwartkops International Kart Raceway in Pretoria over the weekend. Six of the new champions, Charl Michael Visser, Sebastiano Human, Brodi Dowling, Luke du Toit, Radhi Harris, and Ndlovu Melohkule, now qualify to represent South Africa at the Rotax Max ‘Olympics of Karting’ Grand Finals in Portugal in November.

Three wins and a second saw Western Cape driver Charl Michael Visser take the day as he sped to a dominant premier class 25 kW direct drive two-speed Rotax DD2 title. Gauteng rival Jamie Smith won the second heat en route to second from Capetonians Ethan Stier and Matthew Wadeley, Jono Wilson, Shrien Naidoo, Tyler Posthumus and Rogan Jaggard. Visser beat Smith, Stier, Wadeley and Wilson to the title has he booked yet another trip to the Grand Finals. Bloemfontein driver Justin Allison meantime booked his DD2 Masters Grand Final ticket with four heat wins over Jonathan Pieterse.

Another karting veteran, albeit at a very young age, Muhammad Wally sped to a dominant four win rout in super competitive 22 kW chain drive Senior Max over the weekend. But that was just not enough to topple another Cape lad, Sebastiano Human from the title. He drove home a calculated third overall behind Gauteng local Kian Spies and ahead of Georgia Lenaerts, Keagan Beaumont, Tristan du Plessis, Jordon Wadeley and Durel Goodman on a packed 31-kart grid. Spies ended third in the chase ahead of Beaumont and Wadeley. 

Champion Brodi Dowling and runner-up Ronaldo Koen took the opening two 17 kW high school Rotax Junior Max races before Logan Billau surprised to win the final two heats and the day from Munsanje Mukosa, Dowling, Ty Naidoo, Keenan du Plessis, Rafael da Souza, and Christiaan Marais. Billau’s fine run saw him up to third in the championship chase behind Dowling, who already qualified to represent South Africa in the Rotax Grand Finals with the African Open win, and Koen, who takes the second ticket as runner up, ahead of du Plessis and da Souza.

Pretoria home hero Luke du Toit all but wrapped up the title with his first heat 10 kW under-13 Rotax Mini Max win before cruising home to clinch it as he left third and fourth race winner Diego Antunes to take the day. Luhan de Wet ended second overall from Callum du Toit, Adriaan Steyn, Lwashu Mthebula, champion du Toit and debutant Radhi Harris after second race winner Ruhan Victor was excluded from the Final. Luke du Toit ultimately beat Antunes, de Wet, Christian Naidoo and Mthebula to the Mini title.

Having done all the work through the season, not even a final race exclusion would stop Cape driver Radhi Harris from clinching the 6 kilowatt under-11 Rotax Micro Max title. Harris won the first two races and was second in the third. But that final race issue cost him the day to another WP lad and final race winner Slater Smith. Penultimate heat winner, Mozambican lass Teresa Bettencourt was second from Gauteng five, Zwothe Magoda, Jordan Jurgens, Alonzo de Oliveira, and Thendo Mulaudzi. Eighth on the day, Harris beat Smith, de Oliveira Jurgens and Bettencourt to the title.

Last but not least, it could not have been closer in baby Bambino. Melohkule Ndlovu’s second race win over triple winner on the day Yerhu Malabie, was enough to see Ndlovu to the title by all of a single point. Behind them, Zonkizizwe Holomisa sped home third from cousin, Tiyani Malabie, Tyler Stanyer, Grant Sheehan, Jaxon Holzapfel and Handré Kukkuk. Ndlovu was ultimately champion from Yerhu and Tiyani Malabie, Holomisa and Siyanda Nkwanyana.

“Congratulations to our 2026 Rotax South Africa National karting champions,” Rotax South Africa’s Jennifer Verheul concludes. “Charl Michael Visser, Sebastiano Human, Brodi Dowling, Luke du Toit, Radhi Harris and Ndlovu Melohkule can be proud to be champions in the most competitive season of South African Rotax Max karting yet.”

“We are also delighted to confirm our 2026 Southern African team to contest the Rotax Max Grand Final ‘Olympics of Karting’ at the Kartódromo Internacional do Algarve in Portugal from 7 to 14 November. Charl Michael Visser and Jamie Smith will fly the flag in DD2 and Justin Allison in DD2 Masters, with Kian Spies and Sebastiano Human albeit still to be confirmed in Senior Max. 

“Our junior team also comprises drivers who won their National Championships, or their classes in the Rotax Max  African Open. They include Brodi Dowling and Ronaldo Koen in Junior Max, Luke Du Toit and Luhan De Wet in Mini Max and Radhi Harris in Micro. They will also be joined by three drivers, Michael O'Mahoney, Ruhan Victor and Namibian Mandume Kaiyamo competing in the new electric kart E10 Mini Grand Finals.”