The M&Z Motorsport Team once again dominated the CR1 category during the opening leg of the 2025 National Rally Championship that commenced with the Swakopmund Rally last weekend. Driving their modified JAC T8 bakkie, the M&Z team, consisting of driver Ekko Eisenberg and navigator, Horazio “Rassie” Rietz, promised more exciting races and more podium finishes for the rest of the 2025 rally season. 

“Swakopmund is always a great start to the racing season and the JAC performed like the champion that it truly is. The fans always give us great motivation to push harder and with our JAC bakkie it rewards us even more as we push it to the limit,” Rietz told Woema.  

He added: “We are gearing up for more podiums! Our first-place finish in the Swakop Rally is only the start of the season and we are truly excited to take on the gruelling rally circuit with our fellow competitors.”  

Rally driving, where actually completing the race is just as important as a podium finish, has showcased the reliability and dependability of M&Z Motorsport’s JAC T8 bakkie. This is because the M&Z team has finished each and every race, they entered on the Namibian rally circuit since they first started driving some two years ago. 

Also commenting on last weekend’s Swakopmund opening of the national rally circuit, driver Ekko Eisenberg said: “It was fast, technical, and bumpy, but the Swakop Rally is always magnificent”. 

This year’s Swakopmund Rally saw some 17 entrants who braved the demanding course. Out of all the entrants, one car did not manage to start and four did not finish after encountering mechanical difficulties.