Summarize

New BOP National GT class set for a second season

GT racing has proven increasingly popular over recent seasons in South Africa. Now following a quiet start in 2020, a new MSA-sanctioned South African National GT Championship is looking to step up to bigger things as part of the G&H Transport Extreme Supercar series. 

Catering for all internationally recognized GT3 machinery, as well as homologated Porsche Cup, Lamborghini Super Trofeo and Ferrari Challenge cars, the series adopts international Balance of Performance principles based on SRO published international specification sheets. The SRO runs the Intercontinental GT Challenge that includes the Kyalami 9 Hour. 

The objective is to establish an internationally compatible South African National GT Championship, with several new cars already headed to the country to bolster an already impressive field. 

Originally scheduled to run over eight rounds, the inaugural 2020 championship was pegged back to four rounds following the national lockdown. That could not prevent twelve drivers from chasing the inaugural 2020 MSA South African National GT crown. 

The season started with Greg Parton’s Lamborghini Huracan taking an early title lead before coming under pressure from Izak Spies, who joined the fray midway through the season in a McLaren GT3. Charl Arangies then laid his claim to championship glory with four-victories in a row late in the season with his Stradale Motorsport Lamborghini Huracan GT3. 

They say that consistency however kills the cat. Their regular points-finishes saw Gianni Giannoccaro’s Lamborghini Gallardo and Mark du Toit in a Ferrari F430 GT3 line up for the final race sitting neck and neck in the championship chase. A water pump issue sadly put paid to Gianoccoro’s challenge, leaving du Toit to clinch South Africa’s first ever championship for homologated GT cars.  

The G&H Transport Extreme Supercar championship attracted 36 different drivers to compete through the year, while 24 lined up for the Zwartkops Grand Finale. Franco Scribante’s ultra-quick but non-Balance of Performance compliant Porsche 997 Turbo took the overall championship, while Jonathan du Toit’s Ferrari F430 took Class A, Ant Blunden won Class B in his Porsche 997; Marius Jackson Class took C with his Audi R8 GT4, while Ryan Quan-Chai won Class D in his BMW Z4M. 

2021 promises an exciting step forward for the MSA South African National GT Championship. Two new Lamborghini Huracan GT3s are already headed for our shores, the black Porsche GT2 will be in new hands, a GT3 bodied BWM Z4 is being built and that rapid Lotus Exige is set to make a racing return. And with seven rounds scheduled across the country, all bets are on who the 2021 champion will be…

ENDS

Issued on behalf of South African GT3

What:South African GT3 Announcement
Where:South Africa
When:2021
Community:South Africa National

For further information please contact mpdutoit@gmail.com

Click on thumbnails to Download images