• 2nd overall on Round 5 for Botterill/Vacy-Lyle
  • 1st overall on Round 6 for Botterill/Vacy-Lyle
SECUNDA, MPUMALANGA - TOYOTA GAZOO Racing SA’s Guy Botterill and navigator Simon Vacy-Lyle added significant points to their 2021 championship this weekend, after finishing second on Round 5 of the season, which took place on Friday, October 8th. They followed this up with an overall victory in Round 6, pushing them up the order in the season standings.

“Unfortunately, we had a really tough start to the season,” said Botterill after the event. “So, despite our good results this weekend, the championship has slipped away for 2021. With that said, we are pleased to walk away with a victory and a second-place finish.”

The 2021 Lake Umuzi Rally comprised two rounds of the South African National Rally Championship season. The two rounds were run consecutively on the Friday and Saturday, and Round 6 was an exact repeat of Round 5.

“Well, it was an almost exact repeat, as one of the Friday’s stages was cancelled due to the heavy rains that cause a lot of flooding in the area,” explained Botterill.

The crew has been campaigning an older car in the local championship, while doing duty in their Class R4 Toyota Etios in the African Rally Championship. The crew have gained special dispensation from the SA Rally Commission to fit a new, turbo-charged two-litre engine to their Class S2000 Toyota Auris. This car is a much older spec than many of its peers, but the new engine clearly breathed life into the car.

“Overall, it was a very rewarding weekend for us,” concluded Botterill. “The new engine worked from the get-go, and even though the conditions were tricky, we managed to make the most of our opportunities.”

The final event on the 2021 calendar is the TracN4 Rally of South Africa, which will take place on the weekend of 26 and 27 November in the Mpumalanga town of Dullstroom.