Schalk Burger

Schalk Burger still has so much to give motorsport

The name Schalk Burger has become synonymous with motorsport, in particular rally racing. Legend has it that he was born behind a steering wheel. It’s not that far from the truth as his dad started cross-country rallying while Schalk was still in diapers.

At 21, Schalk cut his teeth racing on the Group N Circuit, driving a humble Toyota Tazz. He was also 1 of the first entrants into the Polo Cup. (To give you a sense of his experience, the Polo Cup turns 30 this year.)

After spending a few years in circuit racing, he made the move to cross-country racing and rallying and has been doing it ever since. He recently joined up with Henk Janse van Vuuren (his navigator) with the pair competing in the FIA class.

Schalk is using this season to introduce the Mercedes X-Class AMG 63 AMG V8 to the cross-country circuit following its recent development. It’s the first of its kind in the world and the car he plans to compete with in the 2022 Dakar.

He says that even though many people consider racing an individual sport, it’s all about the team. It’s as much about the car and driver as it is about the navigator and the entire crew working behind the scenes to make sure everything runs perfectly. If the team works well together, the driver and his car does well.

His experience brings with it an appreciation of how dangerous the sport can be, and an understanding of the importance of preparation. In longer races, like the South African National Cross-Country Series (SACCS) and the Dakar, everything depends on being in good physical and mental condition. As such, Schalk follows a strict diet and exercise programme. He relies on his trainers who focus on conditioning and preparing him for the demands racing will place on his body.

Being team owner of Schalk Burger Motorsport means he isolates his business responsibilities from his thoughts when he’s competing. It’s about focusing on 1 race at a time. Whatever happens during an event, whether good or bad, Schalk deals with it immediately and puts it behind him. He says that if you dwell on issues, it becomes easy to lose focus.

Looking at the long term, he’d like to develop his current team, while also becoming involved in a mentoring role for the younger racers coming through the ranks. For a sport that’s given him so much, he’d like to give something back. In fact, he admits that motorsport holds countless fond memories for him, and has enabled him to meet people who he now considers family.