Nine-Hour returns to Kyalami in December

Kyalami Grand Prix Circuit will host the Intercontinental GT Challenge 2021 season finale from December 2-4. Hosted in partnership with the City of Johannesburg, the Nine-Hour endurance spectacle makes another return after rounds were hosted at the circuit in 2019 and 2020.

The first three editions of the Nine-Hour took place at the Grand Central racetrack between 1958 and 1960 and the fourth, the Rand Daily Mail 9 Hour, became the inaugural race to be held at the then new Kyalami racetrack in November 1961.

The 2021 race meeting marks Kyalami's 60th anniversary.

The Nine-Hour Endurance Race draws top international GT Race teams and drivers to Kyalami. Local drivers include Jordan Pepper in a Bentley Continental GT3, and BMW's Sheldon van der Linde, who won the rain-filled 2020 Nine-Hour.

The Nine-Hour is the final race of the 2021 championship the battle for title honours among the various participating manufactures and is expected to provide thrilling racing. It is also expected that several local teams competing in the SA GT Championship will enter the Nine-Hour race, adding local flavour to the event. The full entry list is expected to be released shortly.

The event will also feature five local categories competing as support races: the SAGT Series, Global Touring Cars, the Volkswagen Polo Cup, BMW Racing Series and Mobil 1 V8 Supercars. The Soweto Drift Academy will host an off-track spinning competition adding to the local content and variety of the event.

Last year's Nine-Hour was held without spectators due to the Covid-19 pandemic, but this year a limited number of fans will be able to attend. More details, including the opening of online ticket sales, will be announced shortly.