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Kyalami flirts with F1 – 2022 Motoring Newsmaker No 4
South Africa became a front runner to rejoin the Formula 1 circuit after the Russian Grand Prix was cancelled .
Formula 1’s return to South Africa overdue. Image: Kyalmai
The South African motoring industry in 2022 proved once again that Mzansi is undoubtedly bakkie country.
While there were lots of activity in the SUV, hatchback and sedan segments, it was the bakkies that got the most attention.
Bakkie news spanned from Peugeot’s re-entry into the segment by virtue of the Landtrek, the first Jeep bakkie in the form of the Gladiator and the hottest production Toyota Hilux yet to the all-new Isuzu D-Max, Ford Ranger and Volkswagen Amarok.
In fact, five of the 10 most popular motoring topics on The Citizen’s website this year were bakkies. Over the last 10 days of December, The Citizen Motoring looks back at these five along with the rest of the top 10 Motoring Newsmakers of 2022.
F1 dream
At number four is something South Africans have been craving for almost three decades since the last time it happened in 1993. The possibility of the return of a Formula 1 Grand Prix to Kyalami.
F1 president Stefano Domenicali is on record for wanting to take F1 races to all the corners of the globe. Especially to Africa, the only continent other than Antarctica not to feature on the F1 calendar.
Seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton and reigning world champion Max Verstappen have also expressed their desire to race in South Africa.
Not done and dusted
When Russia was removed from the 2022 schedule and Domenicali was spotted outside the Kyalami International Circuit in June, it seemed F1 could very well be back in South Africa.
But a major issue complicating the matter is the funding required to upgrade the track to FIA Level 1 status required to host F1 racing, which is set to run into a few dozen million rands.
While F1’s immediate return to Kyalami has been stalled, stakeholders are hopeful that it could happen as soon as 2024.
The rest of our 2022 Motoring Newsmakers are:
No 10 – New Range Rover rolls in
No 8 – Kona N the new Golf GTI killer
No 7 – Isuzu outguns Hilux and Ranger
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