Round 3 of the 2025 South African Touring Car Championship (SATC) took place this past weekend at the tight and twisty Aldo Scribante Circuit in Gqeberha, with TOYOTA GAZOO Racing South Africa (TGRSA) delivering a composed and competitive showing across both categories. The team again fielded three GR Corollas in the SATC class and the lone SupaStarlet in SupaCup, all under warm, mild conditions and largely clear skies on race day.
With the championship beginning to take shape, Michael van Rooyen arrived in the Eastern Cape as the SATC points leader following a consistent start to the season. Saood Variawa and Nathi Msimanga, who joined the championship from Round 2, were also in action and eager to build on their strong performances at Kyalami. In SupaCup, Dawie van der Merwe continued his campaign in the SupaStarlet, looking to climb the standings in only his second weekend with the team.
SATC Qualifying
TGRSA’s drivers were immediately on the pace in Saturday morning’s qualifying session, with all three GR Corollas featuring in the top five. Michael van Rooyen secured third on the grid with a best time of 1:02.612, just fractions off the pole-sitter. Saood Variawa followed closely in fourth with a 1:02.642, and Nathi Msimanga rounded out the team’s effort with a 1:02.788 to line up fifth. Less than two tenths separated the trio, underlining the competitive nature of the session.
SATC Race 1
The opening race saw the team convert its strong qualifying into solid points. Michael van Rooyen crossed the line in second place, less than three seconds behind the leader, to continue his string of podium finishes. Saood Variawa brought his GR Corolla home in fourth after a clean run, while Nathi Msimanga added another finish to his tally in sixth place overall. It was a stable and productive start to the day, with all three TGRSA cars inside the top six.
SATC Race 2
The second race brought even greater rewards for the team—though not without some drama. Saood Variawa made the most of his starting position and worked his way through the pack to claim victory in commanding fashion. Teammates Michael van Rooyen and Nathi Msimanga were involved in a minor on-track altercation during the race, with Van Rooyen initially crossing the line in second and Msimanga in fourth. However, after a post-race review by the stewards, the positions were reversed, promoting Msimanga to third and relegating Van Rooyen to fourth. Despite the reshuffle, it marked another race with all three TGRSA GR Corollas in the top four—a strong reflection of the team’s pace and consistency.
SupaCup Qualifying
In the SupaCup class, Dawie van der Merwe recorded his best qualifying result of the season so far. With a committed drive, he placed sixth in class, setting a best lap of 1:05.990 – less than seven tenths off the pole time. The result placed the SupaStarlet squarely in the midfield and well within striking distance of the front runners heading into Race 1.
SupaCup Race 1
Dawie delivered another strong performance in the opening race, running consistently throughout the 10-lap heat. He finished sixth in class once again, posting a best time of 1:06.776 and closing out a clean, calculated drive that kept him firmly in the fight for championship points.
SupaCup Race 2
The second race of the day saw Dawie cross the line in eighth place in class after 12 laps of close racing. His best lap of 1:07.324 kept him within touch of the drivers ahead, and he finished the race just over 21 seconds behind the winner in a crowded mid-field pack. It marked yet another valuable finish in a season that continues to show promise for the young driver.
With consistent performances across both categories and a return to the top step of the podium in SATC, TGRSA wrapped up a productive weekend in the Eastern Cape. The team now turns its attention to the next round of the championship, which will take place at Zwartkops Raceway on 20 and 21 June 2025, as the 2025 season continues to build momentum.
