Local lads collecting silverware overseas

SA racers are shining on the big stage, with international wins and podiums

SOUTH African racing drivers and riders flew the flag high with a slew of podium places in various categories overseas this past weekend.

Raoul Hyman converted pole position to his first GP3 victory at the Red Bull Ring on Sunday, narrowly beating Giuliano Alesi (son of F1 star Jean) by just under one second. The Durban-born 21-year-old, who drives for the Spanish Campos team, scored the win in front of a huge crowd at the Austrian Grand Prix curtain-raiser, and now sits sixth in the prestigious championship with six rounds remaining.

Durbanite Mathew Scholtz continued his dominance of the MotoAmerica Superstock 1000 series with a double win at Laguna Seca. The Yamaha rider has won five of 12 races this year, stood on the podium 11 times and now leads the American championship by a cool 43 points.

Kelvin van der Linde, who jets back and forth between various championships in Europe and Australia, came second in heat two at the Townsville round of the Australian GT Championship. The 21-year-old shares his Valvoline-sponsored Audi R8 with Aussie driver Geoff Emery in this series, which hosts three races at each race weekend. The duo also placed fourth in heats one and three. Kelvin’s next race is the Spa Francorchamps 24 Hour endurance, where he’ll partner up with German team-mates Pierre Kaffer and Frank Stippler in an LMS-spec R8 similar to the one he won the Nurburgring 24 Hour with in May.

South African Stephen Simpson and Russo-Canadian teammate Misha Goikhberg drove their JDC-Miller Oreca prototype to second place at Mosport Park in Canada on Sunday. It was the team’s second runner-up placing in the WeatherTech IMSA Sportscar championship, after narrowly missing a win at Watkins Glen last time out. Simpson will be back in action next weekend at Limerock Park for the eighth of 12 rounds in the season.

Jonathan Aberdein, son of successful touring car driver Chris, came second in the first of three German Formula 4 races at Oschersleben on Saturday. The Capetonian then came seventh and ninth in the next two heats, and now sits 10th in the championship with three rounds to go.

Johannesburg-based Steven Odendaal finished third in the second European Moto2 race at Valencia on Sunday. It was the 24-year old’s first podium of the