From the desert to DTM and two-wheeled adventures, it has been a successful year for young South African motorsport talent. Here’s how RSA DNA reached the motorsport world! 
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Toyota Gazoo Racing and Dakar
During a preparation session for the 2025 Dakar Rally, SVR (Shameer Variawa Racing) Toyota Gazoo Racing South Africa (TGRSA) drivers Giniel de Villiers and Saood Variawa were involved in an accident that almost derailed the team’s plans. Fortunately, both drivers walked away without any significant physical injuries, other than a concussion and some scrapes and bruises. TGRSA managed to repair the damaged GR DKR Hilux EVO T1U, and both Giniel and Saood have been back in training since the incident.
The team also competed in the 2024 South African Rally Raid Championship (SARRC), using it as a preparatory platform for the upcoming Dakar, with four crews. The leading crew of Henk Lategan and navigator Brett Cummings overcame an early season setback to lead the championship and have now secured this year’s title.
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Although the team’s focus is now squarely on Dakar, which starts in Saudi Arabia on January 3, 2025, the teams for the event have been announced. Read more here.
Lance and Gareth Woolridge
South African motorsport brothers Lance and Gareth Woolridge have cemented their names in off-road racing with impressive performances in the SARRC. Driving for their father’s team, Neil Woolridge Motorsport (NWM), the brothers have consistently pushed the limits of their Ford Ranger Ultimate machines in 2024. Both have achieved strong results during the recently concluded SARRC season, but the championship has eluded them so far. unlike 2023 when Gareth and co-driver Boyd Dreyer claimed the overall SARRC title.
Their strategic approach to each stage in the SARRC has kept them in contention for the championship in the early parts of the 2024 season, and their technical knowledge of the different terrains has made them formidable competitors. The Woolridge brothers’ teamwork and deep racing history make them a force to be reckoned with.
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As 2025 approaches, the brothers have their eyes set on the tough and demanding Dakar. This upcoming challenge is a natural progression for them, with Dakar offering a broader, tougher test of endurance and skill. If their SARRC performance is anything to go by, they are well equipped to tackle the toughest rally in the world.
While the Dakar is a monumental step, the Woolridge brothers have the drive, expertise and support from Ford to deliver a strong performance driving the T1+ Ford Rangers.
Kelvin and Sheldon van der Linde
South African motorsport brothers Kelvin and Sheldon van der Linde have become important forces in international racing. In 2024, both had standout seasons that continued to elevate their reputations.
Known for his exceptional versatility, Kelvin competed in the DTM (Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters) in 2024. His prowess behind the wheel of the ABT Sportsline Audi R8 GT3 saw him compete at the highest level and challenge all year round for the 2024 DTM Championship. 
Sheldon, meanwhile, remained determined in his DTM campaign, racing for Team WRT in a BMW M4 GT3. Despite a series of strong races, his 2024 was not as strong as previous seasons. Although he is in the top six of the championship, he is still a long way from winning the DTM title in 2022.
Looking ahead to 2025, both brothers will continue their upward trajectory. Kelvin is expected to broaden his horizons in endurance racing after both he and Sheldon made their Le Mans debuts this year. With Akkodis ASP Team Lexus expected to return to Endurance Racing next year, Kelvin could once again be one of the team’s three drivers. Sheldon will continue in the DTM and will aim to win the championship again with BMW, with whom he has been working since 2019. With their impressive records and growing fan base, the Van der Linde brothers remain among South Africa’s most exciting racing exports.
Ruffle Moodley
Eastern Cape motorcycling sensation Ruche Moodley will race for BOÉ Motorsports in the 2025 Moto3 Championship. The 18-year-old will follow in the footsteps of fellow South African Red Bull KTM MotoGP rider Brad Binder, who won the Moto3 Championship in 2016 won. Moodley competed in the Red Bull Rookies Cup in 2024, with his on-track talents conquering BOÉ Motorsports. ‘ attention, which earned him a contract for 2025.
Moodley has made no secret of the fact that he values his father, Arushen, a South African superbike champion from the UAE, and Brad and Darren Binder as his motorsport heroes, and that he wants to join the Binder brothers in reaching the premier class.
Moodley first mounted an iron steed at the age of five and took part in his first motocross race in 2014 at the age of seven. In 2019 he was signed to ESBK Moto4 (Circuit Racing Spanish Championship), followed by the Red Bull Rookies Cup in 2022. This year marked Moodley’s final appearance in the Rookies Cup, in which he finished the campaign in ninth place overall.
Mohammed “Mo” Wally
South African karting sensation Muhammad “Mo” Wally, a five-time national champion, secured a spot in the prestigious ROK Cup Superfinal held in Lonato, Italy in October. Wally’s exceptional performances on the track earned him this opportunity to compete against the world’s best karting talents, demonstrating his racing skills on the world stage.
Wally (15) has already made his mark in professional karting. His recent win in the ROK South African National Championship cemented his place in the superfinal, and his resilience at the FIA Karting Championship in England – where he battled back to sixth from 18th despite mechanical setbacks – proved his tenacity.
The ROK Cup Superfinal is a highlight of the global karting calendar and attracts more than 400 competitors from more than 35 countries. For Wally, this race represents another crucial step in his journey to Formula 1.
With extensive preparation, including hours spent in simulator training and physical conditioning, Wally is ready for the intense demands of karting at this level and has his sights set on launching his Formula 4 career in 2025, which will continue his progress in the will promote ranks of the different formulas. .
Bradley Cox
It’s hard to believe that it was only three years ago that Bradley Cox made his Rally Raid debut at the 2021 Rallye du Maroc, but the young South African has already made a huge impact on his sport. He became more skilled with each passing season, culminating in Cox winning the 2024 Rally2 World Championship – an accolade added to his growing list of titles.
The 26-year-old races for the BAS World KTM Racing team and follows in his father’s footsteps by entering the motorsport world on two wheels, including the Dakar Rally, where his bravery caught everyone’s attention. The South African is expected to compete again for the Dakar in 2025. His father, Alfie Cox, was an official KTM rider from 1998 to 2005, during which time he achieved three Dakar podiums and eight stage wins.
You will find the full article in the December issue of CAR Magazine.
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