SA’s Brad Cox crowned World Rally2 Champion in Morocco

The Minister of Sports, Arts and Culture of South Africa, Gayton McKenzie, congratulated Cox with the achievement and said next year South Africa will be hosting the big one, W2RC, (World Rally-Raid Championship) from 18 to 24 May in North West and Limpopo.
In North West the event will feature diverse terrain, with the race route traversing bushveld plateaus, river crossings, and savannah plains in the areas of Sun City, Thabazimbi, and the agricultural heart of North West.
With his recent victory, Brad will now compete in the next Dakar Rally in the RallyGP class.
Speaking after the event, Brad, who shares his passion for the sport with his father, the ex-KTM factory rider, Alfie Cox, said: “From the start, I had my goal set and put my head down, knowing that for the next five days I would do whatever it takes to win – and that’s what happened! Every day I got better and better.
“Having the title ‘World Champion’ next to your name is great, and I’m really proud. Proud of the effort it took and the sacrifices to get to this point. It’s not just me, it’s my team, my family, my sponsors…it’s a massive group effort and to have it payoff is amazing. Now we get ready for Dakar. This is a building block and has given me the confidence, and hopefully, Dakar can go as well as this week has!”
Commenting on Brad’s performance, Bart van der Velden, the BAS World KTM Racing Team Manager said, “It was great to see that all the training and hard work he’s put in over the last few years have paid off. In the past year-and-a-half, Brad has taken big steps in his navigation and training. It’s been a lot of effort so everyone in the team is really happy for him. I’m confident in the upcoming Dakar. Morocco was a test – the first outing on the new bike – and we’re all so happy it worked out.”
Earlier this year, Brad competed in the Dakar Rally and was the only South African to make it to the Top 20 overall contest, ending 13th.