We’re racing at Zwartkops this weekend as the journey in the Toyota GR Cup Challenge continues

After three rounds, the Toyota Gazoo GR Cup Challenge moves to its “home” base at Zwartkops Raceway outside Pretoria for the fourth installment of the National Extreme Festival this weekend.

It’s been almost six weeks since we first set eyes on our new GR Yaris’ with its slick eight-speed Direct Automatic Transmission (DAT) at the Aldo Scribante Circuit in Gqeberha, and I must say, I’ve missed being behind the wheel of the pink-liveried Independent Media and IOL  car #60, affectionately dubbed Tinkerbell by the rest of the Media Challenge racers.

Gazoo HQ

Zwartkops is also the headquarters of Toyota Gazoo Racing South Africa (TGRSA) which brings with it the added pressure of performing in front of some of their executives, VIP guests, friends and family. 

As we head into the weekend I’m a lot less nervous than I was at the beginning of the season. Our race craft has improved significantly but you’re still behind the wheel of a race car alongside 19 other GR Corollas driven by dealers and GR 86s piloted by GR Academy drivers so anything can happen, especially since most of us call Zwartkops our home circuit.

There’s a difference though between driving around the track at a launch with an instructor next to you as opposed to donning a race suit and then going hell for leather and side by side in a race.

Extra lap time

I was fortunate enough to recently get some laps under my belt in some powerful German engineering at a Mercedes-Benz AMG day at their AMG Driving Academy.

I drove with colleague and veteran racer Mark Jones and his pointers were invaluable as he explained entry and exit points around the track.

“Slower in, means faster out” he stressed, so I’m hoping it all stays in with fellow GR Cup competitors all vying for the best position.

Zwartkops is 2.4 kilometres long and has eight turns, the most intimidating being the hairpin at turn two and the right hander at turn four.

You’re supposed to lift slightly from flat-out up the back straight before going into turn four and then as you hit the right apex accelerate again onto the left apex before the double right hander at turn five and six in front of Gazoo HQ.  

Sounds easy enough in theory, so I’m holding thumbs my nerves don’t get the better of me as I attempt to use the full 210kW and 400Nm from the Yaris’ 1.6-litre turbocharged three-cylinder engine.

Challenge continues

The weekend sees my racing and media colleagues Charl Bosch (Citizen), Lawrence Minnie (Auto Trader), Phuti Mpyane (TimesLive), Kyle Kock (CAR Magazine) and Nabil Abdool (SuperSport) continuing to chase points in the GR Cup Media Challenge.

Leading the Challenge is Abdool followed by Kock and then Mpyane. With everyone gaining experience and becoming more confident, Minnie, Bosch and myself will be charging hard.

Race weekend starts on Friday with three practice sessions.

On Saturday morning early we qualify for starting positions for the two races in an action packed day that features a full programme of adrenaline fueled racing.