Summarize

Literally the Mountain of Steel in English, the Thabazimbi Northam Zondereinde Bushveld 400 National Rally-Raid final proved pure gold for Red-Lined Motorsport over the weekend. With a class win, five podiums and two championships clinched, eleven of the local race car builder’s thirteen machines to start, finished the race as Red-Lined ruled the Northwest with another most impressive 85% finishing rate.

“Wow, what a way to finish off the 2025 South African Rally-Raid championship!” Red-Lined Motorsport team boss Terence smiled. “Not only did our cars win both the SA Ultimate T1+ and T1 Adventurer classes today, but we also clinched those two championships, never mind, eleven of the thirteen Red-Lined machines that started the race, finished! 

“The sixth and final round 2025 SA Rally-Raid Championship Northam Zondereinde Bushveld 400 may have taken in spectacular scenery. But it was a tough and demanding race across a mix of dry, flowing riverbeds and bush-lined tracks dotted with muddy patches following good spring rains. A  challenging route for every competing crew, but Red-Lined  Motorsport came out shining, as always!”

It was another exceptional weekend for the ever-improving for Philip Botha and Andries Mynhardt who romped home a fine eighth overall and second in the Ultimate SA T1+ class to wrap up second in that championship chase in their Red-Lined REVO T1+. Behind them, Marko Himmel and Francois Schoonbee struggled home to finish 21st in their Red-Lined Navara Evo, but that was enough for the Namibians to wrap up the Ultimate SA T1+ title.

Also in Ultimate SA T1+, Dutch duo Dave and Tessa Klaassen came home third DaklaPack Rallysport Red-Lined Revo GT-R ahead of Abrie and Iaan Olivier on debut aboard their VAPS HCV Rally-Raid Team Red-Lined Revo T1+ V8. It was also a tough weekend for Danie Ludick and Denzil Williamson who fought back from a Friday issue to finish in their Elegant Fuels Red-Lined Revo T1+ V8.

Just fifteen seconds behind Botha and Mynhardt, Gerhard and Rudi Heinlein stormed to an impressive ninth overall and  their second consecutive Adventurer T1 Class victory on the trot aboard their Red-Lined VK56. Sirkel-N teammates Nickus Heinlein and Jaco Kriel’s similar car was third in class from impressive rookie crew, Martin van der Vyver and Rikus Hatting in their Red-Lined REVO.

They were followed by Peet Olivier and Van Zyl Jonck’s VAPS HCV Red-Lined VK50-2 and Johan de Bruyn and Adriaan Roets’ Falken Tyres Red-Lined REVO. That was enough for de Bruyn and Roets to wrap up the lucrative inaugural 2025 Red-Lined T1 Cup following a consistent showing and a podium-rich 100% finishing record thoughout the season.

“What a way to wrap up the 2025 National Rally Raid season,” Terence Marsh concluded. “Congratulations to our champions and winners, and to every member of our team at the factory and everyone else who contributed to a stunning season. Well done, one and all!