The Citizen ready to rumble in Toyota GR Cup opener

The racing overalls have been broken in, the helmets fit snugly and the cars are good to go. All that remains is for the action to start in the 2024 Toyota GR Cup.

The racing series will again be contested by six members of the motoring media on South Africa‘s premier tracks.

The Citizen Motoring lines up against Sean Nurse (AutoTrader), Bernie Hellberg (Driven), Kumbi Mtshakazi (Kumbi-M on Cars), Alex Shahini (CarMag) and Hannes Visser (La’t Wiel) in what is expected to be an interesting year. Apart from Nurse, who took part in 2022, the other five are making their racing debuts.

ALSO READ: The Citizen ready to burn rubber in the Toyota GR Cup again

Racing-spec Corolla

The Toyota GR Corolla is the weapon of choice this year, following the GR Yaris (2022) and GR 86 (2023). The six of us will battle it out in identical machines, which are powered by a three-cylinder 1.6-litre turbo-petrol engines.

This hot hatch sends 221 kW of power and 360 Nm of torque to all four wheels via the six-speed intelligent manual transmission. The GR-Four all-wheel-drive system also features a limited slip differential.

ALSO READ: The Citizen goes from hero to zero in Toyota GR Cup

The power outputs are stock standard from what you can buy off any Toyota showroom floor. The cars have been modified in the form of standard safety requirements and others to help them go faster.

Our GR Corollas are fitted with a roll cage, exhaust modification, Dunlop Direzza semi-slick tyres, a Powerbrake big brake upgrade with Ferodo Track spec pads, OMP Racing seat and harness as well as lowering springs.

GR Cup gets real

After getting some quality seat time in the Toyota GR Corolla over the course of two testing days at Zwartkops Raceway, the six drivers head to Killarney this week for the first round of the National Extreme Series. It is the first of two rounds at Killarney, along with two at Zwartkops, one at Kyalami, one in Gqeberha and one in East London.

While it was very pleasant getting to know the car around Zwartkops, Killarney will be a different kettle of fish. Few of us have been around the 3.267km layout.

The only thing we can expect is the unexpected.

ALSO READ: WATCH: The Citizen sneaks onto GR Cup podium on dramatic day