Crews need to fast and consistent during Rally-Raid double header around Parys.
The South African Rally-Raid Championship (SARRC) heads to Parys in the Free State for a season-defining double-header at the Ingco Parys 400 (Round 2) and Ingco Vaal 400 (Round 3) this weekend.
The mission for the Toyota Gazoo Racing South Africa (TGRSA) team in their GR Hilux IMT EVOs is simple; beat the Ford Ranger. Nothing less than two victories will suffice.
Serving up nearly 800km of competitive racing and with two full sets of championship points up for grabs, this is the chance for the crews to stake their claim in the 2025 title fight. With more than 60% of the route entirely new and the action centred around Stonehenge River Lodge on the banks of the Vaal River, the event promises fast, unpredictable terrain and the kind of strategic challenge that could make or break a season.
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Round 1 done and dusted
The opening round of the 2025 SARRC championship, the Renault KEC 400 at Bronkhorstspruit, set the tone for an intensely competitive year with both of TGRSA’s crews showing strong pace.
As the championship moves into back-to-back one-day races, outright speed must be matched by careful planning and consistency to secure maximum points from both events.
The Ingco Parys 400 will kick off with the prologue at 8:00am on Friday to determine starting orders. Two competitive stages of approximately 193km each follow, separated by a 30-minute service at the Designated Service Point (DSP) at Stonehenge River Lodge.
Flooding brings changes
Saturday’s Ingco Vaal 400 will follow the same format. The prologue starts at 8:00am before two 208km stages will decide the winners of Round 3.
The terrain around Parys includes fast, open sections and technical Free State farm tracks. Flooding earlier in the season meant that the bulk of the route had to changed. This has effectively levelled the playing field for all crews. Both days will demand supreme concentration from drivers and navigators, as well as faultless preparation from their service crews between races.
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Toyota Hilux crews raring to go
The Toyota GR Hilux IMT EVO line-up brings experience and enthusiasm for this double-header. Fresh from a podium at the season opener, Saood Variawa and French co-driver Francois Cazalet will be aiming to build on their strong start and keep themselves in the title hunt.
Guy Botterill and Spanish co-driver Oriol Mena, who showed front-running pace before mechanical misfortune in Bronkhorstspruit, will be looking to bounce back into contention with a trouble-free run.
TGRSA team principal Shameer Variawa says: “Parys is always a tricky one, but the fact that more than half of the route will be completely new this year makes it even more of a challenge.”
“And an opportunity. With two rounds back-to-back, consistency will be the key, but the pace is also going to be flat out from the first kilometre. We’ve got a strong, well-balanced team, and I’m confident we can fight at the sharp end both days,” Variawa concludes.
