Summarize

Formula 1600 heads to East London on a knife’s edge

South Africa’s premier single seater racing series, Investchem Formula 1600 heads to perhaps its most significant race weekend of the season as it descends on the historic East London Grand Prix circuit for the fifth round National Extreme Festival races on Saturday 6 August.

The site of the original 1930s South African Grands Prix, as well as the country’s first F1 World Championship Grands Prix in the 1960s, where both Jim Clark and Graham Hill clinched world titles, the local series today laps the legendary racetrack as quickly as the likes of Hill, Clark, Surtees, Moss, and Bandini’s BRMs, Loti and Ferraris did in the ‘60s.

Even more exciting, is that the championship sits poised on a knife’s edge as it heads for its annual Border battle. Josh Le Roux fought back from a qualifying disaster when his Investchem RDSA Mygale was found underweight and he was sent to the back of the grid at Red Star last time out. He did enough to retain a narrow championship lead heading to the Grand Prix Circuit. 

Second and third in the chase is also proving a test of brotherly love. Double winner last time out Gerard and sibling Antwan Geldenhuys’ Abacus Divisions Mygales are separated by a single point, and seven adrift of Le Roux. All of them still need to keep an eye on the ever-improving Alex Vos’ DVBS Investchem Mygale in the championship fourth. Alex has now tasted success, being the only driver outside of the top three to also win a race this year. And he wants more, so considering his recent podium form, he’s definitely one to watch. 

Behind the top four, it’s a mix of experience and youth with veterans Nicholas van Weely’s Magnificent Paints & Hardware Van Diemen and Andrew Schofield’s Safair Investchem Mygale sandwiching exciting sixth placed Capetonian rookie Troy Dolinschek’s Sujean Mygale on the points table. Dolinschek skipped the previous Red Star races to spend a little TLC on his Mygale and he could very well prove a major factor in East London.

Ewan Holtzhausen is another dark horse in his Total Plastics Mygale, while another Cape Town driver, the luckless Jason Coetzee is looking for a break to finally show off his true potential in his Mint Wrap Works Mygale. Others to look out for include RDSA Mygale Durbanite Shrien Naidoo, who booked his seat in the SA National Karting team in the recent Rotax Max African Open, and who will be keen to convert that success into main circuit glory. 

Add Siya Mankonkwana’s Investchem Mygale and Macrocomm Mygale lass Taya van der Laan. All part of a major single seater weekend when Investchem Formula 1600 races on the historic East London Grand Prix Circuit as part of a full National Extreme Festival meeting on Saturday 6 August.

ENDS

Issued on behalf of Investchem Formula 1600

What:Investchem Formula 1600 Round 5 Preview
Where:East London Grand Prix Circuit
When:Saturday 6 August 2022
Community:South Africa National

For further information please contact kgregory@investchem.co.za

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