South African Formula One Grand Prix
The Kyalami Circuit hosted the South African Grand Prix 20 times between 1967 and 1993 and would probably have staged more had it not been for an international boycott during the Apartheid years of 1986 to 1991.
Kyalami in Zulu, one of South Africa's 11 languages, means 'my home', and since it first opened in 1961 it has welcomed many different race series at Johannesburg. Today's circuit is very different to the original that was in use from 1967 to 1985. Then, it was 2.55 miles long and one of the fastest circuits on the calendar. It had a long main straight, punctuated by The Kink and then the very challenging Crowthorne Corner and Barbeque Bend. Then another long sweep up to Sunset Bend, a tough left Clubhouse Bend, then leftgain into The Esses, before the long Leeukop bend back into the start/finish straight. In 1985, while he Grand Prix was absent, Kyalami was radically revised, and only a small section of the original track was retained. The new track with its smooth surface offered a variety of fast and slow corners presented an interesting technical challenge to drivers. By this time it was slightly longer than before, at 2.66 miles. |
KYALAMI CIRCUIT
LOCATION: Johannesburg, South Africa
CIRCUIT TYPE: Permanent circuit
CIRCUIT LENGTH: 2.66 Miles
LAP RECORD: 1:17.578 - N.Mansell 1992
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