Kyalami 1548

Kyalami

The home of the South African Grand Prix from 1967, the original Kyalami was a superb circuit with a long main straight cresting the brow of a hill opposite the pits before descending to the demanding first corner at Crowthorne.

The home of the South African Grand Prix from 1967, the original Kyalami was a superb circuit with a long main straight cresting the brow of a hill opposite the pits before descending to the demanding first corner at Crowthorne. Curiously, while other sports severed links with South Africa during apartheid, the Grand Prix remained until some teams boycotted the 1985 race. The race was restored to the calendar in 1992 just as apartheid was ending. That was on a rebuilt circuit that used part of the existing track but lacked the splendour of the old circuit. Since overtaking was now almost impossible, processional races became the rule at Kyalami, with qualifying even more important than at many other circuits. The race only returned once more as Kyalami struggled financially. It was acquired by Porsche South Africa in July 2014 and upgraded to international standard in time for the 2016 season. Unfortunately, Pete Revson was killed while testing at Kyalami in 1974 and both Tom Pryce and marshal Fredeick Jansen van Vuuren lost their lives during the Grand Prix three years later.

Circuit

Type

Permanent road course

Length

2.81 (Miles)

Change

New section between Turns 13 and 14 and extended to Crowthorne Bend

Type

Permanent road course

Length

2.652 (Miles)

Change

Chicane built at penultimate corner

Fastest Race Lap

Fairuz Fauzy (Ferrari A1GP), 1m28.306, 108.115 mph, A1GP, 2009

Fastest Qualifying Lap

Clivio Piccione (Ferrari A1GP), 1m27.269, 109.400 mph, A1GP, 2009

Type

Permanent road course

Length

2.648 (Miles)

Change

Track extended to Gestetner Corner, new pits built

Fastest Race Lap

Nigel Mansell (Williams FW14B-Renault), 1m17.578, 122.865 mph, F1, 1992

Fastest Qualifying Lap

Nigel Mansell (Williams FW14B-Renault), 1m15.486, 126.286 mph, F1, 1992

Type

Permanent road course

Length

2.416 (Miles)

Change

New circuit built using sections of the old circuit

Type

Permanent road course

Length

2.55 (Miles)

Change

Circuit widened and resurfaced

Fastest Race Lap

Keke Rosberg (Williams FW10-Honda), 1m08.149, 134.705 mph, F1, 1985

Fastest Qualifying Lap

Nigel Mansell (Williams FW10-Honda), 1m02.366, 147.196 mph, F1, 1985

Type

Permanent road course

Length

2.544 (Miles)

Change

Original circuit

Fastest Race Lap

Denny Hulme (Brabham BT20-Repco), 1m29.9, 101.873 mph, F1, 1967

Fastest Qualifying Lap

Jack Brabham (Brabham BT20-Repco), 1m28.3, 103.719 mph, F1, 1967

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