The South African Rumour Mill: The movements you should know about

The South African Rally Championship (SARC) is often denounced as just another domestic rally championship, but it boasts the most Class S2000 entries for a national championship in the world and that includes official factory entries from two manufacturers. Adding to the mix are very talented privateers with generous sponsors who enable these teams to challenge the factory drivers for wins.

The 2011 season in South Africa is set for another close fight if the rumour mill is to be believed. With past experience, this jaded journalist will only confirm reports once an official press release has been distributed and the event entry list supports this. With the first event in South Africa due to start in about two months, here is an overview of the off-season happenings…

Rumour #1: Schalk Burger jnr (from Gauteng) had a stunted SARC year, after an unfortunate crash in the first round of the 2010 season. His talent has shown him to be on the pace of the top privateers, but SARC fans won’t have the pleasure of seeing him in action this season as he has signed up to contest the full African rally Championship. It is believed that he has travelled to Prodrive’s headquarters to discuss plans to pilot a Subaru Impreza Group N.

Rumour #2: Mark Cronje, who prematurely ended his 2010 season campaign with the factory-backed Castrol Toyota Team in an Auris S2000, has purchased a Ford Fiesta S2000 to compete with. His new-for-2010 co-driver will be Robin Houghton. A photograph of Cronje’s Ford Fiesta S2000 has been spread about the Internet, and his sponsors and team colours are as yet unknown.

Rumour #3: Motorite has pulled the plug on their rallying campaign, leaving Evan Hutchison and Elvene Coetzee out of the Volkswagen Polo S2000. However, it has been confirmed that Coetzee will be co-driving for Leeroy Poulter in the Castrol Toyota Team Auris S2000 making her the first female team member of a factory Toyota S2000 team in South African rallying history.

Rumour #4: Theuns Joubert (Salom Group Volkswagen Polo S2000) will contest only selected rounds of the calendar for 2011, leaving co-driver Carl Peskin looking for a full-time co-driver seat. Whether he will move in with one or two of the new crews has yet to be confirmed.

Rumour #5: the very fast Conrad Rautenbach will return to compete in 2011, and will be hunting for podium finishes and more wins. The biggest rumour is that he will partnered by Jon Williams (he of Pirelli Star Driver fame in 2009) in another Ford Fiesta S2000. Could Peskin join Williams as his co-driver? Who are Rautenbach and Williams’ sponsors for the season? They will undoubtedly be chasing not for top five finishes but for wins. Watch this space!