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Toyota Gazoo Race Week 50: F1 on the brink in Jeddah



In a Toyota Gazoo Racing Week 50 that split fans around the world down the middle, a sensational first Arabian Grand Prix in controversial Jeddah saw Lewis Hamilton draw level with Max Verstappen in the 2021 World Championship with only this coming weekend’s Abu Dhabi GP left to race. The social media ignited as the two clashed on several occasions on the twice red flagged race with too many safety cars to mention, but Hamilton somehow persevered.

JEDDAH TRACK DRAWS UNIVERSAL CONDEMNATION

It was no better in Formula 2, where countless stoppages and safety car periods marred the weekend. Including an horrendous startline crash that sent Theo Pourchaire and Enzo Fittipaldi to hospital. Between the chaos, Marcus Armstrong avoided trouble to claim a maiden F2 win in the opening race. Aussie Oscar Piastri also kept his nose clean to take the second and shortened final races. He has a firm grip on the ’21 title amid universal condemnation of the new racetrack.

In the only other notable international action on an otherwise quiet world racing week 50, Chaz Mostert, who has South African parents, and Lee Holdsworth closed off the Australian Supercar season with a dominant swansong Bathurst 1000 win for Holden. They beat Cameron Waters and James Moffat’s Ford Mustang and Brodie Kostecki and David Russell’s Holden. The great Australian brand’s motorsport arm now joins Holden in extinction as Chevrolet takes up the reins.

Moving closer to home to regional action on two wheels, Kawasaki rider Mike Pentecost rounded of an incredible comeback season for the team. He won the Carletonville Gauteng Cross Country round to clinch that overall championship to add to his National OR1 title. He beat OR2 winner Ian Rall’s Husqvarna, OR1 second man D’artagnan Lobjoit’s Kawasaki and OR3 top two, Davin Cocker’s Husqvarna and Taki Bogiages’s Kawasaki.

MORE CHAMPIONS, CANCELLATIONS IN WEEK 50

Rotax Max karting crowned its Gauteng champions at Zwartkops. Brandon Smith won to take the DD2 title. Carlo Gil held winner Philippe Chapat off to take Masters on a count back of wins. Champion Kian Grottis won Senior Max as KC Ensor Smith beat Junior champion Jayden Goosen to second. Caleb Odendaal won Mini in champion Wian Boshoff’s absence, Rafael Da Silva beat Micro Max champ Kegan Martin and Brodi Dowling defeated Bambino champ Matthew Shuttleworth.

Earlier in the week, the postponement of the Kyalami Intercontinental GT 9 Hour and cancellation of its support races, resulted in Robert Wolk being crowned 2021 SA Global Touring Car Drivers, and Toyota the Manufacturer’s champions. Bradley Liebenberg is also confirmed as 2021 SupaCup champion. The Volkswagen Polo Cup finale is however shifted to this coming weekend’s Killarney Festival races, where that champion will be decided on track.

ENDS

Issued on behalf of Toyota Gazoo Racing Week

What:Toyota Gazoo Racing Week
Where:International
When:4-5 December 2021
Community:International

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