The annual marathon event on the SA Rally-Raid Championship calendar is so much more than just another tough race. As it takes place over three days and almost a thousand challenging kilometres, it is not only the longest event on the calendar. It is also a race of relentless endurance where the championship points earned are important, but the addition of the names of the victors to the long list of marathon race winners, plays just an important role in the outcome of the race.
For the second round of the 2026 SA Rally-Raid Championship, the GR Stella 1000 Marathon that takes place on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, 24 to 26 July, makes its debut in the desert-like area of Stella in the North-West Province and as Gazoo Racing is the title sponsor of the event, TGR teams will no doubt aim to make their sponsor proud by walking away as the winners.
The defending SARR champion, Saood Variawa, now with Charan Moore reading him the notes in the TGR Toyota Hilux IMT EVO, took the early lead in the 2026 standings by winning the opening round, but a victory at this prestigious marathon event, will be the perfect addition to this young driver’s CV. Their team-mates, Guy Botterill, who will make use of the experienced local navigator, Henry Köhne, will also aim for the best possible result, especially after missing the podium by only mere seconds a few weeks ago.
Competing in a marathon event will be a first experience for Variawa’s younger brother, Sa’aad and the knowledge of navigator Wade Harris will be helpful.
The former multiple champions, Giniel de Villiers and Dennis Murphy (#TeamHilux Rally-Raid DKR Hilux T1+ EVO) have won the typical desert race on two occasions in 2017 and 2018 while De Villiers and Brett Cummings won in 2022 and another marathon victory as well as a second podium result this season, could set them up for a serious title challenge. Their #TeamHilux Rally-Raid team-mates, the Blignaut brothers, Fouche and Bertus, finished fifth in the TGR Safari 1000 in 2024 and although they still need to get their 2026 championship off the ground, they will go for gold.
The names of the 2023 champions, Gareth Woolridge/Boyd Dreyer (Castrol NWM Ford Rally-Raid Evo Plus) are also on the list of winners of this prestigious event and they can repeat this feat again. The team won the event in 2023 and are currently second in the overall and Ultimate FIA T1+ standings.
The Castrol NWM Ford Rally-Raid Team will again consist of three more teams in Ford Evo Plus vehicles. Wors Prinsloo/André Vermeulen will look to add more points to their tally as will the newcomer father and son duo of Michael and Luke Lawlor while Danie Ludick/Denzil Williamson will hope for better luck combined with a set of valuable first points this season.
The Century Racing Factory Team, Jayden Els/Johann Swemmer, will put their CR7 on the start line and as a familiar face between the front runners, their aim will be to convert their speed to good results and score valuable points.
In Ultimate SA T1+, a battle at the front can be expected as the ever-consistent Philip Botha/Andries Mynhardt (Red-Lined Revo T1+) will chase the class leaders, Lood du Preez/Adriaan Roets (Farmers Meat Century Racing CR6) from their second place in the standings.
A good result for the German driver, Jurgen Schröder together with navigator, Rikus Fourie (WCT VW Amarok) can push them onto the podium while the current Adventurer Class champions and experienced marathon rally-raid competitors, Johan and Sean van Staden (Red-Lined Revo T1+), cannot be left out of the picture. A good result after their bad luck during the first event is all they need to prove they have found their feet in the new class. Former Dakar Rally Rookie Hennie de Klerk and Carl Swanepoel (Treasury One Toyota Hilux) will also be in action.
The GR Stella 1000 Marathon will be a first experience for the VAPS HCV Rally-Raid Team where Abrie Olivier and Iaan Olivier will line-up in their Red-Lined Revo SA T1+ aiming for their first points of the season while more good results will suit their team-mates in the Adventurer Class, Peet Victor/VanZyl Jonck and Tyler Botha/Kyle Lotter (Red-Lined VK50), perfectly as they have already ticked off a victory and third place result a few weeks ago.
Competing in this three-day marathon event over almost a thousand kilometres under testing conditions, will also be a new challenge to the rest of the Adventurer Class competitors Tokkie Ferreira/Nardus Janse van Rensburg (Ford Ranger), who are currently second in the standings and Nielen Marx together with veteran navigator, Rikus Hattingh (Red-Lined VK50) and Jan Rose/Arno Olivier (Ford V8).
Familiar competitors, Schalk Burger/Armand du Toit (King Price Xtreme), have entered a Ford Ranger in the Challenger Class while Geoff Minnitt/Leander Pienaar (Hydro Power Equipment Maverick R) will be having fun in the SSV Class.
The Lion and Sable Lodge just outside Stella is the venue from where the action of the GR Stella 1000 Marathon will take place. It is here where the Ceremonial Start of the short Qualifying Race will be at 09:00 on Friday (24 July). The results of this racing section determine the starting order for Stage One that gets underway at 13:30. After completion of Stage One, competitors will return to the Designated Service Point (DSP) at the Lodge for a compulsory 30-minute stop before taking on Stage Two. The leaders after Stage Two are expected to finish at 14:30.
On Saturday, the leading team will depart for Stage Three at 08:30 and after completion of the stage and the compulsory stop at DSP, they will take on Stage Four before finishing the day at the lodge.
On Sunday the GR Stella 1000 Marathon continues with Stages Five and Six that will get underway at 08:30 from the Lion and Sable Lodge where the finish and podium ceremonies will also take place.
Spectators and enthusiasts can follow the race via the RallySafe App with various spectacular vantage points along the route or on Facebook: @sarallyraidchampionship; Instagram: @sarallyraidchampionship; Tik Tok: @sarallyraid and YouTube: @SouthAfricanRallyRaidSARRC
Records can be rewritten at the GR Stella 1000 Marathonhttps://t.co/TSnHPCCLQv#ArriveAlive #SARallying pic.twitter.com/QlxozGp3xy
– Arrive Alive (@_ArriveAlive) July 20, 2026
