Shaun Dodd retained a narrow points advantage after 2025’s second round of the BMW ///M Performance Race Series, held at Zwartkops Raceway this past weekend (28 February – 1 March).
Round 2, which formed part of this year’s first Extreme Festival Presented By Coca-Cola, also saw BMW South Africa’s Chief Executive Officer, Peter van Binsbergen, in attendance as a spectator.
Classes A, B & C
Following a few late entries, Round 2 marked the first 2025 outing that Classes A & B would be eligible to receive the full allocation of points. Ryan Naicker set the Class A pace during Practice but did not participate in Saturday’s business end of the weekend. Rick Loureiro trailed Naicker on Friday and announced his return to the Series by taking the Dunlop Pole Position for Race 1. However, gearbox issues on his BMW F30 335i forced him to withdraw, resulting in defending class champion Leon Loubser heading up the field from Bob Neill and Fabio Fedetto. The Class B grid saw Nek Makris continue his form from Friday by topping the defending Series and class champion Renier Smith and Anton Pommersheim, while Andreas Meier completed the line-up after not setting a time in Qualifying. Salvi Gualtieri did not participate in Friday’s practice sessions but secured the Class C pole position ahead of defending class champion Reinhardt Miller. Hein van der Merwe, who headed up Friday’s times, was third, with Nishal Singh and Oz Biagioni completing the top five, just ahead of points leader Rob Gearing.
Race 1 saw a good contest at the front of the field between Loubser and Neill for the Class A honours, with the outcome decided somewhat fortunate for Neill through the final corner of the final lap. Holding off Neill, Loubser slid, leaving Neill, who was on his tail, with nowhere else to go but into him, spinning Loubser around while Neill took his second Class A win of the year. Loubser recovered to take the runner-up spot, with Fedetto completing the podium. Makris went on to take his first Class B win of the year ahead of Smith in second place. Meier passed Pommersheim to complete the podium. Gualtieri delivered a superb performance to take his first Class C win of the year, with Biagioni securing the runner-up spot, while Miller completed the podium. Singh held off Nicky Dicks for fourth place.
In Race 2, Loubser got one back in Class A by taking his second win of the year with Neill in close pursuit, continuing their even win-split in the class. Fedetto took fourth consecutive third place this year. Meier took his first win of 2025, with Smith second in Class B. Race 1 winner Makris had his share of mechanical issues, completing the podium a lap adrift, while Pommersheim retired at the start of the race. Gualtieri completed a double win in Class C. His dominant performance on the weekend also saw him scoop up the ITOO Driver of the Day award. Van der Merwe took the runner-up spot, with Singh completing the podium. Dicks beat Gearing to fourth place. Both Biagioni and Miller looked strong in the early stages but retired. While Biagioni had driveshaft issues, Miller, who also assisted in preparations for some Class D, E & F drivers, forgot to refuel before Race 2.
The day’s ZF-Aftermarket Overall Results, based on accumulated points, saw Neill and Loubser tied on 18 in Class A, with Neill having the faster-accumulated race time to break the tie in his favour. Fedetto was third. It was a three-way tie in Class B, with Meier, Makris, and Smith all accumulating 16 points, but the order was decided on time. Gualtieri’s 20 points saw him well clear of 11-point Singh in Class C. The nine-point tie between Dicks and Van der Merwe was broken in Dicks’ favour.
Classes D, E & F
The second group was headed up by Bernard de Gouveia, who took his second-consecutive ATS Motorsport Pole Position after setting the Class D pace on Friday. He was joined on the front row by Michael Grobler, now competing in a BMW E46 328i Turbo. Paolo Cavalieri, competing in a loan BMW E46 330ci Turbo, headed up the second row from Varish Ganpath, while Gerhard du Plessis completed the top five after breaking out of Class E, which he topped on Friday. The next Class E starter, Johan Miller, also broke out, while Nicholas Herbst, who won Class D in 2024, competing in his first 2025 outing, was moved to Class D. This saw Claudio Jardim head up the Class E field from Tihan van Rooyen, Eddie Rodrigues, Karabo Malemela, and Wessel Mostert. Points leader Dodd headed up Class F from Friday’s fastest driver, Justin Brown. Caren Nienaber, Ferdi van Staden, and Arri van Heerden completed the grid. Dodd swapped to a BMW E82 130i on Friday after his BMW E36 328i developed a few issues.
De Gouveia had his work cut out in Race 1 to stay ahead of Paolo Cavalieri, but after a good contest, he took his second Class D win of the season. After a good contest, Michael Grobler took the final podium spot from Ganpath and Nicholas Herbst. Jardim was in control of Class E and took his first 2025 win, with Mostert, Rodrigues and Malemela jostling for the runner-up spot. Van Rooyen stayed in close pursuit on his way to fifth place. Dodd took his second Class F win of the year, holding off Brown and Nienaber, with the latter in good form throughout the weekend. Van Heerden and Van Staden completed the field.
Race 2 saw Michael Grobler taking his first Class D win off the inverted grid but had his work cut out to hold back Ganpath. De Gouveia completed the podium with Herbst fourth and Paolo Cavalieri fifth, the latter’s pace hampered by a broken boost pipe on his car. Rodrigues took his second win of the year in Class E. Malemela delivered a good on-track performance to finish second ahead of Mostert and Van Rooyen. However, he jumped the start, which resulted in him picking up a 30-second penalty and dropping outside the top five, with Dave Rehse and Stefano Cavalieri being two of the drivers promoted. Dodd looked to have joined Gualtieri as a double winner, but he, too, picked up a 30-second jump start penalty. This saw him classified as runner-up behind maiden winner Brown. Van Staden completed the podium, while Nienaber and Van Heerden completed the results.
The ZF-Aftermarket Overall results saw the 16-point tie at the top settled in De Gouveia’s honours over Grobler, with Ganpath completing the Class D podium. It was also a 16-point tie at the top of Class E, with Rodrigues beating Mostert. The 10-point tie for third saw Van Rooyen taking the spot, with Jardim not setting a time in Race 2 after having to leave early for his 40th birthday celebrations. It was also a tie in Class F, with both Brown and Dodd finishing on 18 points, but the former taking the win, while Nienaber was third.
Points Table After Round 2
While it’s honours-even in Class A between Loubser and Niell regarding wins and runner-up spots, Loubser has taken all four fastest laps points in 2025. This sees him on 36 compared to Neill’s 32. Fedetto is 10 adrift.
Renier Smith took both fastest lap points in Class B, which now sees him on 34 and six clear of Makris. Meier is only five adrift.
Gualtieri has taken over the Class C lead with 31 points, six ahead of Van der Merwe, who is three clear of former leader Gearing.
With two wins, De Gouveia now has 31 points, which means he is five ahead of Ganpath in Class D. Michael Grobler shot up to second place, six points behind Ganpath, while the former leader, Bilal Ahmed, slipped out of the top three in his absence.
Rodrigues’ consistency has paid off, with him having 32 Class E points, 14 ahead of Mostert, who is three ahead of former leader Roland Hopkins.
With 37 points, Dodd remains at the top of Class F, now 10 points clear of Brown. Van Staden, seven adrift, is thrid.
A quarter of a way into the 2025 season, Dodd holds a one-point lead over Loubser. Renier Smith, Neill, and Rodrigues are also in contention.
Next Event
Round 3 will mark the BMW ///M Performance Parts Race Series’ 12th outing at the Kyalami Grand Prix Circuit on 10-12 April as part of the bumper edition Extreme Festival Presented by Coca-Cola.
