South African teenage racing talent Oratilwe “Ora” Phiri is making major waves in the international 2026 TVS Racing International Championship, which runs alongside the FIM Asia Road Racing Championship (ARRC). Piloting the TVS Apache RR 310, he has consistently fought at the front of the pack, securing multiple podium finishes and establishing himself as a top championship contender.
The young man behind the helmet
On Youth Day, South Africa celebrates the courage of a generation that refused to accept limits. In 2026, that spirit burns brightest on a racetrack – in the form of Oratilwe “Ora” Phiri, an 18-year-old from Johannesburg’s West Rand who has been chasing the horizon since he was four years old.
Diagnosed with ADHD as a child, Ora found his focus where others find fear: on two wheels, at full speed. His father, Thabiso first introduced him to track days as a small boy, eventually getting him a little pocket bike. From that first ride, everything changed.
Today, Ora is a six-time champion representing South Africa in the TVS Racing International Championship – an elite continental series featuring 16 top riders from across the Asia-Pacific region, held as a support class to the FIM Asia Road Racing Championship, on race-tuned TVS Apache RR310 motorcycles capable of topping 211 km/h.
Ora’s Racing career highlights
- 2016: Claimed his first title – the MotoSA Pocket Bike Stock Class Championship at just 6 years old, having started racing at age 5 under his father’s guidance.
- 2017: Dominated the MotoSA Pocket Bike Stock Class Championship, proving his early title was no fluke.
- 2019: Won the SBMSCS Pocket Bike Super Production Championship – three titles before most kids have finished primary school.
- 2020: Stepping up to a bigger bike, won the NSF100 Championship
- 2024: In his 2nd year racing long circuit, he won the MRSSA Sub500 National Challenge Championship
- 2025: Moved up to the senior ranks and secured the MRSSA/SAES SBK600 National Challenge Championship – his fifth national title -signalling he was ready for the world stage.
- 2026: Joined TVS Motor South Africa and made his international debut in the TVS Racing International Championship.
In round 1 at Sepang International Circuit, Malaysia with back-to-back 5th-place finishes in Race 1 and Race 2.
A breakthrough international performance at Round 2 of the TVS Racing International Championship (FIM Asia Road Racing Championship) in Thailand on May 9–10, 2026. Ora secured a brilliant 3rd-place podium finish in Race 1, becoming the first South African to reach the TVS podium. However, he suffered a race crash in Race 2 on the final lap and recovered to finish 11th, placing him 3rd overall in the championship standings.
At Round 2 of the TVS Racing International Championship in Thailand, Ora lined up against the best riders in Asia. Race 1 was decided by the finest of margins, with the top five separated by less than two-tenths of a second.
“Race 1 was one of the hottest and most competitive races I’ve been in. It was a great race and a good clean battle throughout. I led a couple times and on the last lap I got swallowed up into the last corner. But there was contact between riders and some riders went wide. I played it safe and was able to finish 3rd, getting my first podium and becoming the first South African on the TVS podium.”
“Sunday’s Race 2 brought a different kind of test. On the last lap, I was cut off into turn 4, grabbed my brakes to avoid a collision and crashed, taking out another rider in the process. I got back up, remounted, and finished 11th, earning enough points to secure 3rd overall in the championship,” explains Ora.
That grit is perhaps the most defining trait about Ora.
Up next for Ora in the TVS Racing International Championship 2026 is round 3 in Japan (June), round 4 in Indonesia (August), Round 5 in China (October) and the final round 6 in Thailand (December).
All while balancing his schooling and preparations for his Grade 12 prelim and final examinations!
More than a racer
Ora’s story is as much about his character and ambition as it is about speed. He balances a demanding matric year at Crawford International Ruimsig, where he is also a serious and talented hockey player, with the brutal scheduling of and training for international motorcycle racing across continents and countries. He is the first to acknowledge how tough it gets, and how vital the support of his family, teachers, coaches and racing community is to keeping it all together.
He and his family know first-hand the tremendous funding challenges of racing at this level – from bikes and gear to entry fees, travel costs and repairs. His father Thabiso does as much mechanical work as possible himself. His mother Tselane is trackside with her camera at every opportunity. It is, as Ora says, a total family effort, with his younger brother Amohelangfollowing in his racing tracks. Their investment is not just financial, it is unconditional belief.
Managed by Lumi Racing and coached by professional racer Steven Odendaal, Ora has built a proper professional structure around himself at just 18. He is candid about the challenges – and equally candid about how much it means to have an incredible support network behind him every step of the way.
The team behind Ora
- Thabiso & Tselane Phiri – Parents & biggest supporters
- Steven Odendaal – Coach & Manager
- TVS Racing – Main Sponsor
- TVS Motor South Africa – Primary sponsor
- Gaman Racing – International Racing Management
- Lumi Racing – Team
The dream: MotoGP
Ora’s ultimate goal is to make history as the first Black African rider to compete – and win – in the elite MotoGP World Championship, continuing the proud South African legacy set by Paddy Driver, Alan North, Jon Ekerold and Brad Binder.
Every podium, every championship, every lap in the TVS Racing International Championship Japan, Indonesia, China and Thailand is one giant step closer for Ora.
