Coronavirus won’t kill local motorsport – Sarel

This too will pass … and motorsport will survive in South Africa.

That message comes from maestro Sarel van der Merwe who, at the age of 74, is still arguably the best known name in South African motorsport annals.

Even though the coronavirus pandemic has halted all sporting activities across the globe, Van der Merwe strongly believes it isn’t a death blow for internationally or local motorsport despite the impending economic recession.

These days, at the age of 74, Van der Merwe is still highly competitive in the top echelons of local Historic car racing.

“Right now – like is the case with everything else – things do not look good, but motorsport will survive here and elsewhere,” he told The Citizen.

”After the Second World War, racing resumed overseas, and here.

“After the global 1973 oil crisis, when petrol restrictions came into being here, motorsport was banned for a while, but competitors adapted.

“Some categories, like oval track racing and karting, went to methanol as fuel for a while, but everybody who could manage at all, competed, one way or the other.

“That aspect of the Adrenaline Game has not changed,” Van der Merwe adds.

The veteran boasts 11 South African rally titles, four South African circuit racing titles, Springbok colours and a Motorsport South Africa Lifetime Achievement award.

He also has an illustrious international sports car racing career, involving the American IMSA series, where he notably won the 1984 24 Hours of Daytona race driving a Kreepy Krauly March 83G-Porsche.

In 1986, driving a Fitzpatrick Porsche 962, he finished third overall in his debut race at the 24-Hours of Le Mans.

After officially retiring in 2002, he still makes appearances in selected historic car races and rounds of the national endurance car racing championship and runs among the podium chasers.

He believes the amateurs he competes against are the ones that will ensure the future of local motorsport in the aftermath of Covid-19.

In 1992, Van der Merwe raced this Sasol Ford Sapphire in the South African Modified Saloon Car Championship. Here he leads the Audi Quattro of Chris Aberdein.

“People who own race cars or motorcycles here will probably hang on to them and be back as soon as conditions and lifted restrictions allow them to.

“Privateer car and motorcycle owners have always carried motorsport in this country, by spending more money than they could actually afford.

“A race car owner recently told me that motorsport has not become more expensive over the years – it used to take all his spare money, and it still does,” Van der Merwe adds.

“Those are the people who will return to racing circuits as soon as it becomes possible again.

“They simply do not know better – thank heavens they do not know better,” he concludes.

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