Filip Grot, the reigning FIM Bajas World Cup Junior Trophy champion, will enter the South African Safari Rally with BAS World KTM Racing Team.

BAS World posted the following on social media:

With less than a month to go until the South African Safari Rally, we are excited to announce the next name to compete under BAS World KTM Racing – Filip Grot.

The young Polish rider returns to the team after clinching the 2024 FIM Baja Junior World Cup title, stepping back in for the next round of the World Rally-Raid Championship.

With new terrain awaiting in South Africa, we see a fresh challenge that levels the field and sets the stage for competitive racing!

Grot previously raced for BAS at the 2024 Rallye du Maroc, where he finished 31st in Rally2 after crashing in Stages 1 and 4 and getting lost on the third. It was his second W2RC start after a 29th in class at the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge for DUUST Rally Team, a race marred by clutch and gearbox issues.

Outside of the W2RC, he won the FIM Bajas’ Junior Trophy (for riders under 25) for Sklep GasGas. Grot began the season by topping the Junior category in Extremadura before pulling away across his next four starts. He ended the season with 97 points to the 45 each by runners-up Alex McInnes and Martim Ventura.

BAS World fielded eight bikes at the W2RC’s season-opening Dakar Rally, where Tobias Ebster finished runner-up in Rally2 while Bradley Cox debuted the team in RallyGP.

The South African Safari Rally is scheduled for May 18–24.

Featured image credit: Irina Petrichei