The Stages:
Day One of the Volkswagen Rally saw Team TOTAL’s Mohammed Moosa and Grant Martin (Team TOTAL Toyota Auris S2000) top the timesheet of the day’s final stage. Claiming their first overall stage win of the season, this crew brought their new rally machine its dream debut at the Port Elizabeth-based event. Moosa and Martin upgraded from their Toyota RunX S2000 to the latest evolution Toyota Auris S2000.
Five stages and 78.11km were completed on Friday, with the route taking in three intimidating gravel speed tests in the Longmore Forest. Two high-speed tar super special stages in Uitenhage concluded the day’s competitive action.
The three Longmore Forest stages, the traditional Culturama, Sinkdam and Kingsview gravel tests, saw a number of crews fall by the wayside as a result of its demanding character. Technical in nature, with a slippery surface and rock-strewn tracks to tackle, only 26 of the original 34 starters reached the overnight halt.
The Crews:
Moosa/Martin are in ninth position overall, a mere 0.1sec behind eighth place after 48min of rallying action. Their first event in their new steed, Moosa is visibly growing in confidence with each passing kilometre behind the steering wheel of his Auris S2000.
Teammates Jean-Pierre Damseaux and Carolyn Swan (Team TOTAL Toyota Auris S2000) were running in 12th position until the day’s final speed test. Also debuting his new Auris S2000, Damseaux was beset with teething problems and rounded out Day One in 13th position overall to highlight his new car’s capabilities. Unfortunately, this pairing will not be restarting Day Two due to gearbox gremlins.
In the hotly contested Class S1600, Team TOTAL’s Craig Trott/Robbie Coetzee and Stefanie Botha/Angela Shields (both in Toyota RunX S1600 machines) have shown their speed to finish Day One in fourth and fifth in Class respectively.
These front-wheel drive and 1600cc machines are impressive to witness in the Longmore Forest, with their wailing exhaust notes bouncing off the trees to the cheers of the thousands of spectators. Sporting new Team TOTAL liveries along with their Class S2000 compatriots, Trott and Botha are both set to climb the leader board in this 10-car strong Class on Day Two.
The Day Ahead:
Saturday (Day Two) takes in seven stages and 96.78km with the three Longmore Forest stages being repeated after a crowd-pleasing stage at the Port Elizabeth Oval Track. Crews then return to the oval track, after which they make their way to the heart of Port Elizabeth for a new stage around the Madiba Bay Football Stadium before the rally’s ever-popular finale at the King’s Beach car park.
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