Summarize

South Africa’s karting champions have descended on the Bahrain International Karting Circuit where they’re preparing to take on the best in the world when the 25th annual ‘Rotax Max Olympics of Karting’ Grand Final goes down from 29 November to 6 December.

Comprising South African and African champions, the twelve-man Southern African Rotax Grand Finals Team be among 400 karters from more than sixty countries across the various Max classes. The Grand Finals effectively crown the 2025 Rotax Max World Champions in each class.

Team South Africa is headed by four drivers in the top direct-drive two-speed DD2 class. National champion Jason Coetzee and Cape compatriot African Open winner Sebastian Boyd will be backed by Mozambican driver Cristian Bouche and Namibian Kian Fussell. Another Cape driver formerly from KZN, Jono Pieterse wears green and gold in over-31 DD2 Masters.

South Africa has a strong Senior Max team with Capetonian African Open champion Charl Visser returning to the Grand Finals in the top chain-drive Rotax class alongside long time Gauteng rival Muhammad Wally. EP duo, Gqeberha lad Caleb Moss and East London namesake Caleb Odendaal are South Africa’s high school Rotax Junior Max racers. 

Two Benoni under-13 karting stars Brodi Dowling and Ronaldo Koen will race in the Rotax Mini Max Grand Final. And Centurion lad Luhan de Wet heads to Bahrain as South Africa’s under-11 Rotax Micro Max driver. The team has much to live up to. South Africans have won fourteen Grand Finals since the ‘Olympics of Karting’ first raced in the year 2000. 

Durban hero Cristiano Morgado remains the only driver ever to win five Rotax Max Grand Finals. South African Rotax Max Grand Finals success goes far deeper though. Gavin Cronje won the first Finals in Puerto Rico, before Claudio Piazza-Musso followed up in 2001.

Mark Cronje then won at home at Zwartkops in 2003, before Wesleigh Orr took back-to-back RM1 titles to complete a stunning South African six in a row in 2004 and 2005. Leeroy Poulter was back on top in DD2 in ‘08, Caleb Williams won in 2010, and Mini Max lad Jayden Els was South Africa's youngest winner 2016. South Africa also won the Nations Cup in 2014.

Plausibly the fairest and most driver-oriented racing anywhere, the Rotax Max Grand Finals hands each driver an identical brand new kart, a Rotax Max race engine, tyres and fuel on Saturday. Teams and drivers have limited sessions to set their karts up, before a ruthless series of heats and semis, which see only the top 33 qualifying for each class final.

“Team South Africa is in Bahrain and ready to race the 2025 Rotax Max Grand Finals,” Rotax Max SA boss Ed Murray confirmed. “Our strong team of Southern Africa’s twelve finest karters is ready to build on a great South African Rotax Max Grand Final legend, at the same time as making new friends and creating exceptional memories they will cherish forever.”

The Rotax Max Grand Finals commence with the equipment handover on Saturday 29 November. Track action starts with practice on Tuesday 2 December before qualifying and the heats. The Grand Final in each class, race on Saturday 6 December. Catch the live stream at www.kart.co.za