The prestigious race is set to go ahead this weekend with teams and equipment streaming into the circuit from the beginning of the week. Here is what to expect at the Kyalami 9 hour day 1.
After a delay from the Omicron strain at the end of last year, teams and drivers have been itching to get behind the wheel and start preparing for the Intercontinental GT Challenge. Some of the equipment and containers were delivered to the circuit for the original date in early December of 2021. They have finally been unpacked, while teams, media and event organisers have been busy setting up for the rest of the race.
The Kyalami 9 Hour day 1 will have an array of cars take to the track from 08:00 all the way through to 20:10 in the evening. Driver briefings will start at 07:00 just before the BMW M Performance Parts Race Series is scheduled to open the first and third session allowing drivers from different heats a few laps of the 4,5 km circuit. Mobil 1 V8 Supercars will be sandwiched for their practice session in between. SA GT Racing Series & SA Sportscar Series will sandwich the paid practice session for the Intercontinental GT Challenge Teams (IGTC) before lunch from 12:50 to 13:20.
The afternoon will be scattered with the same cars from the morning and close with a Free Practice session for the Kyalami 9 Hour competitors set to start just before sunset at 18:50 and end at 20:20. This is in anticipation for the feature event that is scheduled to start at 13:00 and run all the way into the night with the chequered flag to be dropped at 22:00 on Saturday the 5th of February. The SA Sportscar Series and SA GT Racing Series will commence with their qualifying as track conditions begin to cool, with the former starting at 16:45 and the latter taking to the track at 17:10; each have 15 mintues to strut their stuff. These will be the only qualifying sessions of the day
Conditions are looking favourable for drivers wanting to push the grip of their machines to the limit with a low chance of rain expected at 21:00 and a moderate 29°C high expected in the mid-afternoon.