The dust has literally settled at the Kyalami Circuit in South Africa with the completion of the circuit’s facilities, sixteen months after they commenced.
For motorsport enthusiasts the resurfacing, extension of the main straight and several corner modifications to the 4.522km are of primary importance with the circuit now capable of hosting race formulas up to FIA Grade 2 specification – everything excluding Formula One.
In his track report, FIA Formula One Safety Delegate, Charlie Whiting wrote; ‘The track looked amazing and the attention to detail during the total refurbishment is second to none. I therefore have no hesitation in recommending that a Grade 2 circuit license is issued for the track’.
Within the circuit’s perimeter the new Kyalami International Convention Centre and pits complex is also complete. Paying tribute to some of Kyalami’s former heroes, some areas within the Convention Centre bears the names of these legendary drivers:
The 2,770 square-meter area, connected to the upper parking via a new bridge, with its large, flexible exhibition space will be known as the Jody Scheckter Paddock Club.
M.Sir Jackie Stewart Conference Room
On the first floor, two boardrooms carry the names of Jacky Ickx and Dave Charlton. Four adjacent conference rooms have been named after Sir Jackie Stewart, Nigel Mansell (CBE), Alain Prost and Niki Lauda respectively.
The new 2,100 square-meter covered roof terrace on the third floor is named after local racing legend and regular motorsport competitor, Sarel van der Merwe. The additional launch area on the ground floor, designed to accommodate vehicle activations with direct access to the pit lane, has been named after John Love.
Those who attended the Festival of Motoring would have seen Mercedes offer test drives around the challenging 1.1km handling track. Adjacent to that the 18 000 square metre Dynamic Driver Training area is covered in low friction asphalt and like the Dynamic Handling Track, a very effective irrigation system can be activated to offer a different challenge.
Expected to be the preferred choice for venue hire given its flexible configurations, state-of-the art kitchens, new bathrooms and convenient proximity between Pretoria and Johannesburg, Kyalami hasn’t forgotten that racing is at its core and the first ‘Motorsport Festival’ will be hosted from the 21st until the 23rd of October.
