It’s go, go, go on Sunday
THE MOTORSPORT LAP/ It was testing in Qatar for Moto2 ahead of the first season race this coming weekend, while Formula One fans anticipate the season’s opener
Finally, the wait is over as we anticipate what will be an exciting weekend of motorsport as the first race of the Formula One (F1) season gets under way down under in Melbourne, Australia.
With initial testing having taken place in Spain a few weeks ago, Kimi Raikkonen of Ferrari looked particularly strong and we hope this is the sort of pace that the Finn will be taking with to Oz this weekend.
The Mercedes-AMG F1 team of Lewis Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas might have an ace up their sleeves, but all will be revealed when those lights turn green and go, go, go becomes the order of the day on Sunday.
MotoGP will also be starting its new season on Sunday in Qatar, UAE following testing by the Moto2 class. Franco Morbidelli (Marc VDS Kalex) posted the fastest time, followed by Miguel Morbidelli (Red Bull KTM) and Thomas Luthi (Carxpert Interwetten Kalex).
Many motorsport fans will be glued to their screens on Sunday to see who comes up trumps.
Locally, the first race of the 2017 Extreme Festival national series takes place at the Killarney Raceway in Cape Town on March 26. Heading up proceedings will be the first rounds of this season’s Sasol Global Touring Car (GTC) championship, with 16 competitors to face the starter. Michael Stephen (Engen Xtreme Audi A3) will start as defending champion, backed by team-mate Simon Moss.
They will face tough opposition from Gennaro Bonafede (Sasol BMW), Matthew Hodges (VW Jetta), Johan Fourie (EPS Courier BMW), Daniel Rowe (VW Jetta), and Michael van Rooyen (RSC BMW).
Two new JCW Mini Cooper S models, driven by Engen VW Cup graduates Bradley Liebenberg and Chris Shorter, will contest the GTC2 category, under the respective banners of Ferodo and Champion. They will be challenged by Keagan Masters (VW Golf GTI), Mandla Mdakane (VW Golf GTI), Trevor Bland (VW Golf GTI), Charl Smalberger (IndyOil VW Golf GTI), Dayne Angel (Autohaus Honda Civic) and Devon PiazzaMusso (VW Golf GTI).
The Engen Volkswagen Cup category will feature 22 starters, including some of SA’s most promising young drivers. Newcomers to watch include Jeffrey Kruger, Jonathan Mogotsi and Paulus Franken.