Rookie Saood Variawa ends debut GTC season in 2nd, proving he's a sure-fire talent

Toyota Gazoo Racing South Africa (TGRSA) returned to Zwartkops for the final round of the 2022 Global Touring Cars (GTC) championship.

Rookie Saood Variawa had it all to play in the championship battle, but the challenge proved too big, and he had to settle for the runner-up position in his debut season.

Though the championship did not come his way, Variawa is a sure-fire talent, and his pace and race craft should set him up for championship gold in the future.

Robert Wolk (privateer Toyota Corolla) was crowned the 2022 GTC champion.

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A solid weekend all round

For TGRSA, it was a memorable weekend to close the 2022 GTC season off with. The 'Rustenburg Rocket', Michael van Rooyen, secured pole position for the weekend's first heat and held onto the lead for a flag-to-flag victory.

Variawa started the first race in fourth, but he finished in second at its end. It kept his championship hopes alive, albeit only mathematically, with one more heat remaining.

In the final heat of the season, the grid reversed, with Van Rooyen and Variawa starting at the back. Variawa managed to again claw his way up to second, but it wasn't enough to secure the championship.

"It was an exciting weekend, with plenty of action. In the end, I finished second in both races on the day, and as a result, finished second in the championship, just behind Robert Wolk."

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