Visiting British racer Steve Morris will have high expectations at the Port Elizabeth Aldo Scribante circuit next Saturday (April 12), during Rounds 4, 5 and 6 of this year’s South African Production Car Championship. The 21-year-old former single-seater driver is contesting Class A of the tin-top title chase in one of the Kaye-Eddie Racing equipe’s BMW 330I models. –
– Thus far this season, Morris has scored a third and fifth place from three starts at the respective Kyalami- and Killarney circuits. He expects to do better at Aldo Scribante. –
– Last year, while competing in the South African Formula Ford Championship, Morris did the Full Monte at the Eastern Cape circuit. At the end of the weekend, his scorecard showed two pole positions, two race wins and two quickest race lap times. –
– “That was absolutely brilliant – I loved the circuit from the first testing lap, and it seemed easy to find and maintain a quick rhythm in both races”. –
– “I can not wait to sample the place in the Kaye-Eddie BMW, which is performing especially well at the moment,” Morris said this week. –
– The youngster will not expect to repeat last year’s performance, though. –
– “One needs to remain realistic, and the competition at the front end of South Africa’s Production Car series is nothing short of fierce.” –
– “On the other hand, three weeks ago, in the wet at Killarney, I was dicing with the works Castrol BMW of Class a points leader Etienne van der Linde before he used my car as a brake.” –
– The resultant spin dropped Morris out of contention, but did nothing to dampen his enthusiasm for saloon car racing. “I am getting better in the BMW every time out – it is a learning curve, and I am in the position to learn from some of South Africa’s top drivers.” –
– “At the current rate, I hope to score some podium places on merit soon, instead of benefitting by others’ off-track excursions,” he said. –
– Morris’ current main goal is to get on equal terms with his Kaye-Eddie team mate, Reghardt Roets. –
– “Reghardt has awesome car control, and it is extremely satisfying when I manage to decrease the gap between his BMW and my own. If I can get to the point of realistically challenging him for grid positions and race placings, this season will be training time extremely well spent.” –
– Morris is especially keen on next weekend’s Production Car format of three short races at Aldo Scribante. –
– “It will bring tyre conservation into the picture. Having learnt to drive single-seaters ultra-smoothly in the past, I am getting better at keeping the BMW’s Firestone Firehawk rubber alive to the end of races these days.” –
– “That should be extremely important at the Port Elizabeth circuit, which is traditionally hard on tyres,” he added. –
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