Promising F1 future for SA
LAST YEAR, Kyalami Grand Prix Circuit in Johannesburg hosted the 9-Hour Endurance race, part of the Intercontinental GT Challenge. The organisers signed a five-year deal that will see manic GT3 cars from the likes of Bentley, McLaren, Honda, Porsche, Aston Martin and more return to SA this year to battle for glory.
For the 2020 season, Lamborghini makes an official entry into the series, the Italian manufacturer making its debut as a full-season Intercontinental entrant during the Liqui-Moly Bathurst 12-Hour from January 31 to February 2. Lamborghini joins Audi and reigning champions Porsche on the list of intercontinental manufacturers already confirmed for 2020 and more are expected to follow in the coming weeks ahead of the Bathurst season-opening race.
Visits to four more iconic circuits on as many continents then follow Australia’s international enduro: the Total 24 Hours of Spa (Europe), Suzuka 10 Hours (Asia), inaugural Indianapolis 8 Hour (US) and Kyalami 9-Hour (Africa).
ATTRACTING INTEREST
Late last year, Autosport’s Gary Watkins confirmed that the FIA’s World Endurance Car (WEC) Championship would be coming to South Africa, on the back of a successful 9-Hour revival no doubt.
“Kyalami will host a six-hour race on February 6, 2021 as part of a redesigned WEC calendar that also includes a race at Monza for the first time since the rebirth of the series in 2012,” Watkins said.
WEC boss Gerard Neveu added: “Kyalami is a historical circuit, an amazing place with a long story with sportscar racing. I had a chance to visit the track a few weeks ago and the place smells of motorsport, and the people there have done an incredible job to rebuild the circuit.”
The 2020/21 WEC round will be Kyalami’s first world championship sportscar race since 1984. The South Africa Grand Prix was last hosted by the venue in 1993, the final season of a two-year revival of the country’s F1 fixture. The costs associated with hosting a Formula One event, however, remains a key challenge, regardless of track-readiness with reports suggesting that Vietnam will spend upward of $50 million (R718m) when the streets of Hanoi are turned into an F1 track for the first time later this year. Let’s not forget the challenges of securing the future of the British Grand Prix.
CHALLENGES ASIDE
According to F1 correspondent Giles Richards at The Guardian in the UK, “Liberty’s (Formula One’s owners) aim is to expand the sport – particularly in what they call ‘destination cities’ – and this year Hanoi fits the bill perfectly, as does Miami, where they are still hoping to stage a race. Las Vegas, Johannesburg’s Kyalami circuit and Assen in the Netherlands have also been mooted as potential venues, meaning that if the calendar remains the same there will 23 or more races on the calendar very soon.”
While we await the future of
F1 in SA, it does look promising, considering the long-distance racing taking place this year and next. We look forward to bringing you coverage of the IGTC, the WEC and the Formula One Championship.
See our calendar (right) to ensure your weekends are planned ahead of time. We’ll bring you two-wheel insights soon.