As the motorsport calendar enters its final three months for the 2025 national championships, most disciplines remain on schedule, with circuit racing still to confirm dates for its closing events.
The season has not been without challenges, disrupted by external factors such as the funeral of founding president Sam Nujoma earlier this year, as well as weather-related delays.
“But despite all that, this year was a decent motorsport year. Not as good as the previous one, but affected by the financial constraints some racers experienced,” says Derek Jacobs, the secretary general of the Namibia Motorsport Federation.
He says circuit racing was among the codes that struggled to get off the ground, as racers building new cars failed to complete them in time. Most competitors fund their participation out of pocket, while sponsorships have become scarce.
Circuit racing was scheduled to conclude its season during this period, but events are likely to be postponed due to an international meet hosting racers from South Africa and Angola in November.
Other codes – including enduro, rally, motocross and karting – have performed strongly and remain on track, Jacobs says.
Oval track racing, however, failed to take off, while drag racing also struggled to build momentum.
Despite this, the few drag events staged still managed to draw crowds to the Tony Rust Race Track.
Namibian competitors also represented the country on international stages.
The motocross team took part in the Motocross of African Nations in Zimbabwe in August, while Zoe Waldschmidt competed in Australia during March against riders from Uganda, South Africa, Zambia and Kenya.
Adriaan Nel showcased his skills on tracks in South Africa and Angola in the Formula 4 series.
Several karting drivers also made their mark in Italy during the ROK final.
Another highlight was the performance of the Kaiyamo twins, Nande and Mandume, who have been racing and training in South Africa.
They also participated in the Rotax Max Challenge at Swakopmund.
“Though karting dipped slightly, the code is picking up again,” Jacobs says.
He says karting’s sixth and final leg of the season will be wrapped up with a celebratory event designed to leave lasting memories.
“By the end of November, all motorsport events should be wrapped up for the year,” Jacobs says.
Planning for the 2026 season will begin in October.
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