TOYOTA GAZOO Racing South Africa (TGRSA) continued its strong start to the 2026 season with a competitive showing at Red Star Raceway this past weekend, where Round 2 of both the GR Cup and South African Touring Cars (SATC) championships delivered intense racing in mixed conditions.
Overcast skies and overnight rain left the circuit damp for Saturday morning’s qualifying sessions, but conditions improved significantly for the races, which were contested largely in the dry — allowing drivers to fully exploit the pace of their machinery around the demanding Mpumalanga circuit.
MIXED FORTUNES FOR TGRSA IN SATC
In the SATC category, TGRSA’s Jason Coetzee and reigning champion Michael van Rooyen faced a more challenging weekend, but still secured valuable championship points.
Qualifying in tricky wet conditions saw Coetzee place his GR Corolla fifth on the grid, while van Rooyen qualified sixth.
Race 1 saw Coetzee deliver a strong performance, fighting his way through to finish second and secure another podium result, while van Rooyen drove a measured race to finish fourth.
Race 2 proved more difficult for both drivers. Coetzee recovered from an early off-track moment to finish fourth, while van Rooyen brought his GR Corolla home in sixth place, ensuring further points for the team.
“It was a bit of a mixed weekend overall,” said Coetzee. “Qualifying didn’t quite come together for me — I made a small mistake on my final lap, which was important as the track was improving all the time as it dried. I ended up fifth on the grid, but in Race 1 I was able to work my way up to second, and I had to push hard to hold onto that position, especially with double points on offer.”
“We made some really good progress as a team compared to where we were at Killarney. The changes we made to the car gave us much better pace, and it was great to be able to race at the front rather than just defend.”
“Race 2 was a bit more difficult. I got a strong start, but had a moment early in the race that forced me onto the grass, and from there I had to fight my way back to fourth. It wasn’t perfect, but it’s all part of the learning process for me in this category.”
“A big thank you to the team for the effort they put in between rounds. We’ve definitely taken a step forward, and I’m confident we can start taking the fight to the front runners.”
ABDOOL CONTINUES DOMINANCE IN MEDIA CHALLENGE
The GR Cup Media Challenge once again belonged to Nabil Abdool, who continued his dominant early-season form.
In wet qualifying conditions, Abdool produced a superb lap of 2:13.041 to secure pole position in the Media class and overall.
“It was a strong and rewarding weekend, starting with a tricky qualifying session in challenging conditions,” said Abdool. “With grip at a premium and light drizzle, I managed to put together a clean run to secure overall pole position.”
Race 1 saw Abdool convert pole into victory in dry conditions, fending off early pressure before settling into a strong rhythm and building a gap to the field. He also set the fastest lap of the race.
Race 2 delivered a close and strategic battle at the front, with Abdool finishing second overall after an intense duel, but still securing another class victory to extend his championship lead.
“The package continues to evolve, and it’s encouraging to see everything coming together as we build momentum through the season,” Abdool added.
Behind him, Craig Nicholson, Justin Ford, Kumbi Mtshakazi and Naresh Maharaj all featured in competitive midfield battles throughout the weekend, while Tayedza Mbiri retired after qualifying.
SCOTT DELIVERS IN DEALER CHALLENGE
The GR Cup Dealer Challenge once again produced close and tactical racing, with Devon Scott continuing his strong form. Scott secured pole position in class during qualifying despite the challenging conditions, placing second overall on the grid.
“Tricky weekend, a real yo-yo,” said Scott. “The circuit was new to me, so there was a lot to learn, but we kept improving with each session.”
In Race 1, Scott finished second overall after an early battle, securing the Dealer Challenge victory. Race 2 saw Scott take the fight to Abdool, making a decisive move to claim the overall race win after a tightly contested battle at the front.
“I had to think strategically about where I could defend and where I could stretch the lead,” he explained. “It was a tough race, but really rewarding.”
Behind Scott, Theo Brits and Werner Venter remained consistent contenders, while Werner Horn, Andries de Villiers, Marius Claasen, Kevin Crowie, as well as Johan and Rudi Boonzaaier were all involved in competitive battles throughout the field. CFAO’s Jaco Barendse also enjoyed a very successful maiden outing in the Dealer Challenge.
WESTON SHINES IN GR86 DEVELOPMENT ACADEMY
The GR86 Development Academy delivered some of the closest racing of the weekend, with Connor Weston emerging as the standout performer.
Weston secured victory in both races, leading home Kobus Reyneke and Emma Dowling in Race 1 before repeating the result in Race 2 after another closely fought contest.
“It was a great weekend overall, I couldn’t have asked for anything better,” said Weston. “Winning both races was really special, and I had a lot of fun racing closely with Kobus and Emma. It’s an incredible opportunity, and I’m already looking forward to the next round.”
Reyneke and Dowling remained close challengers throughout, while Vatiswa Mokonnoana, Kian Fussell, Reagile Mailula, Miklos Hegyi and Tshepang Shisinwana all gained valuable experience in the highly competitive development category.
With two rounds now complete, the 2026 season is beginning to take shape across both SATC and GR Cup categories.
TGRSA will now turn its focus to the next round of the championship, which will take place at Zwartkops Raceway on 22 and 23 May 2026, where the team will be aiming to build on its early-season momentum.
