Summarize

The inaugural South African Investchem MSA4 single seater championship could not have been any more exciting than at the Zwartkops Extreme Festival finals over the weekend. Both title contenders had their fair share of problems as the championship lead changed twice through the day before KC Ensor-Smith emerged last gasp champion over Mikel Bezuidenhout on a day where Namibian Adriaan Nel dominated on track.

The drama started in qualifying when several drivers including championship leader KC Ensor-Smith’s African Heating Investchem MSA4, Namibian pole lad Adriaan Nel’s  Central Cycles car and KMFT Morita lad Karabo Malemela lost their fastest laps for not heeding to yellow flags. Still, Nel’s second quickest time was good enough for pole from Swartz and Ensor-Smith, all within a tenth of a second at the head of the revised first race grid. Malemela lined up fourth from title contender Mikel Bezuidenhout’s Cosmonet Huawei Corse di Gemelli machine.

Liam Polome’s Red Dot Vantage MSA4 followed from the penalised Ndzalo Khoza’s MakaselaAir entry, Renzo Ribeiro’s Metal Used Spares car, Jorden Moodley, Magnificent Paint & Hardware man Nicholas van Weely, Apex Cordset lass Anastasia Gerasis, Kian Spies’ Red Dot Vantage entry and Investchem lady Simphiwe Mohlahlo.

There was drama on opening lap of the first of three races as Nel led the way. Ensor-Smith lost his nose against the back of Bezuidenhout’s car and was forced to retire. Bezuidenhout escaped damage to chase Nel home in second and move into a three-point championship lead over Ensor-Smith for the first time this season. Behind them, Karabo Malemela overcame Liam Polome and Kent Swartz for third ahead of the recovered Renzo Ribeiro, who emerged on top of an entertaining fight with Nicholas van Weely and Jorden Moodley, Khoza, Spies, Gerasi and Mohlahlo.

Adriaan Nel once again dominated the second heat with Karabo Malemela in chase from the get-go. Liam Polome was in fine form to make both Mikel Bezuidenhout and KC Ensor-Smith work hard and deliver some exceptional racing as they defended third and fourth, before Polome faded. Still, the fat lady had not yet sung for Ensor-Smith however, as his overheating car caused him to slip back to sixth behind Renzo Ribeiro and Jorden Moodley on the final tour. Behind them, van Weely ended seventh from Khoza, Gerasis, Swartz, Spies and Mohlahlo. Which also left Bezuidenhout tantalisingly close to an upset title with just the final heat of the season left to race.

Was Ensor-Smith’s late race slump however a blessing in disguise? Finishing two places further back in sixth in race 2, meant that he’d start the reverse grid final in third. Behind Ndzalo Khoza and Nicholas van Weely, and ahead of Jorden Moodley, Renzo Ribeiro, and title rival Mikel Bezuidenhout. All Bezuidenhout had to do to clinch the title, however, was finish one or two places behind Ensor-Smith. Mikel was soon behind the flying Khosa and his championship rival in third when they touched and Bezuidenhout was out with a puncture.

So Khoza led the new champion elect Ensor-Smith van Weely and Nel, but the drama was not yet over. Karabo Malemela went off exiting Turn 3 and the race was red flagged to clear his stricken car. Khoza once again led off the restart as Nel passed Ensor-Smith for second and Bezuidenhout, albeit a few laps behind, rejoined in the vain hope of a late problem for Ensor-Smith. That failed to materialise as Khosa led Nel, Ensor-Smith, van Weely, Swartz, Polome and Moodley home. On Aggregate with the two halves of the race combined, Khosa won from Ensor-Smith and Nel.

There was however one final twist in the tail. Maiden winner Khoza admitted to illegally using dry ice to cool his car’s radiators before the start and was excluded. Which left new champion KC Ensor-Smith to win final the heat from Adriaan Nel, Nicholas van Weely, Renzo Ribeiro, Kent Swartz, Liam Polome, Jorden Moodley, Anastasia Gerasis, Kian Spies, Simphiwe Mohlahlo and Mikel Bezuidenhout. 

Adriaan Nel however sounded a warning for the season ahead as he took the overall winner’s trophy after a day of drama, with Renzo Ribeiro second from Nicholas van Weely, Kent Swarts, Jorden Moodley and Liam Polome. And despite leading it all the way, KC Ensor-Smith ultimately stole his championship back with a last gasp final heat win after his resurgent title rival Mikel Bezuidenhout punctured. 

In the championship, subject to official MSA confirmation, KC Ensor-Smith is the first Investchem MSA4 champion with 89 points, eight clear of Mikel Bezuidenhout once worst score drops come into effect. Dominant at Zwartkops, Adriaan Nel jumps from seventh to a provisional third from Renzo Ribeiro and Karabo Malemela, the three of them covered by just three points, with the absent Shrien Naidoo sixth. 

While it may have navigated a tough first few months, when Investchem MSA4 finally got down to the business of its first season, the series not only delivered brilliant, close racing through every heat, but also a grandstand championship finale. Expect Investchem MSA4 to continue growing into its second season in 2026 with the field growing to around 20 cars piloted by the finest single seater talent in Southern Africa.