Kyalami excluded from provisional Intercontinental GT3 calendar

Phuti Mpyane Senior Motoring Correspondent
Sheldon van der Linde and team mates Charles Weerts and Dries Vanthoor steered their new BMW M4 GT3 to victory at the Kyalami 9 Hour leg in February 2023.
Sheldon van der Linde and team mates Charles Weerts and Dries Vanthoor steered their new BMW M4 GT3 to victory at the Kyalami 9 Hour leg in February 2023.
Image: Supplied

The Kyalami 9 Hour isn’t included in the provisional diary of the 2024 Intercontinental GT3 endurance series, but Christo Kruger of LSM Distributors says the owners of Kyalami Raceway remain hopeful.

“The calendar is not finalised as yet, but talks with the promoter are ongoing. An update will be provided in due time,” Kruger told Business Day

South Africa has hosted this leg of the Intercontinental GT3 series since February 2019. Sheldon van der Linde and team mates Charles Weerts and Dries Vanthoor steered their new BMW M4 GT3 to victory at the Kyalami 9 Hour leg in February 2023.

“The intercontinental series was originally established to unite far flung GT3 races with no common connection,” said Stephane Ratel, founder and CEO of SRO Motorsports Group.

“In terms of GT racing prestige, few events can match the ADAC TotalEnergies 24h Nürburgring. With Spa, Bathurst and Nürburgring, the Intercontinental GT Challenge’s calendar undoubtedly includes the world’s top three GT3 races.”

The races are time based. The team that covers the longest distance in nine hours is the winner.

The pack of race-bred GT cars, including Lamborghinis, Ferraris, AMG GTs, Porsches and BMWs, kick off the campaign at the 6.213km Mount Panorama racetrack in Australia for the Bathurst 12 Hour from February 16 to 18, two weeks later than usual.

From May 30 to June 2 the series arrives at the world's most challenging and storied racetrack, the 25km Nürburgring Nordschleife. Competitors including South Africa's Van der Linde and others will hunt for GT3 and GT4 glory in a 24-hour race on a track that features more than 170 turns.

After the fearsome Nürburgring, the event moves to the 24 Hours of Spa from June 27 to 30. The 7.004km Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps is home to the Formula One Belgian Grand Prix.

On October 4 to 6 the GT3 challengers enter the equally fabled Indianapolis 8 Hour in the US. The 4.023km track hosts the Indy500, NASCAR and, more recently, F1. 

The Gulf 12 Hour will not feature on 2024’s Intercontinental calendar, but a fifth event could be added to the calendar after consultation with GT3 manufacturers.

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