From the flowing circuits of Spain to the brutal roads of Northern Ireland and the ultra-competitive paddocks of MotoAmerica, South African riders are making serious waves on the international motorcycle racing scene.
Whether it is fighting for podiums in the ESBK Championship, battling wheel-to-wheel in the United States, or taking on the legendary roads of the North West 200 and Isle of Man TT, our local talent continues to prove that South Africans belong on the world stage.
Here is a look at how some of SA’s finest riders have performed so far this season while proudly flying the South African flag around the globe. Let’s take a look at riders in places other than MotoGP where Brad Binder and Ruche Moodley are banging bars…
ESBK – Campeonato de España de Velocidad
Round 1 was held at Circuito de Jerez Ángel Nieto.
Diego De Ponte
Diego is competing in the Superstock 600 class and is already making a huge impression in Spain.
Round 1
In Race 1, Diego qualified on the front row in third place. De Ponte maintained a strong pace and remained in the leading group before taking the chequered flag in second place, securing his first-ever international podium.
Race 2 saw Diego full of confidence and smiles as he kept a cool head throughout the race, once again crossing the line in second place.
Round 2 took place at Circuito de Navarra in northern Spain.
Round 2
Race 1 got off to another strong start for Diego as he showed excellent form on his way to another second-place finish.
In Race 2, Diego enjoyed a fantastic start and led for more than half the race before eventually being overtaken by championship leader Jose Luis Armario. De Ponte still secured another second-place podium finish.
Diego currently sits firmly in second place in the championship standings.
Leungo Gaorekwe
Leungo competes in the Supersport Next Generation (SSP NG) class.
Round 1
Race 1 proved to be a difficult start to the season for Leungo after his Ducati suffered severe mechanical issues on the opening lap, forcing him to retire to the pits and record an unfortunate DNF.
In Race 2, Gaorekwe returned to the grid and showed good pace, finishing in sixth place.
Round 2
Race 1 saw Leungo start from the front row, with fierce battles taking place throughout the race. Gaorekwe eventually crossed the line in fifth place.
Race 2 proved more difficult due to mixed weather conditions, but Leungo still managed to bring the bike home in 10th place.
After two rounds, Leungo remains inside the championship top 10 in seventh overall.
Steven Odendaal
The reigning champion Steven Odendaal is defending his title in the premier Superbike (SBK) class.
Round 1
Race 1 saw Steven launch from the front row and make a strong start to his title defence, finishing on the podium in third place.
In Race 2, Steven found himself down in sixth place early on before fighting his way back through the field to claim victory.
Round 2
Race 1 featured a red-flag incident that turned the encounter into a five-lap sprint race. Steven was locked in a heated battle with Francisco J. Palomera for the win, with both riders crossing the line almost side by side. Palomera eventually took victory by just 0.269 seconds, leaving Odendaal to settle for second place.
Race 2 was held in extremely wet conditions, with Steven controlling the pace at the front for most of the race. Everything looked set for victory until the final corner, where Ivo Lopes snatched the lead and the win, leaving Odendaal to finish second once again.
Steven currently sits second in the championship standings, just six points behind Francisco Javier Palomera.
TVS Racing International Championship: Asia
Oratilwe Phiri
Earlier this year, TVS South Africa appointed Oratilwe Phiri as one of its official TVS Ambassadors.
Now Oratilwe is proudly representing South Africa in the TVS Racing International Championship, where all riders compete on identical TVS Apache RR 310 machinery.
Round 1 took place at the Sepang International Circuit in April, where Oratilwe qualified in 10th place.
In Race 1, Phiri fought his way through the field to finish in an impressive fifth place.
Race 2 saw him once again start from 10th on the grid, and once more he battled through the pack to finish fifth, ending the weekend fourth overall.
Round 2 took place at Chang International Circuit on 10 May, a race weekend Oratilwe will never forget. Phiri qualified in fifth place.
In Race 1, Oratilwe remained with the leading group throughout the race in a fierce battle to the finish line. The young South African secured his first international podium with third place, just 0.529 seconds behind the winner.
Race 2 was less fortunate. While running with the leading pack, Phiri lost the front end on the penultimate lap and crashed. Despite the fall, he remounted and finished the race to collect valuable championship points.
Oratilwe currently sits third in the championship standings.
North West 200
AJ Venter
South African rider AJ Venter delivered an impressive performance at the legendary North West 200 in Northern Ireland, flying the SA flag high against some of the world’s best road racers.
Venter secured a strong 12th-place finish in the Supersport race before truly shining in the fiercely competitive Supertwin class, where he claimed seventh place in both Race 1 and Race 2 aboard the TH Racing Aprilia RS660. His performances around the fearsome Triangle Circuit highlighted both his pace and growing confidence on the international road racing stage.
Following his impressive North West 200 showing, AJ Venter now turns his attention to the ultimate challenge in road racing, the legendary Isle of Man TT.
Venter heads to the famous Mountain Course as the fastest South African ever to compete at the Isle of Man TT, carrying growing momentum and confidence into one of the most demanding motorcycle races on earth. For South African fans, it is yet another proud moment as one of our own continues carving his name into international road racing history.
MotoAmerica
Riders headed to Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta for Round 1.
Darryn Binder
Darryn’s first race in the United States was the Daytona 200, where he immediately showed fans that he would be a force to be reckoned with after finishing in fourth place.
Round 1
Race 1 marked Binder’s MotoAmerica debut in the Supersport class aboard a Ducati Panigale V2, and what a debut it was. Darryn came out swinging, leading all 18 laps to claim his first victory.
In Race 2, things were once again going smoothly for the South African until he accidentally hit his kill switch late in the race, costing him valuable time. Josh Herrin capitalised and stole the victory, while Binder had to settle for second place.
Mathew Scholtz
Mathew is no stranger to MotoAmerica, competing in the premier Superbike class.
Round 1
Starting from pole position in Race 1, Mathew was leading when a red flag forced the race to restart. Scholtz reclaimed the lead immediately after the restart and powered his way to a comfortable victory.
Race 2 saw Scholtz remain at the front for 17 laps before a clutch problem cost him speed, allowing Bobby Fong through for the win. Even so, Mathew still managed to finish in second place.
Cameron Petersen
Cameron Petersen made his MotoAmerica debut back in 2015.
Round 1
Race 1 saw Petersen spend the entire race battling with the leading group before eventually finishing fourth.
In Race 2, Petersen fought hard within the second pack and crossed the line in a hard-earned fifth place. However, after the race, MotoAmerica officials overturned a jump-start penalty previously issued to Cameron Beaubier, which promoted Petersen to sixth place overall.
From Spain to America, Thailand to Northern Ireland, South African riders are proving that local talent can compete with the very best in the world. Podiums, victories, championship fights and historic road-racing achievements are becoming a regular sight for the green and gold abroad.
One thing is certain, the future of South African motorcycle racing is alive, fast, and making noise on the international stage.
