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IOL News
22-06-2025
- Automotive
- IOL News
While Kyalami Grand Prix circuit news gets cheers, the SA F1 committee is still evaluating bids
Kyalami Grand Prix Circuit has received confirmation that the FIA has accepted final design proposals to upgrade the circuit to Grade 1 status. Image: Supplied While the news of Kyalami Grand Prix circuit getting the thumbs up for its upgrade delighted many, including the minister of the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture, the F1 bid steering committee had to clarify that they are still evaluating the bids received, and not all have been happy with the process. On Wednesday, Kyalami circuit owner Toby Venter said between $5 and $10 million will be spent over the next three years to ensure that the circuit is the only Formula 1-compliant track on the continent. Grade 1 status is the highest international standard required by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA) to host Formula 1. Kyalami's Grade 1 plans were approved by the FIA, meaning they were given the green light to upgrade their track to the highest possible standards in motorsport. The 4.5km surface holds a Grade 2 licence. It is estimated that the upgrades will cost between R100 million and R180m. 'When we acquired Kyalami in 2014, we made a commitment to restore it, not just as a world-class venue, but as a beacon for motorsport across the African continent. The FIA's acceptance of our Grade 1 design is a major step forward in that journey,' Venter said on Wednesday. On the back of the announcement, the F1 Bid Steering Committee (BSC) said that they have noted recent announcements and called the development 'encouraging' and said it 'bodes well for the country's bid to host a Formula 1 race in future'. 'Whilst the committee believes this is positive news for South Africa and motorsport in our country, it wishes to clarify that the above announcement and development is entirely independent from the work of the committee. 'The committee remains seized with the evaluation and adjudication of proposals received for the staging and promotion of an F1 Race in South Africa,' they said. 'In the near future, the committee will make an announcement on the outcomes of this process along with the preferred promoter for the country.' Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Next Stay Close ✕ Minister of the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture, Gayton McKenzie, on Friday, posted that a few months ago he informed the owner of Kyalami race track that 'government wouldn't be in a position to assist financially with renovations at the track'. 'He gave me his word that his group would pay for it and see the whole process through. I salute you, Tobie Venter.' When asked if this means that Cape Town's bid is not being considered, all that BSC spokesperson Prince Mlimandlela Ndamase said on Sunday was: 'The committee is finalising its report to the minister and should have it submitted in the next week. 'The report will provide an outcome on the process undertaken and the three bids received.' One of the three bids came from Cape Town Grand Prix, where CEO Igshaan Amlay has expressed his frustration and concern with the process, stating that he had already been notified two weeks ago that his bid was unsuccessful. 'They lied to the media, because Cape Town Grand Prix, sees this whole process as a flawed process, because firstly, nowhere in South Africa in the new democracy, has there been a request that you have to pay R10 million rand to bid to bring an event to the country.' Amlay was referring to the R10 million referenced in the Request for Expression of Interest ('RFEOI') document, which states that 'Interested parties/potential promoters will be required to make payment of a refundable deposit into the Sec. 86(4) trust account of attorneys appointed by and representing the BSC, to the value of R10 million. 'In the event that an interested party is unsuccessful in the EOI stage and is not selected to move forward into the closed RFP process, the deposit will be refunded with relevant interest accrued.' Amlay said: 'When we asked them what the R10 million is for, they said it's refundable, but they couldn't tell us when you're getting it back.' He said that they went back to them with a promissory note, but they were informed that the money had to be delivered in cash, and that they couldn't accept a promissory note.
IOL News
19-06-2025
- Automotive
- IOL News
Hold on South Africa, we're not hosting a Formula 1 Grand Prix just yet…
An aerial view of the Kyalami Circuit in Midrand, Johannesburg. Photo: AFP Image: AFP Comment by Jehran Naidoo Judging by the comments online under the news about Kyalami's new 'Grade 1 FIA approval', it seems as though South Africans are convinced that we are set to host the grandest race of them all. Just to be clear, the announcement made this week by Kyalami Circuit boss Toby Venter was about them taking a step closer to hosting a F1 race. There is still a ton of work that needs to be done, and even after that costly work, the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA) can still close the door on South Africa's face. So, nothing's really set in stone at this point, but Kyalami Circuit does appear to be the front-runner ahead of the Cape Town bid when it comes to hosting the race. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ What was said this week? Kyalami's Grade 1 plans were approved by the FIA, meaning they were given the green light to upgrade their track to the highest possible standards in motorsport. When complete, Kyalami can compare itself to the likes of Fuji Speedway in Japan, Hockenheimring in Germany and the Indianapolis Speedway in the United States. Venter confirmed that the FIA had approved the plans to upgrade Kyalami to a Grade 1 race track. The 4.5km surface holds a Grade 2 licence. It is estimated that the upgrades will cost between R100 million and R180m. 'When we acquired Kyalami in 2014, we made a commitment to restore it, not just as a world-class venue, but as a beacon for motorsport across the African continent. The FIA's acceptance of our Grade 1 design is a major step forward in that journey,' Venter said on Wednesday. Venter roped in UK-based motorsport engineering consultants Double Apex to help with their bid to host the race. Clive Bowen, director of Double Apex, said the upgrades would take around three months to complete. Bowen assured that these were 'light upgrades' to an already world-class facility. There are also plans to extend spectator areas. The upgrades will primarily revolve around enhancing run-off areas, barrier systems, debris fencing, kerbs, and drainage. No physical changes will be made to the circuit itself, and will remain the same from when Ayrton Senna drove his McLaren there back in the 1990s. What is a Grade 1 race track ? A Grade 1 track is supposed to be longer than 3.5km, but no longer than 7km. The straights cannot exceed 2km. Besides the hoard of safety measures that need to be adhered to, a Grade 1 track must also undergo annual inspections to ratify its status in the eyes of the FIA, and cough up a hefty fee in the process. The type of cars being raced on the surface also affects the Grade of licence you need to have. In the hybrid era that we currently find ourselves in, Formula 1 cars produce over 1,000 horsepower and weigh between 730kg and 760kg. With a power to weight ratio at that level, F1 cars require a Grade 1 level track to race on. If a Grade 1 licence is granted by the FIA, it is valid for a period of three years.
The Citizen
19-06-2025
- Automotive
- The Citizen
Kyalami's F1 upgrade approved, circuit owner urges government to act
South Africa is one step closer to hosting a Formula One Grand Prix. The Citizen reports that Kyalami Grand Prix Circuit owner Toby Venter has, however, put a damper on celebrations, citing a lack of commitment from government. Venter yesterday announced that the FIA has approved the proposed upgrades Kyalami requires to host a Formula One race for the first time since 1993. The circuit has been granted a three-year window to comply. He is confident the upgrades, for which the circuit will foot the bill – estimated to be between R90 and R180m – and set to take three months, can be completed before the end of the year. But Venter stopped short of predicting a date for F1's big return, saying that 'government needs to engage with Formula One to make it happen like they do all over the world'. This, according to the Kyalami boss, is something that is required in addition to the bid steering committee set up by Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture Gayton McKenzie, which must consider bids for the F1 race. ALSO READ: Kyalami or Cape Town? Race to host SA F1 Grand Prix revs up Government 'must engage' 'The bid steering committee is doing its work and we can't speak on its behalf. But unfortunately, for this to go forward, government has to engage a Formula One map,' said Venter. 'That has not happened yet. Other countries have taken the lead around the world, where the government has paid a deposit to Formula One management in entering a memorandum of understanding. We are waiting for government to play its part.' Other local bids are expected to come from Cape Town and Wakanda Smart City, while Rwanda has also expressed its intention to be the first to bring F1 back to Africa. 'Kyalami is the most recognisable and event-ready circuit on the African continent. No other circuit on the African continent can lay claim to a fraction of the motorsport history of Kyalami,' added Venter. Rich Kyalami F1 history 'The track hosted 21 Grands Prix from 1967 to 1993. Its list of winners includes Niki Lauda, Alain Prost, Jim Clark and our very own Jody Scheckter.' The 16-corner, 4.529km layout underwent a major revamp after Venter bought it at an auction in 2014. Extensive upgrades ensured Grade 2 status from the FIA, the world's controlling body for motorsport. British-based company Apex Circuit Design was last year tasked with drawing up the plans for upgrades Kyalami needs to achieve the required Grade 1 status to host F1 racing. The grading is determined by the kilogram-to-horsepower ratio. The ratio of F1 cars is the lowest of any motorsport class and therefore requires the highest FIA certification. 'We will not be the roadblock. If the process is held up, it will be something outside our control,' said Clive Bowden, the director and founder of Apex Circuit Design. MotoGP to follow later 'From an engineering point of view, Kyalami requires relevant minor technical alterations to meet the regulations. I'm very confident it can be done within three months without interrupting the track's busy calendar. ALSO READ: Binder: Sleeping at home and racing at Kyalami will be 'sick' 'Turns two and 13 need extended run-off zones. Five, six, seven and 10 also require some work ranging from moving gravel closer and changing the kerbs. 'We have considered hosting MotoGP, but not for the moment. It is considered part of a long-term project.' The F1 calendar for 2026 has already been released without South Africa on it. This means the earliest local motorsport fans can bank on an F1 return is in 2027. The Department of Sport, Arts and Culture was sent questions about its engagement with the FIA.
