Kyalami 9 Hour still feature on 2020 calendar

Making its return in 2019 after a 37-year hiatus, the Intercontinental GT Challenge quickly featured in motorsport enthusiasts dairies going forward. Since the global COVID-19 pandemic a lot of uncertainty clouded the possibility of the event featuring on the 2020 event calendar.

Local motoring enthusiast can rejoice as it has been confirmed that Kyalami will once again host the Intercontinental GT Challenge Powered by Pirelli although at a slightly later date. Accommodating additional logistical considerations teams, drivers and manufacturers will have with the safety measures in place due to the pandemic, the event organizers rescheduled the even three weeks later and will now be taking place on 10-12 December 2020.

Event organisers had to adapt their calendars and result in the GT World Challenge Europe Powered by AWS concluding on 15 November, one week prior to the original date scheduled for the Kyalami 9 Hour. Furthermore the Total 24 Hours of Spa, an Intercontinental GT Challenge round would have taken place in less than a month before the racing cars were to arrive in South Africa for the final round.

The new date not only allow enough time for the teams, drivers and vehicles to make their way to the local event but also allow the vehicles and equipment to make their way with sufficient time to the 2021 season opener, the Liqui-Moly Bathurst 12 Hour, taking place on 6-7 February 2021. The 2020 season only features four events taking place with Kyalami slotting in as the last round of the season for the international racing series.

“Moving Kyalami back to mid-December is a common-sense decision that eases any logistical complications for teams travelling from Europe where most of the 9 Hour’s entry is expected to come from. COVID-19 itself has not been a factor in our decision, although the virus’ influence on other racing calendars, including SRO’s, has most certainly played a role in the decision, which ensures as many cars as possible have the potential to compete in South Africa,” Stephane Ratel, Group Founder and CEO, SRO Motorsports.

“Last year’s 9 Hour, the first for 22 years, was an incredible success that re-established Kyalami’s place on the international motorsport map. We fully expect December’s Intercontinental GT Challenge finale to continue that legacy. Restricting the 2020 calendar to four events also makes complete sense. There were discussions about staging Asia’s race elsewhere, but we and our nine full-season manufacturers ultimately felt this year wouldn’t be the right time to introduce a new event,” Ratel concluded.

Revised 2020 Intercontinental GT Challenge calendar 
Liqui-Moly Bathurst 12 Hour – Completed
Indianapolis 8 Hour – October 2-4
Total 24 Hours of Spa – October 22-25
Kyalami 9 Hour – December 10-12