PICS: Kyalami 9-Hour: Through the Ledbitter lens
Last Saturday’s Joburg Kyalami 9-Hour was a huge success.
Sure, there were only 13 cars, but the race did finalise the 2021 Intercontinental GT Challenge Drivers’ and Manufacturers’ titles, lending it a real sense of occasion.
That apart, the sights and sounds of pukka international sports car racing after dark was, again, spine-chilling.
ALSO READ: Mercedes continues German domination of Kyalami 9-Hour
The 2022 Intercontinental Challenge will be concluded at this year’s Joburg Kyalami 9-Hour race, and experts reckon there should be in the region of 40 cars.
Ace photographer Dave Ledbitter was at Kyalami, and sent us these pictures.
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Sunset on Thursday night and proof that GT3 sports cars have formidable lights. A half an hour later the rain came down.
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Hot colours: The Sun Energy Mercedes-AMG GT of Mikael Grenier, Martin Konrad and Kenny Habul finished 7th overall and 2nd in the Pro-Am class.
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The Sainteloc Audi R8 of Lucas Legeret, Nicolas Baert and Simo Gachet being chased by the AF Corse Ferrari 488 of Antonio Fuoco, Niklas Nielsen and Alessio Rovera that retired on lap 118 with transmission failure.
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Like in the good old days, Kyalami’s grass embankments housed a large number of spectators.
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Xolile Letlaka, Tschops Sipuka and Phillip Kekana became the first trio of black drivers to finish an international championship sports car race by placing 9th in their Lamborghini Huracan
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Star wars – the Intercontinental GT Challenge boasts highly specialised, hugely skilled pit personel.
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The winning AKKA ASP Mercedes ran faultlessly, and so did its drivers and crew. Sadly, winning the race could not salvage the 2021 Drivers’ title for Russian Timur Boguslavskiy.