Summarize

A new 2026 Volkswagen Rookie Cup force emerged when young Sebastian Venkov finally turned his obvious speed into a grand slam of pole position and two race wins to jump into a provisional championship third at Aldo Scribante on Saturday. The Rookies entertained a patriotic Volkswagen home crowd at the Gqeberha National Extreme Festival, just around the corner from Plant Kariga.

“Sebastian Venkov has shown great speed in the Rookie Cup from the very outset,” Volkswagen Head of Motorsport Mike Rowe explains. “On Saturday he delivered on that with a splendid grand slam of pole position and a maiden double race win on the perfect stage at Volkswagen Motorsport’s home race at Also Scribante. In so doing, Sebastian also jumped into third in the chase where championship leader Luke Hill and Sebastian Dias lead the way into the second half of the season.”

Sebastian Venkov got off to the perfect start when he put his 23 Degrees Polo Vivo GT on pole position by two tenths of a second from log leaders, Luke Hill’s PMD Transport version and Versaflex lad Sebastian Dias. He lined up alongside Jack Moore’s Fleet Dynamics Vivo on the second row with Century Racing rookie Max Corbett fifth on the grid alongside Adhive driver Keyaan Dwomoh.

Venkov made a clean start to lead Hill and Dias from lights to flag as he took a delighted maiden victory. A quick starting Keyaan Dwomoh was initially up to fourth before both Jack Moore and Max Corbett found a way past. Corbett was however placed behind Dwomoh in the results after officials deemed his overtake to be illegal.

Sebastian Venkov then went on to complete a splendid maiden grand slam as Sebastian Dias grabbed the advantage over Luke Hill for second to retain his championship deficit. Jack Moore followed in fourth ahead of Max Corbett and Keyaan Dwomoh. That was also the order in which they finished overall. 

“It’s getting tighter at the top of the all-important Volkswagen Rookie Cup championship standings,” Mike Rowe concludes. “Luke Hill may have consolidated his lead over Sebastian Dias at Aldo, but with Sebastian Venkov now third and closing, Josh Moore a close fourth and Max Corbett and Keyaan Dwomoh out to impress, anything can happen in the second half of the season. Bring it on!”