Treacherous weather forced the penultimate round of this year’s series to be stopped, but not before a podium finish for Variawa and Cazalet.
The penultimate round of the South African Rally-Raid Championship, the Vryheid 400, delivered two days of punishing rally-raid action in northern KwaZulu-Natal, and a strong result for Toyota Gazoo Racing South Africa.
Event halted
Despite treacherous conditions and a route that tested both crews and machinery to the limit, Saood Variawa and French co-driver Francois Cazalet brought their Toyota GR Hilux EVO home in second place, missing out on victory by just 53 seconds.
Teammates Guy Botterill and Spanish navigator Oriol Mena were credited with seventh place overall after mechanical troubles, followed by the subsequent red-flagging of the event due to the worsening conditions.
Leg one comprised 50 km and saw Variawa and Cazalet finish sixth in preparation for the pair of 163 km loops on Saturday.
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The conditions were as challenging as they as they were on Friday, yet Variawa and Cazalet closed within the minute of leaders before organisers halted the event after 133 km following a massive rainstorm,
The result cemented their lead in the championship standings heading into the season finale.
Teammates Botterill and Mena were also in contention for the podium throughout the event. Although running competitively on Saturday, a damaged rear differential within the final kilometres blighted any hopes of a top-three finish.
With the storm halting the event,, they were classified in seventh place overall.
Sa’aad Variawa, younger brother of Saood competing in his first event – co-driven by Zaheer Bodhanya who navigated for father and Shameer over two decades ago – failed to finish after ongoing electrical issues during the main event.
Still all to play for
With just one round remaining, the Northam Platinum Bushveld 400 on 21–22 November, Toyota Gazoo Racing South Africa remains firmly in contention for championship honours, with both crews aiming to close out the 2025 season on a high.
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