Former F1 driver David Coulthard praises Kyalami, fuelling SA Grand Prix fervour
Kyalami has all the features and racing characteristics to be a fantastic stop in the Formula One calendar, according to former driver David Coulthard.
The Scotsman made his assessment yesterday, ahead of the Red Bull Showrun in Sandton, after driving the track – in the north of Johannesburg – on Friday. The 53-year-old took to the track then, in Red Bulls’ 2011 championship winning RB7 for a promotional shoot but walked away impressed with the layout.
Currently rated Grade 2, Kyalami must obtain a Grade 1 licence to host major FIA events, such as F1 and MotoGP. Coulthard declared that when it comes to the actual racing part of such an event, Kyalami had it all, while also weighing in on what it could possibly need to reach the higher grading.
“I can only imagine that it is to do with run-off areas,” said Coulthard.
“In terms of the track, it is fantastic. It is challenging, you’ve got blind corners, you have high speed corners and there is elevation change.
“There is not one corner on the track that you would say is not particularly good. They all offer a unique challenge.
“I personally would have loved to have raced at Kyalami as it sits. We go from Monte Carlo, Baku, Singapore, where there is no run off and we go to modern facilities where there is so much run off, the spectators can hardly see the car.
How about the SA National Anthem, as performed by the @redbullracing RB7, at the #RedBullShowrun in Sandton@IOLsport @TheStar_news @IOL pic.twitter.com/E5QfxehlPJ
— Morgan Bolton (@FreemanZAR) October 6, 2024
“In my mind, there must be a middle ground where the FIA can say if there is enough impact structure when a car has throttle sticking or brake failure, that there will be sufficient impact absorption to ensure there is no injury. That can only be a question of barriers.
“I’m sure from a F1 point of view, there will be things like how many spectators we can get there but none of that is insurmountable. They built a grandstand in Sandton for the Showrun, so it is a question of if there is a will, there is a way."
In recent years, there has been major talk of F1 returning to South Africa. Cape Town has been earmarked as a possible venue, while other African nations such as Rwanda and Morocco are also understood to be bidding for a GP. Kyalami, however, has the infrastructure and historic significance as the former host of the South African Grand Prix.
Spinning is just on a different level 😲😳🤯#RedBullShowrun @IOL @IOLsport @TheStar_news pic.twitter.com/TaTCnJ4f0M
— Morgan Bolton (@FreemanZAR) October 6, 2024
Minister of Sport Gayton McKenzie was reportedly at Kyalami on Friday, and he greeted Coulthard and his pit crew with familiar enthusiasm on Sunday in the pit.
Johannesburg mayor Dada Morero, meanwhile, confirmed that talks between all the stakeholders to get F1 to SA for the first time since the early 1990s, was ongoing.
“We are a part of the other two spheres of government,” Morero explained on Sunday at the Showrun.
“The Gauteng government started the process around two, three years ago with an intention to try and bring F1 to Gauteng. That discussions and debate will continue.
“The sponsorship itself requires sufficient resources but from an infrastructure point of view we are well-placed to host the event. I believe it will happen sooner than thought,” he concluded.