27 Mar RACE REPORT BY HAYLEY – Round 1 of the Rotax Max National Championship: Rain, Rolls and Racing – 22 March 2025
A rainy and humid start to Qualifying for Round 1 of the RMC Rotax Max National Karting Championship at Killarney gave spectators and competitors a sneak peek into what to expect on Race Day, Saturday 22 March.
Slides and spins were the order of the day throughout free practice and qualifying due to the wet conditions, setting off oohs and aahs throughout the paddock, not to mention the occasional brake failure and even the timekeeper’s photocell tripod toppling over due to a collision with a karter!
After a few pushing, shoving and skiing-across-the-track moments in the warm-up session, Race 1 of the Bambino category got underway to an interesting start as Teresa Bettencourt and Alonzo de Oliveira lost control of their karts and left the tramlines as the ‘lights to go’ went out, causing a rear-ender almost on the start line.
Bettencourt went on to spin several times in the 180s, while De Oliviera came home first, with a best lap time of 59.068 seconds, ahead of Divaaj Govender and Bettencourt.
The first Senior Max outing started with few altercations in the 180s on the opening two laps. Seconds later, Ndzalo Khoza came to an abrupt stop on the main straight, just past the start/finish line, apparently with his foot caught in the chassis of his kart, bringing out the yellow flags. Khoza quickly recovered, however, came home last.
Then Thekiso Rethabile rolled his kart in the 180s on the penultimate lap, fortunately without serious injury. Nevertheless, he’d completed 13 of the 15 laps, so he was classified second-last, ahead of Khoza.
The winner of this race was William Marshall with the best lap time of 41.827 seconds; Charl Visser scored second with a best lap of 41.887 seconds and Gianna Pascoal third, having posted a best lap time of 41.960 seconds.
Visser came back to win Race 2 with a fastest lap of 42.352 seconds, with Jude Stuart (42.542 seconds) in second and Roshaan Goodman (42. 562 seconds) in third. Kian Spies lost a wheel passing the pitlane enroute to the start/finish line, forcing him into retirement after just five laps.
The start of Micro Max’s Race 2 saw a multi-kart pileup in Turn 1 that left the rear bumper of Mia Hermanus’ kart hanging loose, posing a safety hazard for her and the rest of the field. She was called into the pits by means of a black and orange flag and finished last.
Luhan de Wet took line honours with a fastest lap of 46.377 seconds from Michael O’Mahoney in second, with a best effort of 46. 646 seconds and Luke du Toit in third, who posted a best lap of 46.391 seconds.
The Junior Max category’s Race 1 ended in chaos as several karts spun out in the 180s on lap 10, bringing out the red flag and the medics. Fortunately, no one was seriously injured.
By comparison, Race 2 ran with little to no contact throughout the field, as Sebastiano Human came home first, having posted a best lap of 41.858 seconds, ahead of Caleb Moss (41.699 seconds) and Emma Dowling (41.895 seconds).
Race 3 saw more drama as the leading kart suddenly lost power approaching the start/finish line, resulting in a three-way pile-up between Manelisi Nkomo, Spice Maikula Reagile and Nicholas Lennox. On impact, the karts of Nkomo and Spice rolled, resulting in an immediate red flag.
Then Ashaan Reddi and Sebastien Blignaut couldn’t get their karts to run for the re-start, ruling them out of the results, which saw Jack Moore take the win with a best lap of 41.463 seconds with Emma Dowling (41.364 sec) in second and Caleb Moss (41.457 seconds) in third.
Max Boshoff, Ronaldo Koen and Emma Dowling’s younger brother Brodi took the top three spots in the Mini Max’s Race 2 after Mandume Kaiyamo’s kart broke down on lap four, causing him to retire early.
There were pileups as the Mini Max drivers took to the track for their third and final race, with Michael Arde losing control of his kart and winding up on the infield between Turn 1 and Turn 2. Liam Wharton went on to win with a best lap time of 44.429 seconds, followed home by Max Boshoff (44.417 seconds) in second and Brodi Dowling (44.467 seconds) in third.
The DD2 category had a relatively smooth and calm Race 3, as Jason Coetzee took the chequered flag with a best lap time of 40.411 seconds, ahead of Sebastian Boyd with 40.432 seconds in second and Matthew Wadely with a best effort of 40.406 seconds in third.
The final race of the day – DD2 Masters – was won by Jono Pieterse with a best lap time of 41.764 seconds, followed by Jared Jordan (41.617 seconds) in second and Neville Chapman (41.703 seconds) in third.
Thank you very much to all of the officials, competitors and supporters as well as Rotax Karting for making the first round of this National series a successful yet unique day’s racing at Killarney.
Text and Image by Hayley Zaayman