The MXGP World Championship made a long-awaited return to South Africa after an 18-year absence, with the Terro Topia circuit hosting what many in the paddock described as a memorable weekend of racing. The event received plenty of praise from riders and teams, while fans turned out to witness the world’s best motocross riders compete on South African soil once again.
For Terro Topia track owner Joshua Mlimi, bringing MXGP back to the country was the culmination of years of hard work, and after the positive feedback received throughout the weekend, attention has already turned to securing the event’s future.
Reflecting on the success of the inaugural event, Mlimi was delighted with how the weekend unfolded and, in particular, the reaction from the riders.
“We have just completed the MXGP of South Africa after 18 long years and what a success it was. You know, talking to the paddock and hearing the riders feedback, it seems like it was all good. The riders really had fun and the layout was really cool. Nice and wide, big jumps, lots of flowy lines. You know, we take riders’ input very, very important as we want to make them have the best experience and having the world’s best riders come race here in South Africa has been such an awesome experience. We look forward to having them come back”, Mlimi told GateDrop.com.
While the event was a major milestone, Mlimi revealed that there is already optimism about MXGP returning to the venue in the coming years. Although nothing has been officially confirmed, he believes the success of this year’s event has put Terro Topia in a strong position.
“So, basically, you know, we do have options to come back here more years. But, you know, it was all going to be based on how this year went. I think we had a great success. You know, we had small hiccups here and there, but that’s honestly expected in events. But we hope we can lock them down for next year and the following”.
The experience gained from hosting such a prestigious international event will also allow the organisers to refine every aspect of the weekend, with plans already in place to enhance the experience for everyone involved.
“With the fan expectations, we kind of knew the market that we were going to get and the people we were going to have on site. It gives us more leverage now for next year to plan a whole better experience for the riders, for the paddock, for spectators, VIP and the whole lot. So, next year we’re hoping to go bigger and better”.
After an encouraging first edition, the return of MXGP to South Africa appears to have laid a strong foundation for the future. If plans come together, Terro Topia could become a regular fixture on the MXGP calendar, with organisers determined to build on this year’s success and deliver an even bigger event for riders, teams and fans alike.
