The curtain came down on the 2025 South African Touring Car (SATC) Championship this past weekend at the Zwartkops Raceway near Pretoria, as TOYOTA GAZOO Racing South Africa (TGRSA) signed off on an extremely successful season. While Michael van Rooyen had all but secured the title ahead of the final round, the team arrived at Zwartkops with a clear objective: finish the year strong and maintain their status as championship leaders.
Qualifying saw Van Rooyen deliver a composed performance, securing the second-fastest time in his SATC Toyota Corolla, just 0.206 seconds off the pole sitter. Teammates Nathi Msimanga and Sa’aad Variawa qualified 4th and 6th respectively in a tightly-packed field.
In Race 1, Van Rooyen capitalised on his front-row start to bring his Corolla home in second place after 10 hard-fought laps. Sa’aad Variawa delivered a strong drive to finish 4th, while Msimanga had to settle for 7th after a challenging stint.
The second race saw more intense action. Julian van der Watt took victory, but TGRSA’s drivers held their own in the 8-lap sprint. Variawa again showed consistency by finishing 4th, with Van Rooyen and Msimanga coming home in 6th and 7th respectively.
While the final race results didn’t include a win, Van Rooyen’s second and sixth places were more than enough to confirm his championship crown – capping a season of consistent high performance and strategic driving. Msimanga and Variawa, though not in championship contention due to missing earlier rounds, still delivered solid performances to round out the season.
In the SupaCup class, Dawie van der Merwe lined up 8th on the grid after Saturday morning’s qualifying session. A tough Race 1 saw him finish in 10th place after battling in the midfield. However, Race 2 brought a significant turnaround, with Van der Merwe improving to 8th in a fiercely competitive field. While not podium finishes, the consistency secured valuable points that could influence the final championship order, with Van der Merwe sitting in 5th place in the title chase ahead of the weekend.
The 2025 SATC season saw seven rounds contested at some of South Africa’s most iconic circuits, including Killarney, Kyalami, East London, Gqeberha and Zwartkops. For TGRSA, the highlight was undoubtedly Van Rooyen’s driver’s title, supported by the squad’s continued reliability and pace throughout the year.
Glenn Crompton, Vice President of Marketing at Toyota South Africa Motors, commented:
“I’m extremely pleased to have successfully defended TGRSA’s SATC title. Last year, Saood made us proud, and this year it was Michael who flew the flag for the brand. This underscores not only the prowess of our SATC-spec Toyota Corollas, but also Toyota’s commitment to local motorsport.”
As the team reflects on a memorable year, preparations are already underway for the 2026 season. With a solid foundation and an evolving driver line-up, TGRSA remains poised to defend its position at the top of South African touring car racing.
