Historic trip for ‘Wheels’ at Kyalami
R100m upgrade boost for racing
THE World of Wheels motoring publication was written into the history books of Kyalami this week. The Herald’s motoring section was given the honour on Tuesday of driving the last official lap of the world-famous racing circuit outside Johannesburg minutes before the contractors moved in to rip up the track.
Earlier in the morning Kyalami owner Toby Venter had unveiled the R100-million upgrade of the historic track known and respected by millions of motorsport enthusiasts the world over.
The last lap was driven in a R2-million Porsche Panamera and brought many memories of the countless times I have driven on the track during my 40 years as a motoring journalist.
Venter said the funding would be coming from internal sources.
This followed an inspection of the track by FIA safety delegate and Formula One icon Charlie Whiting, who paid a visit to Kyalami recently. After a thorough track inspection and valuable advice, the circuit and safety changes were given the blessing of the FIA.
The track will be given a licence to host all major international motorsport events, excluding Formula One, once the completed upgrade has been completed in September.
Venter, CEO of Porsche South Africa, bought the circuit and surrounding property in July last year for R205-million. He said a Formula One certified track was not on the cards at the moment, one of the main reasons being that longer runoffs were needed.
Venter said 11 of the corporate bomas would be demolished to improve spectator view points.
The current circuit has, over time, grown to be respected as a track with interesting changes of elevation and some challenging corners.
What was clearly lacking in the current layout was a longer straight, ending in a tight corner.
It was clear the tar surface of Kyalami that had been in place since the early ’90s, needed to be replaced. Expert teams set about working on plans for the best solutions to this challenge, drawing on international expertise to achieve the best possible solutions. The final plans include:
ý A complete resurface of the circuit to international specifications.
ý The lengthening of the existing main straight with the current turn 1 reduced in angle, allowing the circuit to run into the eastern corner of the property and ensuring a straight of close to 900m.
ý A new turn 2, a tight left-hander with a tight apex, leading to a series of bends joining back into the current circuit at the existing turn 4.
ý Changes to the circuit at the current turn 12 (the Bowl).
ý The upgrade of circuit safety with the objective of once again obtaining a FIA Grade 2 licence.
The revised circuit will once again revive great turn names.
After the start line the circuit drops into a new turn 1, once again a full-speed corner, appropriately named The Kink.
The circuit will then continue to drop and then climb into the new turn 2, Crowthorne, with its new spectator area (from which nearly half the circuit will be visible) providing a great view of the new section of the circuit.
The circuit will then drop down with a series of two rightand left-handed curves named Jukskei Sweep. Then it joins the current layout with the new turn 5, now named Barbeque.
The back straight forms part of the original circuit layout. As a result turn names will return with Sunset followed by Clubhouse, the Esses and Leeukop.
The circuit then drops steeply downhill into a fast left-hand sweep, called Mineshaft.
The new turn 13, the Crocodiles, will provide a great overtaking opportunity.
The second to last corner will retain its current configuration and the next, very fast corner, which requires great bravery to negotiate at speed, will be called Cheetah.
Turn 15 will be retained in its current form but will now be called Ingwe (the Zulu word for Leopard), another African cat with cunning and stealth.
The lap finishes with an uphill section to the start-finish line.
Friday May 15, 2015