Kyalami Grand Prix Circuit — book review

My home’. That’s what Kyalami means in Zulu (although apparently it should be spelled Kaya Lami). The South African Grand Prix venue certainly became a much-loved home from home for the travelling F1 circus, as much for the riotous socialising as the original, fast and challenging race track. But as a motor sport hub not only for a country but a whole continent, Kyalami was always about much more than its fabulous F1 race.

This heavyweight book celebrates the lot, as the title suggests, spanning the first six decades from its foundation in 1961. The circuit design was inspired by Piero Taruffi’s book The Technique of Motor Racing, and the place thrived, then dived (at least twice) and nearly closed under property developments. Its saviour Toby Venter, who bought the site at auction in 2014 and then ploughed cash into it, contributes the foreword. Lifelong enthusiast and circuit manager Denis Klopper – who has attended every race meeting since 1969! – plays curator as much as writer, as others contribute to a story told in four main parts: the history and evolution of Kyalami; a large year-in-review section covering the highlights of each season; pages of photo albums of the many championships that have graced the different iterations of track; and Kyalami memories from the great and the good, including home hero Jody Scheckter, Jackie Stewart, Alain Prost, David Piper – six times a winner of the track’s nine-hour sports car race – and Bernie Ecclestone.

But it’s the photos that take centre stage. Hundreds of images pepper the 500 pages and there are plenty of gems. A young Scheckter stands out, in supercharged Alconi Renault R8 back in 1970: “if I had nothing to do I used to drill holes to lighten it”, he recalls, until the ploy backfired and the bonnet blew up, blocking his view. Later he returned not only to win the GP for Tyrrell in 1975 but also to race a colourful Zakspeed Escort RS1800 in the Wynn’s 1000 in ’77. And what about the myriad weird wonders? We liked Tony Martin’s Ken Gillibrand-designed ground-effect Chevron-based Lucky Strike Formula Atlantic from 1979, and Mike Henkel’s V6-powered VW racing van.

The liveries and colourful local sponsors were a big part of the Kyalami identity, and duly receive their own chapter. Fag packets dominate of course but there’s also Kreepy Krauly – the pool cleaning equipment specialist. This is a charming tribute packed with memories from a stellar cast of local favourites and international stars. DS