Five cars set for South Africa’s premier new Rally Raid race
Fresh off its triple-top ten and T1 Adventure class 1-2-3-4 Vryheid 400 clean sweep last time out, Red-Lined Motorsport has a five-car team locked, loaded and looking forward to the all-important three-day marathon third-round of the South African Rally-Raid Championship, the TGRSA Safari 1000 around the Limpopo Province Waterberg 21-23 June.
“This is the big one in the South African Rally-Raid Championship and an extremely tough one for our crews,” Red-Lined team principal Terence Marsh points out. “Furthermore, this new Safari 1000 event which was previously held in Botswana, will also be under FIA observation as a potential round of the 2025 W2RC World Championship. There is a further opportunity for our amateur crews to enter and win the Road to Dakar prize which is a free entry to the Dakar Rally. Our mission however remains the same for the team, as we set out to deliver the best possible outcomes for all five of our factory crews.”
South African Rally-Raid Championship legend Chris Visser and loyal notes man Albertus Venter head for Limpopo off a great start to the season in their all-new Red-Lined REVO T1+ GT-R. Fifth overall and best non-major motor manufacturer team entry at Vryheid last time out, and that after a steady 6th overall debut at the first round, this ultra-experienced crew will be looking for a clean but fast three days in this third round of the Championship.
They are backed by two of the team’s three international crews aboard two more REVO T1+ GTRs, as Red-Lined Motorsport maximises the opportunity to learn, develop and fine tune these new race cars. Red-Lined Europe CEO Rients Hofstra will once again pair up with local lad Wade Harris for their second outing in their REVO T1+ GTR, while the ever consistent and reliable Dutch pairing of Dave Klaassen and Tessa Rooth return once again in their DaklaPack Rallysport REVO T1+ GTR. Young 19-year-old Dutchman Pim Klaassen and local notes man Rikus Hattingh then return to complete the team’s FIA T1 Ultimate class effort aboard their DaklaPack Red-Lined REVO T1+ V8.
And in the T1 Adventure class, the factory pairing of Philip Botha back together with Roelof Janse van Vuren in their Penta Motor Group VK56, will be looking for another dominant Red-Lined run in this FIA T1 class. They will once again be strongly backed by privateers Gerhard and Rudi Heinlein’s similar Sirkel N VK56, and then Vryheid 400 class winners, Johan de Bruyn and Adriaan Roets’ in their Falken Tyres REVO T1.
“Red-Lined Motorsport has raced at the Waterberg before, but never in a three-day marathon event like the new Safari 1000,” Terence Marsh concludes. “Not that it’s a problem as we are up for the challenge, but we certainly do have a tough event ahead of us. Once again, we will be targeting a good batch of team results as well as looking to take that prize Dakar entry home with us. Interesting times to say the least!”
*Red-Lined Motorsport competes with premium strategic partners, the Penta Motor Group, BFGoodrich, Motul, Dragon Energy, OMP, Ingco South Africa and ExpandaSign.
Issued on behalf of Red-Lined Motorsport
What | : | South African Rally Raid Championship Round 3 Preview |
Where | : | Waterberg, Limpopo Province |
When | : | 21-23 June 2024 |
Community | : | South Africa National |