Porsche Buys Kyalami

[Maelochs]

http://www.theepochtimes.com/n3/8134...mi-race-track/

From AP:

JOHANNESBURG—South Africa's most famous motor racing track just got an extension.

The South African unit of sports car maker Porsche bought the Kyalami race track for $19.5 million at an auction Thursday, easing concerns among racing enthusiasts that the winning bidder would tear up the track and build office or commercial buildings in its place.

Auction director Lance Chalwin-Milton says Kyalami will remain as a racing track.

Kyalami hosted 20 Formula One races between 1967 and 1993. It was dropped from the circuit in 1985 when South Africa came under an international sports ban because of white minority rule, and rejoined near the end of apartheid.

Past winners at Kyalami include Nigel Mansell, Niki Lauda and Jackie Stewart. Alain Prost won the last F1 race there in 1993.

[isynge]

Good news, unless of course Porsche now proceed to tear up the track and build office or commercial buildings on the site...

[Deleted]

Excellent. No Oran Park horrors here.

People sometimes give a little bad press to the 'new' Kyalami but I find it very much awesome. Okay the only post-F1 racing I've seen there was with A1GP but it was fabulous, and it's a track without single bit of tarmac runoff (unless that's changed in the last five years)

Now Porkie, demand WEC to come there and I shall give ACO some slack for a change

Originally Posted by isynge

Good news, unless of course Porsche now proceed to tear up the track and build office or commercial buildings on the site...

Well it does mention "Auction director Lance Chalwin-Milton says Kyalami will remain as a racing track."

[Maelochs]

I really hope Porsche will put a little money into the circuit and maybe ... maybe bring a WEC round ... or at least ELMS.

Kayalami Nine Hours 2.0?

[Deleted]

ELMS has no reason to go there... and Porsche has no reason for ELMS to go there. I think our recent LMS discussions just prove that it's goals and purposes have been lowered on purpose...

For WEC this would work better as season opener than finisher TBH (if the questionable winter calendar thingie goes nowhere), late March after Sebring or early April. Please let it happen, that series needs proper events outside LM...

[MagVanisher]

Hmm, I wonder if Porsche will promote grass-roots racing now that Kyalami is bought? Oh wait, I'm thinking that Porsche would use Kyalami as their private test track.

On the other hand, will Porsche change the layout of the track?

[Victor_RO]

Originally Posted by Chiana

For WEC this would work better as season opener than finisher TBH (if the questionable winter calendar thingie goes nowhere), late March after Sebring or early April. Please let it happen, that series needs proper events outside LM...

If they go for the winter calendar, then it's a perfect candidate for a January/February date fitting somewhere in a spare weekend around Dubai/Daytona/Bathurst.

[Mike E]

Do Porsche own any other tracks, besides their test track?
This seems like a strange move. Why would they want to buy it?

[Biscuits In A Red Bull]

Are Porsche going to "do the Red Bull at the Red Bull Ring" with Kyalami and give the circuit a dose of Tilke medicine so the FIA like it again?

[Coach Ep]

I'd rather see the track restored to it's old glory!

And then we'll convert Silverstone, Hockenheim, Zandvoort, Imola, Red Bull Ring (aka Zeltweg), Road Atlanta, Spa, Fuji, Barcelona, Le Mans et all.

Let the revolution begin!

[deggis]

Originally Posted by Biscuits In A Red Bull

Are Porsche going to "do the Red Bull at the Red Bull Ring" with Kyalami and give the circuit a dose of Tilke medicine so the FIA like it again?

Hmm? No the same situation. A1 Ring, while it was in pretty bad shape being abandoned before Red Bull bought it, the configuration itself was still good for Grade 1 and F1 GP. It is nearly unchanged from 2003.

[Victor_RO]

Originally Posted by deggis

Hmm? No the same situation. A1 Ring, while it was in pretty bad shape being abandoned before Red Bull bought it, the configuration itself was still good for Grade 1 and F1 GP. It is nearly unchanged from 2003.

Judging from what we saw for the F1 race and the ELMS race this year, the only track layout alterations from the 2003 A1-Ring to the 2014 Red Bull Ring are changes to run-off and an altered pitlane entry.

[Deleted]

I doubt Porsche has any reason to asphalt-ize the runoffs* especially if it's not meant to be a test track for the "big guns". And if WEC ever comes there, I'm not sure if they have the power to "demand" it either (they're not F1 / Bikes / NASCAR)... certainly not need

* Though then again I saw recent footage from Ferrari's Fiorano and it's slowly happening there as well

[mountainstar]

Porsche does a lot of it's road car testing in South Africa in the Western Cape. As stated in the article, it will be a great place to integrate some of Porsche's business in South Africa there and could be used as a driving school as well.

[Deleted]

https://translate.google.com/transla...tml&edit-text=

Another bad translate and this might just be something that the article's author came up with, but:

Venter has no lofty plans with Kyalami, but preferred a cautious development. First, the manager would like to raise international racing series such as the WTTC or the Endurance World Championship. A reliable partner would certainly also Dorna welcome for the Superbike World Championship.

However seeing as WSBK could be involved at some point and we have fresh nightmarish decisions coming from their end when it comes to track alterations one would hope that they don't get too excited. Also the worrying bit:

To the depraved race track - on the grounds of horses are kept as 'lawnmower' - to get into shape, something needs to be invested. "We have many ideas in my head, but details are not fixed yet," beckons from Venter, who wants to be inspired by existing racetracks. The planting of thousands of trees is well established already, asphalt and buildings are renovated. As a model Silverstone is intended, where Porsche is also involved.

Model of Silverstone? Ugh

edit - Endurace World Championship (Endurance-WM in German) could also refer to the FIM World Endurance Championship I guess... original titles

[Mike E]

WSBK was meant to be running at Phakisa this year but the round was cancelled due to a funding shortfall (for facilities upgrades). I would imagine there is less to fix there than there is at Kyalami. Although Kyalami's location is much more useful than Phakisa's...

[Deleted]

With WSBK it's funny as on the other hand they go to such unspoiled gravel trap / grass heavy & minimal fencing classics like Phillip Island and Laguna Seca, and then for the next round they are at Aragon or wherever shiny and you hear them demanding safety sanitation upgrades for even Grade 1 tracks... it's weird.

In that aspect they could do current Kyalami just fine.

[deggis]

Talk of plans, upgrade to Grade 2 and WEC race intent.

http://www.motorsport-total.com/wec/...-15051205.html

[Coach Ep]

story in English with virtual lap:

http://www.racingcircuits.info/pro/n.../#.VVJ2yc4X420

[TF110]

Perhaps better for the wec thread, but Montreal, Mexico City and Monza are mentioned at the end of the motorsport-total article. Is that saying those tracks want a wec race?

[deggis]

Montreal and Mexico wouldn't be in this context for the first time (http://sportscar365.com/lemans/wec/m...tion-for-2015/)

[Deleted]

I don't care for Mexico or Montreal F1 tracks but regarding this new development:

Work on the changes began at 1pm local time today, with an expected completion date between the end August and September 2015.

So
1) That's a relatively fast timetable
2) Could mean we have WEC at Kyalami as soon as next year!

Which would be superb. And the new configuration looks alright enough. "Advice from Charlie Whitning" is still bit worrysome though, as to what extent they add asphalt runoff to ruin the natural terrain. But the - theoretical - video didn't look too bad.

Also, why do they need the opinion of Formula 1 race director specifically? I really, really hope there isn't some distant grand plan to turn it into Grade 1 steriledrome in 5 years time.

[Coach Ep]

Just guessing but could Whiting be a FIA advisor or something regarding track modifications? Just like Roland de Bruynseraede is FIA's official 'track certifier'.

[Mike E]

Originally Posted by Chiana

I don't care for Mexico or Montreal F1 tracks but regarding this new development:

Work on the changes began at 1pm local time today, with an expected completion date between the end August and September 2015.

So
1) That's a relatively fast timetable
2) Could mean we have WEC at Kyalami as soon as next year!

Which would be superb. And the new configuration looks alright enough. "Advice from Charlie Whitning" is still bit worrysome though, as to what extent they add asphalt runoff to ruin the natural terrain. But the - theoretical - video didn't look too bad.

Also, why do they need the opinion of Formula 1 race director specifically? I really, really hope there isn't some distant grand plan to turn it into Grade 1 steriledrome in 5 years time.

The only corner with any significant tarmac run off in the renderings is Turn 1. There is actually not much run off generally because of the terrain and because the site is so built up.

http://www.motorsport.co.za/News/Dis...spx?niid=51108

[Deleted]

Maybe but I haven't heard of him inspecting tracks for Grade 2 purposes before. Grade 1 and other F1 preparations, many times of course.