GTC racer Mandla Mdakane joins Toyota Gazoo Racing SA at Tzaneen Rally

The track racer Mandla Mdakane has been quietly getting to grips with the world of rallying, thanks to multiple test sessions, and will be joining Toyoya Gazoo Racing SA (TGRSA) regulars Guy Botterill and co-driver Simon Vacy-Lyle at the upcoming event.

For Mdakane, the Tzaneen International Rally will be a first taste of competitive rally driving, and he will have the experienced Kes Naidoo reading the notes beside him in the car. The new entrant will compete in a Class S2000 Toyota Auris, which served Botterill/Vacy-Lyle well in the past.

“I’m really excited to try my hand at rallying,” said Mdakane of his upcoming challenge. “The plan for this weekend is to take it easy, become familiar with the procedures, and bring the car home safely. If I achieve nothing more in Tzaneen, I’ll go to bed a happy man on Saturday night.”

While Mdakane might be aiming to find his feet in the sport, former multiple champions Botterill and Vacy-Lyle have their work cut out for them. The pair have had mixed results so far this year. They need to iron out the last teething problems in their Toyota Starlet rally car, which will again be in action this weekend.

The pair struggled at the first event, but bagged maximum points in Secunda, during rounds 3 and 4 of the championship. The next event took place in the Eastern Cape, and the pair managed a podium on round 5, while round 6 brought disappointment. As such, they are under pressure to perform well in Tzaneen.

“We’ve been really impressed with the Starlet so far,” said Botterill. “The car is blisteringly quick at times, and once we sort out the final niggles, I’m confident that we’ll be nearly unbeatable. We’ve worked hard to prepare the car for Tzaneen, and can only hope that everything runs the way we expect. If that happens, I’m confident that we’ll score some meaningful points this weekend.”

The Tzaneen National Rally will take place in Tzaneen, with stages taking place both in town and among the lush vegetation of the area. A ceremonial start at NTT Toyota Tzaneen will mark the beginning of the event at 12:00, with the day drawing to a close at 19:10 at the Tzaneen showgrounds. Saturday’s action will get under way with another ceremonial start at NTT Toyota Tzaneen, this time at 09:30; with the rally coming to an end around 16:00 at the Safari Pub and Grill.

Source: MotorPress