Mechanical failure halts promising run for Jones and Naidoo
ERMELO — A mechanical failure on a gravel stage around Ermelo ended the challenge of Toyota Gazoo Racing South Africa’s crew Mark Jones and navigator Kes Naidoo at the fifth round of the 2026 South African National Rally Championship (SANRC).
The pair retired on Stage 11 after the left-front driveshaft on their Toyota GR Yaris fractured, causing a sudden loss of drive that the car’s all-wheel-drive system and electronics could not compensate for.
Friday’s opening sequence of seven stages had been trouble-free for the crew, who finished the day 11th overall and fourth in the NRC2 class. The team reported a steady progression, with the car “running like a charm” through those stages.
On Saturday, after two further strong stages, the car developed a noise and engine management systems activated when exiting a fast left-hander known to crews as “the fast eight”. A restart briefly restored systems, but the crew immediately noticed the car pulling hard to the right — the result of the broken left-front shaft. With the front corner incapacitated the rally ended within seconds.
“We heard a bit of a clunk, straightened up, and the warning systems came on and cut the power, just like last time,” said Jones. “We thought maybe it was a small error, so we killed the power, restarted, and everything seemed fine. But then we immediately realised the car was pulling hard right — we’d broken the left-front shaft.”
The car’s electronics attempted to redirect torque away from the damaged front corner to the rear, but the rear differential could not sustain the demand. The team was therefore unable to continue.
Event overview and class results
The Ermelo Rally, contested over 16 stages in generally mild, dry conditions on 21 and 22 August, concluded with van Wyk and Swartz taking the overall victory. In NRC2, Lynton Swatton and Tommy Coetzee won the class despite incurring a two-minute, 30-second penalty.
- Event: 2026 SANRC Round 5 — Ermelo Rally
- Stages: 16
- Conditions: Mild and dry
- Notable retirement: Mark Jones / Kes Naidoo (Toyota GR Yaris) — broken left-front driveshaft, Stage 11
- Overall winners: van Wyk and Swartz
- NRC2 winners: Lynton Swatton and Tommy Coetzee (despite 2m30s penalty)
| Aspect | Detail |
|---|---|
| Car | Toyota GR Yaris |
| Problem | Broken left-front driveshaft; engine cut-out triggered |
| Stage of retirement | Stage 11 |
Local implications and mechanical concerns
The retirement underlines the fine margins in gravel rallying where road surface wear from preceding cars can leave unpredictable lines and hazards, particularly on fast corners. For crews competing around Ermelo — a rally that forms part of the national championship — mechanical durability can be as decisive as outright pace.
For local motorsport followers, the incident also highlights how modern engine management and differential systems respond to component failure. In this instance the vehicle’s safety electronics cut engine power as a protective measure, but the subsequent torque transfer could not prevent the rapid end to the crew’s event.
Jones had described the team’s approach to the weekend as positive, having “put the horror of the GR Legends Rally behind us”, and the early stages suggested they were finding rhythm and confidence. The late-stage failure therefore represents a disappointing end to an otherwise controlled performance.
Organisers and competitors will now analyse the failure as they prepare for the remaining rounds of the SANRC, where both reliability and pace remain essential. For spectators and local businesses in Ermelo, national rounds such as this continue to draw visitors and attention to the region’s gravel roads and rallying culture.
