With the 48th running of the Dakar Rally in its second and final week, I have found it interesting to note how many South Africans are involved with race teams both on two wheels and four. I certainly will not be able to recognise all those involved, as, despite their vital role, support crew members are the unsung heroes who keep the cars and bikes on the road, but don’t get into the limelight. As such, they fly under the radar. Kudos to you guys, and possibly gals, who work long hours in extreme conditions to keep their vehicles in the race.
South Africa has a long and distinguished record in off-road motorsport, both locally and internationally, so it should not come as a huge surprise when we find South Africans on the leaderboard across various classes. Driving in his 5th Dakar and with a second place on the podium in 2025 with the Gazoo Racing Toyota team, Henk has paid his dues and shown that he can win this event. His navigator, Brett Cummings, is a Dakar vet in his own right, having ridden the Dakar in 2012 and finishing 46th overall. As if that wasn’t good enough, his next bike foray at Dakar was in the malle-moto class, arguably the toughest class of all, as you have no assistance. He finished a brilliant 2nd in class and 28th overall. The difficulty of navigating successfully on a bike made the transition to 4 wheels relatively easy. Together with Henk, they placed 2nd in 2025. They are running up within striking distance of a race win in their Glyn Hall-built Gazoo Racing Toyota.
Another Gazoo Racing Toyota is piloted by a super-talented current young South African champion, Saood Variawa. He and Henk Lategan pulled off an SA 1,2 on the 8th stage of the 2025 Dakar, with only 3 seconds difference between Saood, the winner, and Henk in second. Variawa also made history as the youngest stage winner, at the tender age of 20, in the history of the Dakar. After the 10th stage, with his navigator Francois Cazalet, he lies in 10th overall.
Guy Botterill is another Gazoo Racing mainstay with a 6th place overall in 2024. Like many other Dakar legends, Guy has a history of motorsport success going back to when he was a 10-year-old nipper. A 6th place overall in Dakar 2024 earned him the Rookie of the Year award. In 2025, he and co-driver Dennis Murphy got huge coverage for all the wrong reasons early in the event. In 6th gear and flat out, they hit what we bike guys call ‘whoops’ and rolled their Gazoo Racing Hilux end over end for almost 500 metres. Incredibly, they escaped without injury despite being all shook up. This year, Guy is partnered with Oriol Mena, and they are hovering around 15th overall. Fact is, to win a Dakar, or even be in contention, you need to push the limits and beyond. Dennis Murphy is navigating in 2026 for American Lawrence Janesky in a Can-Am Maverick side-by-side.
Brian Baragwanath made a name for himself as a dominant force in world quad racing, with 2 stage wins and a third overall at the 2016 Dakar. These days, he still rides quads for fun, but when it comes to Dakar, the lanky South African campaigns a Century Racing buggy designed and built by himself. With his navigator Leonard Cremer, they are close to the top 10 at the halfway mark, after suffering a plague of punctures. You are always aware that Lady Luck can at times be a ‘B’ with an itch, and if she stops smiling on you, life gets really hard in an event like Dakar!
A SA-based outfit, WCT Engineering are fielding two VW Amarok vehicles prepared in SA. Both vehicles have SA navigators, with one being the experienced Jurgen Schroder, who debuted in 2009 as navigator for bike and car legend, fellow South African, Alfie Cox. In 2026, he is driving with Stuart Gregory, a previous bike Dakar finisher, as navigator. The second Amarok has a similarly experienced navi in Henry Kohne, with Jurgens’ son Daniel at the wheel. Unfortunately, Daniel and Henry crashed out on stage one; however, Jurgen and Stuart are still at it in the Dakar Experience class.
Last but by no means least is a resident of Stellenbosch, so although I think she has a Dutch passport, we will take her as one of our own (as she grew up in South Africa). Puck Klaassen has Dakar experience, having driven with her dad in a Martini Porsche in the Dakar Classic in 2024. This year, she is driving a GR Rally Lightweight Prototype with Augusto Sanz in the navigator’s seat. She won stage three in the Challenger class by 3 seconds! They are fighting for a top-five finish. This girl can drive!
Now let’s talk bikes. First up must be the ‘honorary South African’ Ross Branch. Admittedly, a Botswana citizen, we have always known and loved him as our own. The factory Hero Rally GP class rider and World Rally Championship winner has had a torrid time in Dakar 2026. He started really well and was contending for the win when the first marathon stage dealt him a proper dose of bad fortune. His back tyre and mousse self-destructed on day two of the marathon, forcing him to limp back to the bivouac, losing over an hour in the overall standings, which dropped him down to around 10th place overall. The marathon stages create a bit of a lottery for the bikes as their tyres are simply not up to two days of abuse across the inhospitable terrain. Trying to keep the tyre alive is a serious handbrake for the fast boys. Playing catch-up means that you are pushing the limits, and crashes become almost inevitable. Despite all this, the ‘Kalahari Ferrari’ is fighting for a top ten with his typical mind-boggling guts and resolve. What a legend!
Next up has to be Bradley Cox, who, by the sheer consistency and speed, cracked a factory Sherco ride. From quite early on, he found himself the only remaining Sherco but toughed it out and has nursed his bike home to soldier another day. ‘Brad’ is riding superbly, showing huge maturity and regularly finishing in the top ten in the Rally GP class if conditions, both mechanical and terrain, allow it. Alfie’s boy is doing his dad and all of us South Africans proud! Go Brad!
Michael Docherty. What can we say about Mike? If he doesn’t get a factory seat after his ongoing Dakar consistency, then I just don’t know. Riding his BAS Racing KTM like only he can, he takes it to the factory teams’ stage after stage. Like Ross, the marathon stage saw him suffer a back wheel collapse, forcing him to haemorrhage huge time to get home. Undaunted, he shrugged off the evil luck and got straight back to mixing it with the best. Riding in Rally 2 class, Michael, a current resident in Dubai, is a dune specialist, so expect great things from him in the sand. Rule him out at your peril! Also riding in Rally 2 is another South African, Ronald Venter.
Now, all this Dakar action needs someone to keep you up to date and give you the lowdown of happenings as they happen. Who better to do that than our very own motorsport commentator, Matt ‘Hollywood’ Smith? A standard feature in all things two-wheeled commentating here at home, Matt has at last got the recognition he deserves, and oh boy, has he risen to the occasion? He has done himself and us, his SA buddies, so proud! Take it away, maestro!
So that’s it guys, a peek into the Saffers at Dakar 2026. Let’s keep up the support as our boys enter the final stages and cheer them all the way! Go boytjies!
