Fighting Spirit from Toyota Gazoo Racing in 2025 opener. Variawa and Cazalet finish second.

TOYOTA GAZOO Racing South Africa (TGRSA) kicked off their 2025 South African National Rally Championship (NRC) campaign with a display of characteristic tenacity at the NTT Tzaneen National Rally, held in Limpopo on 27 and 28 June. The rally formed Rounds 1 and 2 of the season and featured twelve challenging gravel stages totalling 173 competitive kilometres.

Mandla Mdakane returned to action in the team’s Toyota Starlet, partnered for this event by experienced co-driver Henry Adams, standing in for regular navigator Simon Vacy-Lyle. The pair started strong on Friday, running well within the top three and posting a competitive time on Stage 2. Unfortunately, a fuel pressure issue emerged in Stage 3 and worsened in Stage 4, ultimately forcing the crew to retire from Round 1.

Swift Teamwork

Thanks to swift overnight work by the TGRSA technical team, the Starlet was back on the line for Round 2. The day began cleanly, but Stage 3 brought another challenge when the crew lost the rear-right driveshaft just 3km into the stage. Running in two-wheel drive over back-to-back stages cost significant time, but the team regrouped during service and pushed hard in the final stages to secure a hard-earned third place overall.

“When the car was running well, the pace was there,” said Mdakane. “The issues we had were unfortunate, but not workshop-related. Still, we managed to bring it home for a podium and some points on the board. We’ll push to claw back more at the next one in PE.”

Second spot for Variawa/ Cazalet

The season opener featured changing conditions, technical terrain and tight competition, with TGRSA’s Saood Variawa and co-driver Francois Cazalet securing an impressive second place overall — their highest SARRC finish to date.

 

The two-day event began with the Falken Wild Peak Prologue on Friday morning, followed by Stage 1 in the afternoon. Variawa/Cazalet clocked the 9th-fastest time in qualifying before climbing to third overall after the opening race loop. On Saturday, competitors tackled two challenging 175 km loops, comprising Stages 2 and 3. The route demanded pinpoint accuracy, quick reflexes and tough decisions, with a mix of muddy sections, dust, rutted tracks and rocky outcrops throughout. 

Starting the final day just 11 seconds behind the leaders, Variawa and Cazalet pushed hard in pursuit of victory. “We had the pace and were on for the win in my eyes,” said Variawa. “But two punctures cost us time, and we also took a two-minute penalty. Still, it’s a podium finish — my best so far in the championship — and I’m really happy with the team, the car and our performance.”

The pair completed the event in a time of 6hr 10min 02sec, just 2min 38sec behind eventual winners Gareth Woolridge and Boyd Dreyer (Ford NWM). It was a confident statement of intent from the young TGRSA driver, who continues to show maturity and raw speed in the premier Ultimate T1+ class.

The next round of the 2025 NRC season is the Algoa Rally, set to take place around Gqeberha in the Eastern Cape on 25 and 26 July.