The youngest South African to bear the title of Endurance Racing Champion, Kwanda Mokoena, will be taking on the Kyalami 9 Hour this weekend, which forms the second round of the Intercontinental GT Challenge Powered by Pirelli. 

The 18-year-old Mokoena set the racing world on fire last year by winning at the Killarney Cape Town 9 Hour. Mokoena drove with Audi factory driver Luca Engstler and 2021 Investchem SA Formula 1600 champion Andrew Rackstraw. The teenager is no stranger to racing, he practically grew up on the race track and started competing at around six years old, and he also has the support of his ground-breaking race car driver uncle Tschops Sipuka, who is a former race champion.

SowetanLIVE caught up with the young driver, who spoke about his love for the sport.

What do you love about racing?

The adrenalin and of course winning. Winning is always nice. The adrenalin is probably the biggest thing and the speed.

What have you learned from your uncle Tschops about racing?

Patience. One thing he has been good at teaching me is patience, especially when it comes to moving into a new class or starting in a new car that I am not familiar with. He always says you will never become good overnight. It’s a process and you have to put in the hours and the practice days, all of that is needed if you want to become a professional racing driver.

Do you have any race day rituals like playing a favourite song, wearing a lucky charm or superstitions?

On race day I try and keep to myself, I like to be alone and I listen to 90s rap music.

Who are your role models?  

Ayrton Senna and Lewis Hamilton - the way Lewis Hamilton was able to break the barriers in motorsport especially in Formula One. Him being the champion that he is, it’s not easy to get 7, 8 championships in the manner that he did, consecutively. I grew up watching him and he was just someone I wanted to be.

What is something that you’ve learnt from this sport that you use in your life?

The focusing aspect. Always trying to have that goal and then focusing on it. Learning how to avoid unnecessary distractions.

What advice do you have for other young people who want to get involved in this sport?

I would say believe in yourself and ignore the doubters. It is quite a cruel sport – if you have that drive then stay consistent, don’t come and expect to win your first race. Keep the consistency in the training and the practising and good results will follow.   

-dlomol@sowetan.co.za 

Thirty-three of the top International and local GT3 and GT4 race car drivers across four iconic motorsport brands will fight for overall and class victory at the Kyalami 9-Hour on Saturday 25 February. The race forms the second round of the Intercontinental GT3 Challenge powered by Pirelli this weekend.  Mokoena will be part of the MJR Motorsport team with Marius Jackson and Mo Mia behind the wheel of a Audi R8 LMS GT3 Evo 2.

The race kicks off on Thursday morning and over three days and will boast over 180 cars competing in six support categories with a full 12 hours of racing action each day.  The 9 Hour race will start at 1pm on Saturday, and, among other attractions, there will be a historic car demonstration and display, and prizes to be won at the Mercedes-Benz simulators at the ATK Arena. The Toyota Gazoo Racing Team will be doing gymkana demonstrations.