Page 14 - April Edition 2025.cdr

South African Supersport Champion Ready for the
Quattro Group British Supersport Championship
Blaze Baker is a dedicated and passionate motorcycle racer. Now 27 years old, Blaze grew up in
Westville, Durban, and graduated from Westville Boys High School in 2015. His racing journey
began at just eight years old in 2005, starting on a 50cc bike at Idube Raceway. From there, he
progressed through 150cc, 250cc, and GP125 classes, steadily climbing the ranks.
Rise to Supersport Champion
in South Africa
Blaze Baker is a dedicated and
passionate motorcycle racer.
Now 27 years old, Blaze grew up
in Westville, Durban, and
graduated from Westville Boys
High School in 2015. His racing
journey began at just eight years
old in 2005, starting on a 50cc
bike at Idube Raceway. From
there, he progressed through
150cc, 250cc, and GP125
classes, steadily climbing the
ranks.
Blaze's love for racing was
inspired by his father, John Baker,
who has been deeply involved
with motorcycles throughout his
life. It was no surprise that Blaze
developed a natural passion for
bikes from an early age. John
spent time abroad in the 1980s,
working as a mechanic for Grand
Prix and European teams. When
Blaze raced in South Africa, his
father meticulously prepared his
bikes, ensuring that Blaze always
had the best mechanically
LHR Motorcycle Magazine Issue 12
prepped machines on the grid.
Blaze turned professional at the
age of 14, receiving special
permission from Motorsport
South Africa to compete in the
600cc class due to his age. His
exceptional talent led to him
becoming a two-time South
African champion, winning the
Supersport Championship in
2018 at just 21 years old, and the
S A N a t i o n a l S u p e r 6 0 0
Championship in 2019. In
December 2019, he was honored
w i t h P r o t e a C o l o u r s
Motorsport South Africa, a
milestone Blaze considers one of
his proudest achievements.
In 2022, Blaze took his career to
the next level by competing in the
UK's Ducati Performance Tri-
Options Cup, which is part of the
Bennetts British Superbike
Championship. Racing for Track
Demons Racing aboard a Ducati
Panigale V2 995, Blaze faced
significant challenges, including
visa delays that caused him to
miss the first two races of the
14
season. However, once the visa
issues were resolved, he joined
the competition.
2022 marked Blaze's debut
season abroad, and he made an
impressive start, securing a
double victory at Donnington
Park in July. This was followed by
a win and second place at Brands
Hatch just a week later. Later in
August, at Cadwell Park, he
earned a third and fifth-place
finish in wet conditions. Despite
this being his first time racing on
these tracks, with a new team,
new bike, and a new country to
adapt to, Blaze finished the
season third overall in the Ducati
Tri-Options Cup. Competing
against riders who were familiar
with these circuits, Blaze's
achievements were nothing short
of remarkable—especially given
the limited track time available to
him.
In 2023, Blaze switched teams
and joined Ready4Racing in the
B r i t i s h S u p e r s p o r t
Championship. Unfortunately,
during qualifying at Oulton Park
on March 29th, he suffered a
high-side crash that resulted in a
b r o k e n f e m u r . H e w a s
b y immediately hospitalized and
underwent surgery to insert a pin.
Blaze has since dedicated
himself to a long and determined
recovery, working with doctors
and physiotherapists to regain
strength in his leg.
By December 2024, Blaze
underwent surgery to have the
pin removed, and he has been in
full-time training ever since. As of
now, he is fit to race and ready for
his next chapter. In 2025, Blaze
will compete with the NP Racing
Team in the Bennetts British
April 2025