PRETORIA, South Africa, 18 November 2025 – The 2025 South African Rally-Raid Championship is down to its final, unforgiving test, and the Castrol NWM Ford Rally-Raid Team enters the Northam Zondereinde Bushveld 400 (21–22 November) with focus, grit and a fiercely competitive mindset. Only one round remains, but the task ahead is immense: two days of intense racing, nearly 400 kilometres of Bushveld terrain and a championship battle that will demand nothing short of perfection.
Gareth Woolridge and Boyd Dreyer arrive in Koedoeskop leading the overall standings by the slimmest of margins—just three points separate them from Toyota Gazoo Racing’s Saood Variawa and Francois Cazalet. Veteran Giniel de Villiers remains close enough to shape the outcome. It is a far cry from the duo’s more comfortable approach to the 2023 finale, when they entered the last round with a 17-point buffer. This time, the title will be decided in a high-pressure sprint to the finish.
A Final Round Shaped by Heat, Dust and Determination
The Bushveld 400 will stretch crews mentally and physically. Friday opens with a 22km qualifying stage at 9:30 before competitors move directly into an 87km run at 13:00. Saturday’s main event—starting at 8:30—features a relentless 200km Stage 2, followed by a lightning-fast 30-minute service stop before the final decisive 87km dash.
Conditions are expected to be hot, dry and unforgiving. More than 100 kilometres of racing on Friday and roughly 300 kilometres on Saturday will challenge concentration, stamina and mechanical preservation. Although Koedoeskop’s fast, flowing tracks should be less punishing than the rutted, treacherous terrain seen at the Vryheid 400, crews will still pay a price for the season’s earlier battles. The bruising physical demands of Vryheid left drivers and navigators exhausted and stiff, underscoring the importance of hydration, nutrition and recovery.
Despite this, Woolridge and Dreyer managed one of their most courageous drives of the season, fighting through pain and fatigue to secure their second victory of the year—a result that carried them to the top of the standings for the first time in 2025.
A Season Built on Resilience and a Relentless Fightback
Their path to title contention has been anything but straightforward. Round 2, which included both the Parys 400 and Ingco Vaal 400, dealt the pair a setback when a minor mechanical issue robbed them of a strong result. Since then, the team’s response has been forceful and consistent. Every Castrol NWM Ford Ranger has delivered exceptional reliability, and each outing has been marked by disciplined execution and open-throttle determination.
That momentum has placed NWM in a championship fight that is closer, more intense and more unpredictable than any in recent memory.
“This region holds special memories from our 2023 championship win, but this year the battle is far more intense,” says Team Principal Neil Woolridge. “The Bushveld is fast, hot and extremely dusty. Visibility can define your entire race. The event may not punish the crews the way Vryheid did, and the navigation should be more stable, but the pressure is immense. All three Castrol NWM Ford crews and our mechanics will need to work together if we want to bring this championship home.”
Small Team, Big Ambition
In a field featuring larger teams with more vehicles and deeper resources, the Castrol NWM Ford Rally-Raid Team stands out for its compact, highly specialised structure. Years of collective experience—including Dakar participation as recently as 2023—have been instrumental in refining race strategy, responsiveness and technical decision-making. Their ability to outperform bigger organisations through precision, expertise and cohesion remains one of NWM’s defining strengths.
Preparations for the finale have reflected this approach. At the Pietermaritzburg headquarters, each Ranger was fully stripped and rebuilt, with special attention paid to components subject to high stress. Telemetry from the full season was analysed to identify incremental opportunities in power delivery, cooling management, suspension behaviour and stability across fast, flowing terrain. Several refinements and upgrades will make their competitive debut at Koedoeskop.
Strong Performances Across the Team
The team’s depth was evident at the Vryheid 400, where Marcos Baumgart and navigator Kleber Cincea recorded a hard-earned fifth-place finish. Baumgart holds fifth position in the drivers’ championship on 55 points while Cincea—despite missing two rounds—has climbed to 39 points among navigators.
Wors Prinsloo and André Vermeulen delivered a valuable sixth-place result, placing Prinsloo 10th in the drivers’ standings (33 points) and Vermeulen fifth among navigators (45 points).
In the Constructors’ Championship, NWM sits second on 206 points—behind SVR (358) but ahead of Red-Lined (168)—reflecting a season marked by resilience and consistency across all three entries.
Koedoeskop Readies for a Championship Showdown
Once again, Koedoeskop Primary School will serve as the central hub for the event, hosting the Start/Finish, the Designated Service Park (DSP) and Race HQ. Spectators are encouraged to visit the DSP to experience the energy, mechanical precision and community spirit that define the Bushveld 400.
By Saturday afternoon, after close to 400 kilometres of racing, the 2025 South African Rally-Raid Champions will be crowned. With only three points separating the top contenders, and with multiple teams capable of influencing the outcome, the title will be decided in a winner-takes-all sprint through the final 87 kilometres.
For Castrol NWM Ford, the goal is clear: execute with discipline, race with courage, and turn a season of relentless fightback into a championship that reflects the team’s extraordinary commitment.
The Castrol NWM Ford Team is proudly supported by:
Castrol EDGE, bp Ultimate, Vedacit, Ford Credit, Mastercraft, Sparco, Brembo, NTN, Veldskoen and Tiger Wheel & Tyre.
