Summarize

The 2026 Volkswagen Rookie Cup kicked off with a thrilling opening round at the Killarney International Raceway’s National Extreme Festival season opener in Cape Town on Saturday, Second year racer Luke Hill used his experience to great effect to edge newcomers Jack Moore and Anwill April to second and third places ahead of four more series freshmen. 

Series sophomore Luke Hill used his experience to his best advantage to put his Steelform Polo Vivo on pole position from best of the debutants, oval and historic racing exponent Sebastian Venkov. He edged former karters, Anwill April, Jack Moore’s Puma Fleet Dynamics entry and PMD Transport driver Sebastian Dias. Century Racing lad Max Corbett followed from Keyaan Dwomoh’s Adhive Group Vivo.

Sebastian Venkov then used all his racecraft and experience to overcome Luke Hill and win the opening heat. Sebastian Dias similarly put one over Jack Moore for third ahead of Keyaan Dwomoh and Max Corbett as Anwill April slipped back. Venkov’s glory was however short lived as he copped a ten second jump start penalty to slip to sixth behind Hill, Dias, Moore, Dwomoh and Corbett.

One could literally throw a blanket over the Rookie pack through the first few laps of race 2 until Sebastian Venkov was bumped sending him into a spin and out of the bunch at Turn 5. That left Luke Hill leading Anwill April, Jack Moore, Sebastian Dias, Max Corbett, Keyaan Dwomoh and Sebastian Venkov. Hill, April, and Moore then ran nose to tail for several laps until Moore made his move before chasing Hill all the way down to the line. Anwil duly ended third from Dias while Dwomoh passed Corbett for fifth ahead of the recovered Venkov.

Overall, Luke Hill took the day from Jack Moore, Anwill April, Keyaan Dwomoh, Sebastian Dias, Max Corbett and the troubled Sebastian Venkov. The Volkswagen Rookie Cup heads to Aldo Scribante next for the second round, where they will join the South African Endurance Series race day on 11 April.

A Volkswagen Motorsport initiative open to drivers between 14 and 16 with a valid MSA licence, the Rookie Cup Academy transitions from karting or similar to the main circuit. Rookie Cup Volkswagen Motorsport factory drivers and crew, train recruits in every racing facet from racecraft and driving technique, physical and mental preparation, teamwork, data analysis, television, and the media. The Rookie Cup runs as part of the National Extreme Festival, alongside endurance, regional and special events. The 2026 champion has the choice of a drive in either the Astron Energy Polo Cup, or Volkswagen-powered MSA4 in 2027.