Fueled by passion, driven by a Dream.
Fueled by passion, driven by a Dream.
Fueled by passion, driven by a Dream.
Zwartkops has undergone a revival and renewal in recent years, thanks to the hard work and determination of Peter du Toit. The classic circuit in Pretoria is now among the busiest and most modern in the country, with a wide range of activity taking place around the year, despite the troubled economic situation of motorsport in South Africa.
Among the prime events held at the circuit today are the Legends of the 9 Hours races for historic GT and touring car machinery, recreating the history of the fabled 9 Hour sportscar races which were topped only in importance by the Formula One Grand Prix during the 1960s and '70s.
Alongside this, the Sasol GTC Championship is the most prominent national level event to be a regular visitor, while on two wheels, Zwartkops plays host to the SA Superbike Championship each year.
ZWARTKOPS CIRCUIT
GR CUP ROUND 4 HIGHLIGHTS:
Abdool dominates Zwartkops festival
SuperSport’s Nabil Abdool takes us through his thrilling weekend at Zwartkop Raceway…
Round 4 of the National Extreme Festival took place at the legendary Zwartkops Raceway just west of Pretoria, marking the halfway point of the 2025 GR Cup. The weekend unfolded in spectacular fashion for SuperSport’s #11 GR Yaris – and definitely beyond my expectations. As all the competitors descended for Friday practice, Toyota Gazoo Racing surprised us with the news that the GR paddock would be hosting 4 additional entrants into the Dealer category, this meant a record-breaking 25 GR beasts were now ready to face-off in a fiercely competitive grid across the Media, Dealer and Academy classes. This was by far the largest discipline within the National Extreme Festival, a serious show of faith from Toyota SA in its Gazoo Racing program and GR products.
PRECISION REWARDED
Zwarkops is more than just another venue on the calendar. There’s something magical about a race weekend here with braai’s burning trackside, sun-drenched fans soaking in the action, it’s a motorsport paradise that captures the spirit of racing with a perfect mix of corners, ranging from the fast-flowing sweeps, hairpins and a tight in-field section. There’s little to no room for error, this circuit has punished even experienced racers over the years, a fast lap requires the perfect blend of each section in order to extract the most out of the lap. Zwartkops also serves as the home base for Toyota Gazoo Racing South Africa, with their state of the art trackside HQ overlooking turns 5 through to 8, ensuring guests have a front seat to all the action.
BRUTAL PACE
This is the Media Challenger’s second round with the new GR Yaris, the updated power unit (210 kW / 400 Nm), updated handling package and the eight-speed Auto box has been a game-changer since its introduction down at Aldo Scribante. The new package has proven to have brutal pace right out the box! Every session has been a learning curve and I’ve learnt something new via the car’s standard list
of driving modes and shift modes.
FRIDAY PRACTICE
Three sessions of 15 minutes each, presented us with an opportunity to hone our collective understanding of the car and unlocking the secrets of this track.
Practice 1 - The Academy Driver Devon Scott set an astonishing benchmark lap of 1:11.8. I mustered a 1:13.5 for P9 overall and P2 in class.
Practice 2 - We clawed our way up to P4 overall and topped the Media class with a 1:13.4
Practice 3 - We kept building with a solid P3 overall behind the GR Corolla’s, and importantly P1 in class with a 1:13.0.
What was immediately evident, was how close the times were, more than half the field were within a second of each other, finding time would require an accumulation of tiny increments across the sectors.
Qualifying was going to be closely contested.
SATURDAY QUALIFYING
Heading into qualifying, I knew the margins would be tight and the traffic was an added complication, thankfully a decision was made to split the qualifying into two 10 min sessions, a top 13 shootout followed by a session for the rest of the grid. I initially put down a few strong laps ranging between 1:12.3–1:12.5, feeling satisfied I began my cool down lap back to the pits, however something inside me wasn't satisfied, with a few second’s remaining in the session, I decided to give it one last run, and what a call that proved to be! Everything just clicked and we put in a searing 1:11.5!
This was enough to place SuperSport’s #11 GR Yaris on pole position overall (the teams fourth consecutive Pole this season. Lining up alongside Mario de Sousa (Motus Toyota), Devon Scott (Academy Yaris) in 3rd , and my fellow Media Challenger Phuti Mpyane with an impressive P4 overall. An incredible front row of talent, power & pace.
RACE 1
The second the lights went out the mission was clear, keep it clean, fast and focused. I pushed hard early on, building a healthy lead but didn’t anticipate catching two of the Academy GR86's early on. I was being held up and my advantage had diminished entirely, I was quickly being boxed in from behind, but managed to overtake both the 86’s to regain my race pace and managed a controlled finish.
The early outright pace clenched the fastest lap, ensuring we would start race 2 on Pole. Phuti Mpyane (TimesLive) finished runner up, Kyle Kock (Car Magazine) rounded off the Media Podium. 4th was Lawrence Minnie (AutoTrader), 5th Willem van de Putte (IOL/Independent) and 6th Charl Bosch (Citizen)
RACE 2
The 2nd race was a similar affair, I kept it tidy across the line, maintained a solid pace, and delivered another strong result from lights to flag. Back-to-back wins and a full house of points! Phuti Mpyane (TimeLive) finished runner up and a maiden podium for Citizen’s Charl Bosch who inherited 3rd after a last lap fender-bender between Kyle & Lawrence, an unfortunate incident which resulted in a DNF for Kyle. Lawrence nursed home for 4th and Willem closed off the field with 5th.
The overall finishing position is determined by combining both races time’s. This resulted in Lawrence Minnie clinching AutoTrader’s first podium spot this season! I wasn’t sure what to expect coming into this round, winning what is essentially Toyota's home race right in front of the TGR Headquarters, passionate fans, and our incredible sponsors. I couldn’t be prouder of how the weekend turned out! The team at SuperSport continues to back this journey, and to represent The World of Champions in this way means the world to me.
THE ADDITION OF NEW GR CUP CARS HAS CERTAINLY SHAKEN UP THE GRID AND SPICED UP THE STANDINGS:
Nabil Abdool (SuperSport) – 56 🏆
Phuti Mpyane (TimesLive) – 33
Kyle Kock (CAR Magazine) – 32
Lawrence Minnie (AutoTrader) – 21
Charl Bosch (Citizen) – 13
Willem van der Putte (IOL/Independent) – 7
Zwartkops marked a critical turning point in the championship, we’ve built massive momentum and the key is to carry it through the remaining 3 Rounds.
Next stop: the fast and flowing East London Grand Prix Circuit on 19 July, a track known to favour only the brave!
Zwartkops has undergone a revival and renewal in recent years, thanks to the hard work and determination of Peter du Toit. The classic circuit in Pretoria is now among the busiest and most modern in the country, with a wide range of activity taking place around the year, despite the troubled economic situation of motorsport in South Africa.
Among the prime events held at the circuit today are the Legends of the 9 Hours races for historic GT and touring car machinery, recreating the history of the fabled 9 Hour sportscar races which were topped only in importance by the Formula One Grand Prix during the 1960s and '70s.
Alongside this, the Sasol GTC Championship is the most prominent national level event to be a regular visitor, while on two wheels, Zwartkops plays host to the SA Superbike Championship each year.
ZWARTKOPS CIRCUIT
Kyalami has long been considered the centre of motor racing in South Africa and, appropriately, takes its name from a piece of land on its northern border; in the local Zulu language, Kyalami means 'my home'.
South Africa's turbulent political history has meant that Kyalami's fortunes have waxed and waned over the years, though happily it now appears more secure than ever having come under the ownership of Porsche South Africa chairman Toby Venter. After extensive renovation, the circuit was proud to be homologated to FIA Grade 2 status, with the door open for a possible further future upgrade.
KYALAMI CIRCUIT
GR CUP ROUND 4 HIGHLIGHTS:
Abdool dominates Zwartkops festival
SuperSport’s Nabil Abdool takes us through his thrilling weekend at Zwartkop Raceway…
Round 4 of the National Extreme Festival took place at the legendary Zwartkops Raceway just west of Pretoria, marking the halfway point of the 2025 GR Cup. The weekend unfolded in spectacular fashion for SuperSport’s #11 GR Yaris – and definitely beyond my expectations. As all the competitors descended for Friday practice, Toyota Gazoo Racing surprised us with the news that the GR paddock would be hosting 4 additional entrants into the Dealer category, this meant a record-breaking 25 GR beasts were now ready to face-off in a fiercely competitive grid across the Media, Dealer and Academy classes. This was by far the largest discipline within the National Extreme Festival, a serious show of faith from Toyota SA in its Gazoo Racing program and GR products.
PRECISION REWARDED
Zwarkops is more than just another venue on the calendar. There’s something magical about a race weekend here with braai’s burning trackside, sun-drenched fans soaking in the action, it’s a motorsport paradise that captures the spirit of racing with a perfect mix of corners, ranging from the fast-flowing sweeps, hairpins and a tight in-field section. There’s little to no room for error, this circuit has punished even experienced racers over the years, a fast lap requires the perfect blend of each section in order to extract the most out of the lap. Zwartkops also serves as the home base for Toyota Gazoo Racing South Africa, with their state of the art trackside HQ overlooking turns 5 through to 8, ensuring guests have a front seat to all the action.
BRUTAL PACE
This is the Media Challenger’s second round with the new GR Yaris, the updated power unit (210 kW / 400 Nm), updated handling package and the eight-speed Auto box has been a game-changer since its introduction down at Aldo Scribante. The new package has proven to have brutal pace right out the box! Every session has been a learning curve and I’ve learnt something new via the car’s standard list
of driving modes and shift modes.
FRIDAY PRACTICE
Three sessions of 15 minutes each, presented us with an opportunity to hone our collective understanding of the car and unlocking the secrets of this track.
Practice 1 - The Academy Driver Devon Scott set an astonishing benchmark lap of 1:11.8. I mustered a 1:13.5 for P9 overall and P2 in class.
Practice 2 - We clawed our way up to P4 overall and topped the Media class with a 1:13.4
Practice 3 - We kept building with a solid P3 overall behind the GR Corolla’s, and importantly P1 in class with a 1:13.0.
What was immediately evident, was how close the times were, more than half the field were within a second of each other, finding time would require an accumulation of tiny increments across the sectors.
Qualifying was going to be closely contested.
SATURDAY QUALIFYING
Heading into qualifying, I knew the margins would be tight and the traffic was an added complication, thankfully a decision was made to split the qualifying into two 10 min sessions, a top 13 shootout followed by a session for the rest of the grid. I initially put down a few strong laps ranging between 1:12.3–1:12.5, feeling satisfied I began my cool down lap back to the pits, however something inside me wasn't satisfied, with a few second’s remaining in the session, I decided to give it one last run, and what a call that proved to be! Everything just clicked and we put in a searing 1:11.5!
This was enough to place SuperSport’s #11 GR Yaris on pole position overall (the teams fourth consecutive Pole this season. Lining up alongside Mario de Sousa (Motus Toyota), Devon Scott (Academy Yaris) in 3rd , and my fellow Media Challenger Phuti Mpyane with an impressive P4 overall. An incredible front row of talent, power & pace.
RACE 1
The second the lights went out the mission was clear, keep it clean, fast and focused. I pushed hard early on, building a healthy lead but didn’t anticipate catching two of the Academy GR86's early on. I was being held up and my advantage had diminished entirely, I was quickly being boxed in from behind, but managed to overtake both the 86’s to regain my race pace and managed a controlled finish.
The early outright pace clenched the fastest lap, ensuring we would start race 2 on Pole. Phuti Mpyane (TimesLive) finished runner up, Kyle Kock (Car Magazine) rounded off the Media Podium. 4th was Lawrence Minnie (AutoTrader), 5th Willem van de Putte (IOL/Independent) and 6th Charl Bosch (Citizen)
RACE 2
The 2nd race was a similar affair, I kept it tidy across the line, maintained a solid pace, and delivered another strong result from lights to flag. Back-to-back wins and a full house of points! Phuti Mpyane (TimeLive) finished runner up and a maiden podium for Citizen’s Charl Bosch who inherited 3rd after a last lap fender-bender between Kyle & Lawrence, an unfortunate incident which resulted in a DNF for Kyle. Lawrence nursed home for 4th and Willem closed off the field with 5th.
The overall finishing position is determined by combining both races time’s. This resulted in Lawrence Minnie clinching AutoTrader’s first podium spot this season! I wasn’t sure what to expect coming into this round, winning what is essentially Toyota's home race right in front of the TGR Headquarters, passionate fans, and our incredible sponsors. I couldn’t be prouder of how the weekend turned out! The team at SuperSport continues to back this journey, and to represent The World of Champions in this way means the world to me.
THE ADDITION OF NEW GR CUP CARS HAS CERTAINLY SHAKEN UP THE GRID AND SPICED UP THE STANDINGS:
Nabil Abdool (SuperSport) – 56 🏆
Phuti Mpyane (TimesLive) – 33
Kyle Kock (CAR Magazine) – 32
Lawrence Minnie (AutoTrader) – 21
Charl Bosch (Citizen) – 13
Willem van der Putte (IOL/Independent) – 7
Zwartkops marked a critical turning point in the championship, we’ve built massive momentum and the key is to carry it through the remaining 3 Rounds.
Next stop: the fast and flowing East London Grand Prix Circuit on 19 July, a track known to favour only the brave!
GR CUP ROUND 2 HIGHLIGHTS:
GR CUP HEATS UP AT KYALAMI WITH STANDOUT PERFORMANCES IN ALL THREE CATEGORIES
Round 2 of the 2025 TOYOTA GAZOO Racing South Africa GR Cup brought another thrilling instalment of action to the Kyalami Grand Prix Circuit this past weekend.
Round 2 of the 2025 TOYOTA GAZOO Racing South Africa GR Cup brought another thrilling instalment of action to the Kyalami Grand Prix Circuit this past weekend. Under clear skies and with track conditions improving throughout the weekend, the country’s top motoring journalists, Toyota dealer representatives, and emerging racing talent went head-to-head across two competitive heats. With the series now in full swing, the intensity is ramping up in the GR Cup Media Challenge, GR Cup Dealer Challenge, and GR86 Development Academy.
GR Cup Media Challenge – GR Yaris
The GR Cup Media Challenge saw a repeat of dominance from Nabil Abdool (SuperSport), who proved untouchable once again at Kyalami. The media class remains one of the most competitive of the GR Cup structure, with drivers representing top automotive media outlets in South Africa.
Qualifying was closely contested, but Abdool secured pole position with a best time of 2:07.632, ahead of Kyle Kock (CAR Magazine), who posted a 2:09.725. Phuti Mpanye (TimesLive) was third-fastest, just ahead of Lawrence Minnie (AutoTrader). Charl Bosch (Citizen) and Willem van de Putte (Independent Media/IOL) completed the lineup.
Race 1 saw Abdool control the pace from the front, setting the fastest lap in the process and taking a comfortable class win. He was followed home by Kock and Mpanye, who ran closely throughout the race.
Minnie and Bosch enjoyed a good scrap in the midfield, while Van de Putte brought his GR Yaris home in sixth.
In Race 2, Abdool once again led from start to finish, capping a perfect weekend with another victory. Kock secured another second place, with Mpanye holding onto third despite pressure from Minnie. Bosch and Van de Putte again completed the order after another clean run to the chequered flag.
Courtesy of Toyota ZA
QUALIFYING RESULTS
Nabil Abdool - 2:07.632 🏆
Kyle Kock - 2:09.725
Phuti Mpyane - 2:09.946
Lawrence Minnie - 2:12.754
Charl Bosch - 2:13.616
Willem van de Putte - 2:15.356
RACE 1 RESULTS:
Nabil Abdool - 2:07.883 🏆
Kyle Kock - 2:09.258
Phuti Mpyane - 2:09.371
Lawrence Minnie - 2:10.841
Charl Bosch - 2:12.708
Willem van de Putte - 2:12.997
RACE 2 RESULTS:
Nabil Abdool - 2:07.604 🏆
Kyle Kock - 2:09.103
Phuti Mpyane - 2:09.213
Lawrence Minnie - 2:10.351
Charl Bosch - 2:12.334
Willem van de Putte - 2:13.021