Formula 1 News: South Africa still trying to land F1 race

Formula 1 fans get revving. South Africa is in for full-throttle fun when Max Verstappen’s Red Bull championship-winning car goes on tour this week reports IOL.

Members of the public have a chance to take pictures and see the car that entrenched Verstappen’s title as Grand Prix king in 2022. According to Red Bull Racing, this is a replica of the RB18, designed by Adrian Newey and which dominated in that season.

A replica of Max Verstappen’s Red Bull Racing RB18, which won the world title in 2022, will be on display from July 24 to 30.

“It powered Max Verstappen to his second consecutive Drivers’ Championship title and secured Red Bull Racing’s fifth Constructors’ Championship, their first since 2013,” the company’s PR team told Sunday Tribune this week.

The RB18 replica is scheduled to be on display from Wednesday until Tuesday, July 30. Members of the public will have a chance to see the championship-winning car and experience Red Bull Racing up close.

“The aim is to ignite a full-blown F1 experience and get the nation’s motorsport passion roaring into high gear in the lead-up to the Red Bull Showrun taking place in Johannesburg this October with none other than David Coulthard,” Red Bull said.

The manager of Monty’s First Stop, Koushik Maharaj, said he encouraged Red Bull to bring Verstappen’s car to Pietermaritzburg so that the government would consider reviving Formula 1 locally, which played a valuable role in the city in the 1960s. He said the local Roy Hesketh Circuit, named after a South African racing driver, was located on the outskirts of Pietermaritzburg.

“It would be an honor having Verstappen’s car at Monty’s First Stop as he is the sport’s youngest race winner and he is also the youngest person to start an F1 race.”

Maharaj said Formula 1 would have many financial benefits to the city. “It is estimated that although Las Vegas spent around $500 million (R9 billion) on its 2023 Grand Prix, the benefit due to tourism from the race was an estimated $1.2 billion coming in the form of expenditures at hotels, restaurants and other local businesses. Pietermaritzburg should also have this opportunity and we invite F1 organizers to bring this event to Pietermaritzburg and engage with the city in respect of this intent,” Maharaj said.

For those wanting to see Verstappen’s winning wheels, the car will be on display at the following places:

PNP Knowles at 45 Old Main Rd, Hilldene, Howick from July 24 to 28.

Caltex On The Run (Monty’s First Stop) at 268 Ohrtmann Road, Willowton, on July 29.

Northway Engen, corner of Otto’s Bluff and Dr Chota Motala roads, Woodlands, Pietermaritzburg, on July 30.

From Pietermaritzburg, the car will be heading to other provinces to build anticipation for the Red Bull Showrun in Johannesburg.

July 22, 2024

South Africa may host a Formula One (F1) Grand Prix in the future if Sports Art and Culture Minister Gayton McKenzie has his way, reports The Citizen of South Africa.

South Africans have been pleading for an F1 race for years.

While there has been plenty of speculation and hope that Formula One will return to Kyalami after last hosting an F1 race in 1993, the sad reality is that a Guinea Pig has yet to be identified who is willing to lose their shirt by putting up over $50 million USD per year to host the race.

Despite the huge costs, especially for a country like South Africa, McKenzie vowed to do everything he could to appease the F1 fans.

“I have set up meetings with relevant people already, my term will be a failure if I don’t bring one of the biggest sporting tourist events to South Africa which is F1. Our first meeting is the end of August in Monaco,” McKenzie said in a post on X.

Monaco? That is where Lewis Hamilton lives. He wants the race, so maybe he will be willing to finance it. Let’s hope.

Where’s The Money?

South Africa’s return after what would have been two decades since last hosting a Grand Prix ultimately fell victim to greed despite being almost a sure bet.

This is the view of the country’s first and so far only Formula 1 champion, Jody Scheckter, who remarked in an interview that Kyalami had been on track to host a round of the 2023 championship, only for talks to collapse because of money.

In an interview with total-motorsport.com, 1979 World Champion Scheckter attributed the eventual collapse to the price tag inflating to $50 million USD to host an overseas event as travel costs to South Africa are huge.

Besides the South African F1 faithful, Scheckter said his nephew Warren Scheckter, whose SAGP organization had been working on a deal for six years, had been the biggest loser following the withdrawal of government funding.

“Because going [through the] government and getting [their support] and for them all to agree to put some budget in and then to secure the money. It takes a massive amount [of effort and money] all of a sudden, it was over, and he was left with nothing,” Scheckter said.

In June last year, as reports of a signed deal accelerated following Domenicali’s visit, Warren told the website Double Apex “An F1 race in SA has not yet been confirmed. There are many things that need to take place before we can make a formal announcement”.

Accordingly, the senior Scheckter said while the choosing of Kyalami was always on the cards, “Cape Town would be a better place. But it’s all to do with money”.