Molepolole — Although preparations are at infancy stage, the second edition of the Sarona 1000 Desert Race is expected to deliver an experience comparable to international off-road rallies.
The popular local motorsport racing event is scheduled for July 3-5.
The Sarona 1000 Desert Race event continues the legacy of the famed Kalahari 1000 Desert Race, popularly known as Mantshwabisi.
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Vice president of Botswana Motorsport under the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA), Tefo Dithapo, said the inaugural Sarona race was held in Jwaneng last year, a town regarded as the traditional home of the Mantshwabisi race.
He explained that after the South African founders of the Kalahari 1000 Desert Race suspended the event, Batswana decided to establish their own race, hence the name Sarona, which translates to 'It is ours'.
About 30 racing cars and 30 motorbikes are expected to thrill motorsport enthusiasts in and around Gaborone.
The race route is expected to navigate through Kweneng District, passing through villages such as Mmatseta, Gakuto, Gakgatla, Gamodube, Mmanoko, Kopong, Tlhape and Kgaphamadi.
Both the starting and finishing points will be at the Agricultural Showgrounds at Sebele Farms along the Sir Seretse Khama International Airport Road.
Despite the race being in its second edition, he said the organisers possessed extensive experience in staging major motorsport events.
"We have been organising races for a very long time and have the expertise to host events of this magnitude," he said.
He noted that the organisers wanted to create a fully local 1 000-kilometre race, taking advantage of Botswana's vast off-road terrain and the country's wealth of motorsport expertise.
The race will be contested over two days, featuring two separate routes.
"There will be two routes with two laps each day. The first route will be used on Saturday, while the second route will be used on Sunday," he explained.
Dithapo promised an exciting spectacle, noting that this year's event would be the first local off-road race where both the start and finish were located at the same venue.
"We will camp within the showgrounds, allowing race fans to enjoy the action throughout the day as competitors come in and out, performing spectacular manoeuvres," he said.
Although entries were still open, Dithapo said they expected local competitors to make up around 40 per cent of the four-wheel category and about 90 per cent of the motorbike category.
Several prominent teams are expected to participate, including South African outfit Sanctuary Racing, Global Esport Racing and teams from Namibia.
Locally, the Motor Centre Toyota Racing Team is expected to compete with its modified Toyota Gazoo Hilux, a vehicle commonly used in South African off-road competitions.
"Many Batswana do not know that we have this vehicle locally, but it is here and has been modified by the Motor Centre Toyota Racing Team," he said.
Other local teams, including Daytona Motorsport have also appeared on the provisional entry list.
Dithapo said the Sarona 1000 Desert Race is striving for international recognition, largely because of Botswana's unique and challenging terrain.
"Unlike South Africa, where off-road racing is often confined to farms, Botswana offers vast open spaces and exciting obstacles, making it an attractive destination for competitors," he said.
He said the long-term vision was to grow local races and attract more international participants because Botswana's terrain resembled those used in major global events.
"If you look at the Kalahari terrain, it is similar to that used in the Dakar Rally. Last year, we hosted Century Racing before they went to Dakar because they wanted to practise on similar terrain. They performed very well and are returning this year to compete in the Sarona race," he said.
Dithapo revealed that Botswana had already received FIA recognition for off-road racing and that discussions were underway to host more international events.
"The South Africans already host the W2RC, a round of the FIA World Rally-Raid Championship. We also aspire to host such championships in Botswana. Recognition is already there, and discussions have already begun," he said.
He added that as local races continued to grow, international recognition would inevitably follow.
According to Dithapo, international events brought significant benefits, attracting competitors and visitors from Europe, America, Asia and other parts of the world.
He also applauded the Botswana Tourism Organisation authorities for their continued support of off-road racing, just as they did during the Mantshwabisi era.
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Meanwhile, the Sarona organising team is consulting communities in localities where the race route will pass through.
Addressing residents of Kopong recently, Botswana Motorsport president Tumisang Modibedi urged community members to remain vigilant and protect themselves, their children, livestock and property from potential accidents involving racing vehicles.
However, he said any damages caused by competitors should be reported immediately to race marshals or the police.
Modibedi also encouraged small business operators to obtain temporary trading permits from their local councils to take advantage of business opportunities during the event.
He commended residents for maintaining a clean environment and encouraged them to accommodate visitors by renting out space for tents or offering accommodation, thereby allowing communities to benefit economically from the race.
He assured both residents and competitors that security would be tight, with about 200 police officers and numerous race marshals deployed along the route.
BOPA
