South Africa - Three NWM Ford Evos in the Top 10 as South African Rally Raid Championship Heats Up

Pretoria, South Africa - The Castrol NWM Ford Team rose to the occasion at the Ingco Parys 400 and Ingco Vaal 400, the double-header of the 2025 South African Rally-Raid Championship (SARRC), held on 15-16 August in the Free State. Despite facing tough challenges along the way, the championship leaders, Gareth Woolridge and Boyd Dreyer, staged a strong comeback which earned them a hard-fought second place while adding valuable points to their title campaign.

The weekend’s event brought nearly 800 kilometres of thrilling racing action across two one-day events with over 60% of the routes being new due to earlier heavy rains. Each day commenced with a short 10km Falken Wild Peak Prologue to determine the starting order, followed by two race stages, with the Parys 400 covering approximately 394 kilometres and the Vaal 400 covering close to 416 kilometres.

Gareth Woolridge and Boyd Dreyer went into the race leading the overall championship standings on 30 points and got off to a flying start, catching up to their rivals and entered the service point leading the race until a mechanical issue near the end of the first day brought their NWM Ford Evo Plus to a halt, costing them valuable time. Meanwhile, Wors Prinsloo, alongside Andre Vermeulen, were eager to get their campaign underway after missing the season opener. They had to overcome poor visibility in the dust but they kept fighting and remained in the hunt for a podium.

Brazilian and South American rally-raid champions Marcos Baumgart and navigator Alberto Andreotti, standing in for an injured Kleber Cincea, found the fast, off-piste terrain unfamiliar but drew on their international experience to adapt. They maintained a steady pace, prioritising consistency while other crews ran into difficulties.

On Day 2, the NWM crews bounced back with even more determination to recover lost ground. Despite not completing the race on the first day, Gareth and Boyd were back on the start-line for Day 2, qualifying with the fifth fastest time. They gave it everything to claw back lost time, pushing their NWM Ford Evo Plus to the limit to lead stage 2’s 175km loop and eventually finish 78 seconds behind race winners and closest championship rivals Saood Variawa and Francois Cazalet – who claimed their first SARRC victory - in the Toyota Gazoo Racing Hilux.

Formerly an NWM-supported privateer team, Prinsloo and Vermeulen showed just why they are such valuable part of the team by finishing 7 minutes behind the leading NWM Ford Evo Plus and bringing home a solid fourth place overall, to go with their eighth place achieved the previous day. This was also Prinsloo’s best overall result in the SARRC which was well deserved and a fantastic way to celebrate his birthday the day before.

Meanwhile Marcos Baumgart and Alberto Andreotti crossed the line in 7th position despite receiving a seven-minute penalty for a rule infringement making it three NWM Evo Plus vehicles in the top ten for the Castrol NWM Ford Team.

“I’m really proud of the way the entire team pulled together this weekend. It wasn’t without its challenges, but to come away with three cars in the top 10, a strong second place for Gareth and Boyd, and Wors back in the mix with a fantastic fourth is a great result. Marcos continues to grow stronger with every outing as he learns the car and adapts to the South African terrain. Overall, it shows the depth and determination of this team, and it keeps us firmly in the championship fight,” said team principal Neil Woolridge,

The championship action now shifts to the Western Cape, with the next round set for 19-20 September at a brand-new venue, Louvain Guest Farm. Competitors and fans alike can look forward to mountainous terrain and new challenges as the 2025 South African Rally-Raid Championship continues to unfold.

The Castrol NWM Ford Team is proud to be supported by the following sponsors and partners: Castrol EDGE, bp Ultimate, Vedacit, Ford Credit, Mastercraft, Sparco, Brembo, NTN, Veldskoen and Tiger Wheel & Tyre.