WATCH: Panjaro wins Red Bull Shay’ iMoto 2026 to retain his title

This year, South Africa’s premier spinning competition kicked off at Suncoast Casino in Durban, with the top eight drivers selected.

The competition was tough, with the country’s top spinners going head-to-head as they battled for ultimate bragging rights.

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Jean “Panjaro” Kruger, the defending champion, qualified in fourth place, while his brother, Austin Kruger, achieved the highest qualifying score.

Panjaro performs at Red Bull Shayimoto at Suncoast Casino in Durban, South Africa, on April 18, 2026. Picture: Mpumelelo Macu / Red Bull Content Pool

At the press conference ahead of the event, Panjaro told the media that he wanted to face his brother Austin in the final.

The main event kicked off with a spirited quarter-final round between Austin Kruger and Yusuf Fakir. Fakir was one of only two drivers not driving a BMW E30. Instead, he opted for a Ford Sierra powered by a VQ25 engine.

Austin managed to knock Fakir out of the tournament with his variety and the crowd’s vote.

Unfortunately, Austin was knocked out by Tyler in the semi-final because his car caught alight.

Tyler Newman, known as Team Unknown, made a name for himself when he qualified with the second-best score out of the top 16.

The top four drivers had the option of choosing who they would go up against this year, an option they had never had in previous years.

Was this the best Red Bull Shay’ iMoto yet?

This year, the competition was on another level. Spinning can sometimes seem a bit monotonous, but this year the tournament felt renewed, and the drivers have certainly levelled up.

New stunts, new era for spinning?

As someone who has enjoyed spectating spinning for over 20 years, I initially felt I would not see anything new and that the tournament would be a repeat of last year. However, the drivers surprised us with new, thrilling stunts.

The stuntmen also played a major role in the tournament, helping the drivers get the crowd on their feet.

Breakout driver of the year

Although I know most of the spinners personally, one driver really stood out for me, Tyler from Team Unknown. He was a seemingly “unknown” driver going into this tournament, but after this weekend, everyone in the spinning scene now knows his name.

King Tyler performs at Red Bull Shayimoto at Suncoast Casino in Durban, South Africa, on April 18, 2026. Picture: Wayne Reiche / Red Bull Content Pool

Originally from Cape Town, Tyler has now relocated to Johannesburg, where he runs an auto mechanical shop in Alberton called Unknown Works.

Should Red Bull level the playing field for the ladies?

I do feel for the women, though. This is now the third year in which no female competitors have qualified for the top eight. I believe Red Bull should consider levelling the playing field by creating opportunities for women to compete against each other.

This happens in many other sports, such as football and tennis, so why not introduce a women’s competition alongside the main tournament?

In my opinion, this was the best edition of Red Bull Shay’ iMoto hosted so far. I can’t wait until next year to see where the tournament will be held.

I hope Red Bull takes it to Mahikeng or Mbombela, giving fans from other parts of the country an opportunity to see their favourite spinners in action.

Panjaro are seen at Red Bull Shayimoto at Suncoast Casino in Durban, South Africa, on April 18, 2026. Picture: Wayne Reiche / Red Bull Content Pool

Congratulations to Jean “Panjaro” Kruger for becoming the youngest spinner in the history of the competition to win back-to-back titles.

We are still in awe of the “suicide slide” that Panjaro performed on the bonnet-we’re even dubbing it “The Panjaro Slide.”

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