| Kyalami Grand Prix Circuit | |
| Time: | SAST |
| Location: | Midrand, Gauteng, South Africa |
| Coordinates: | -25.9981°N 28.0689°W |
| Fia Grade: | 2 |
| Owner: | Toby Venter (2014–present) |
| Capacity: | 100,000 |
| Broke Ground: | 1961 |
| Opened: | [1] |
| Events: | Current: Kyalami 9 Hours (1958–1979, 1981–1984, 1986–1988, 1998–2000, 2019–2020, 2022–present) Former: Intercontinental GT Challenge (2019–2020, 2022–2023) Formula One South African Grand Prix (1967–1985, 1992–1993) Grand Prix motorcycle racing South African motorcycle Grand Prix (1983–1985, 1992) World SBK (1998–2002, 2009–2010) Sidecar World Championship (2000, 2002) A1 Grand Prix (2009) Superstars Series (2009–2010) Grand Prix Masters (2005) World Sportscar Championship (1974, 1983–1984) |
| Layout1: | Grand Prix Circuit (2015–present) |
| Surface: | Asphalt |
| Length Km: | 4.529 |
| Length Mi: | 2.814 |
| Turns: | 16 |
| Record Time: | 1:41.425 |
| Record Driver: | Michael Stephen |
| Record Car: | Audi R8 LMS |
| Record Year: | 2023 Festival of Motoring |
| Record Class: | LMS |
| Layout2: | Grand Prix Circuit (1992–1993 and 2009–2015) |
| Surface2: | Asphalt |
| Length Km2: | 4.261 |
| Length Mi2: | 2.648 |
| Turns2: | 13 |
| Record Time2: | 1:17.578 |
| Record Driver2: |  Nigel Mansell |
| Record Car2: | Williams FW14B |
| Record Year2: | 1992 |
| Record Class2: | F1 |
| Layout3: | Grand Prix Circuit (1994–2009) |
| Surface3: | Asphalt |
| Length Km3: | 4.2606 |
| Length Mi3: | 2.647 |
| Turns3: | 13 |
| Record Time3: | 1:28.306 |
| Record Driver3: |  Fairuz Fauzy |
| Record Car3: | A1GP Ferrari |
| Record Year3: | 2009 |
| Record Class3: | A1 GP |
| Layout4: | Grand Prix Circuit (1989–1991) |
| Surface4: | Asphalt |
| Length Km4: | 3.888 |
| Length Mi4: | 2.416 |
| Turns4: | 11 |
| Record Time4: | 1:30.660 |
| Record Driver4: | Roland Asch |
| Record Car4: | Mercedes 190E 2.5-16 Evo2 |
| Record Year4: | 1990 |
| Record Class4: | Group A |
| Layout5: | Original Grand Prix Circuit (1961–1988) |
| Surface5: | Asphalt |
| Length Km5: | 4.104 |
| Length Mi5: | 2.550 |
| Turns5: | 9 |
| Record Time5: | 1:08.149 |
| Record Driver5: |  Keke Rosberg |
| Record Car5: | Williams FW10 |
| Record Year5: | 1985 |
| Record Class5: | F1 |
| Website: | kyalamigrandprixcircuit.com |
Kyalami Grand Prix Circuit (from Khaya lami, My home in Zulu) is a motor racing circuit located in Midrand, Gauteng, South Africa, just north of Johannesburg. The circuit has been used for Grand Prix and Formula One races and has hosted the South African Grand Prix twenty times. Among the Formula One races held at the track the 1977 South African Grand Prix stands out, as it is principally remembered for the fatal accident that claimed the lives of race marshal Frederick Jansen van Vuuren and driver Tom Pryce. In recent years, the area surrounding the circuit has developed into a residential and commercial suburb of Johannesburg. More recently, Kyalami has played host to five rounds of the Superbike World Championship from 1998 to 2002 and later in 2009 and 2010, the season finale of the Superstars Series in 2009 and 2010, and the South African round of the 2008–09 A1 Grand Prix season. International racing returned to the circuit in November 2019, when it hosted the 2019 Kyalami 9 Hours, serving as the season finale of the 2019 Intercontinental GT Challenge.
The original, sweeping circuit was designed and cleared by Harry Pierce and Dick Bremner along with a few friends and workers in the mid-1950s. The two were also responsible for the hosting and housing of early race teams that ventured to Africa to try out the new track with Bremner being the chairman of the South African Automotive Racing Association. Its first major international event was in 1961 until political sanctions (due to apartheid policies) eliminated the Grand Prix after the 1985 race.[2] When the circuit was rebuilt in the early 1990s as part of a commercial development, Leeukop Bend, the Kink, Pit lane, the start/finish straight, Crowthorne Corner and Barbeque Bend were all eliminated. Jukskei Sweep was heavily modified to create the entrance into the bend before the then newly built Pit lane and start/finish straight. The remaining part of the old fast circuit, modified to a lesser degree were Sunset Bend, Clubhouse Bend and the Esses still incorporated into the current configuration, with the result that the circuit became a narrow, twisty ribbon rather than one of the fastest circuits on the calendar. Formula One abandoned the rebuilt circuit in 1993 after just two races on the new layout, caused by a bankruptcy on the part of the promoter.
It hosted the South African motorcycle Grand Prix until 1992.
Kyalami was changed again with the building of the current pit lane and start/finish straight and later again changes were made, with the addition of a chicane which in turn was removed again for the 2009 World Superbike race.[3] Kyalami came under new management and 2008 saw the 50th anniversary of the 9-hour revival being held at Kyalami with golden oldies like David Piper and others.[4] On 6 June 2014, it was announced that Kyalami would be auctioned off on 24 July without reserve.[5] On 24 July 2014, it was auctioned off for R205 million. The winning bidder was Toby Venter, owner of Porsche South Africa.[6] R100 million was invested to upgrade the circuit, allowing it to successfully obtain an FIA Grade 2 status.[7]
On 12 December 2019, the provisional calendar for the 2020–21 FIA World Endurance Championship was announced, containing a six-hour race at Kyalami scheduled for 6 February 2021.[8] However, after the calendar was revised due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Kyalami was removed.[9] [10]
From 1967 to 1993, Kyalami hosted 21 editions of the South African Grand Prix. Perhaps the most infamous of these was the 1982 edition, when the Grand Prix Drivers' Association staged a strike in protest of new superlicence conditions imposed by FISA.
Niki Lauda became the most successful driver at Kyalami, taking his third victory at the circuit in 1984. Alain Prost, Nigel Mansell and Jackie Stewart are the joint second-most successful drivers at the circuit, with two wins each. Jody Scheckter became the first and only South African driver to win their home race during the 1975 edition. Ferrari and Williams are the most successful constructors at the circuit, with four wins each.
In June 2022 it was reported that Stefano Domenicali, the President of Formula One, had flown to South Africa to meet representatives of the circuit about a possible return for F1 in 2023, but was not included in the 2023 provisional calendar.[11]
As of August 2023, the fastest official race lap records of the Kyalami Grand Prix Circuit are listed as:
| Category | Time | Driver | Vehicle | Event |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grand Prix Circuit (5th Configuration): 4.529 km (2015–present) | ||||
| Extreme Supercar Series | 1:41.425[12] | Michael Stephen | Audi R8 LMS Ultimate Outlaws | 2023 Kyalami Festival of Motoring |
| 1:42.021[13] | 2020 Kyalami 9 Hours | |||
| 1:47.167[14] | 2023 Kyalami Mobil1 V8 Series round | |||
| 1:47.188[15] | 2023 Kyalami Wild Rose Gin Sports & GT round | |||
| 1:48.495[16] | 2023 Kyalami BMW M Performance Parts Race Series round | |||
| 1:50:026[17] | Trevor Westman | 2022 Kyalami ZX10 Masters round | ||
| 1:51.091[18] | 2023 Kyalami Global Touring Car Championship round | |||
| 1:51.774 | 2023 Kyalami Wild Rose Gin Sports & GT round | |||
| 1:52.127[19] | 2023 Kyalami Extreme Supercars round | |||
| 1:53.152[20] | 2023 Kyalami Investchem F1600 round | |||
| 1:54.958 | 2023 Kyalami Global Touring Car Championship round | |||
| 1:57.480 | 2023 Kyalami BMW M Performance Parts Race Series round | |||
| Grand Prix Circuit (3rd Configuration): 4.261 km (1992–1993 and 2009–2015) | ||||
| 1:17.578 | 1992 South African Grand Prix | |||
| 1:38.170 | 2010 Kyalami World SBK round | |||
| 1:39.952 | 1992 South African motorcycle Grand Prix | |||
| 1:41.053 | 2009 Kyalami World SSP round | |||
| 1:42.094 | 1992 South African motorcycle Grand Prix | |||
| 1:48.687 | 1992 South African motorcycle Grand Prix | |||
| Grand Prix Circuit (4th Configuration): 4.2606 km (1994–2009) | ||||
| 1:28.306 | 2008–09 A1 Grand Prix of Nations, South Africa | |||
| 1:29.855[21] | 1995 Birkin Cars/TVR Invitational Race | |||
| 1:34.776[22] | 1998 2 h 30 min Kyalami | |||
| 1:36.390[23] | Delta Motorsport GP Masters car[24] [25] | 2005 Kyalami Grand Prix Masters | ||
| 1:36.756[26] | 1999 SportsRacing World Cup Kyalami | |||
| 1:42.178[27] | 2002 Kyalami World SBK round | |||
| 1:43.070[28] | 2000 Vodacom Speed Festival Kyalami | |||
| 1:46.230 | 2000 Vodacom Speed Festival Kyalami | |||
| 1:46.975[29] | 2002 Kyalami World SSP round | |||
| Grand Prix Circuit (2nd Configuration): 3.888 km (1989–1991) | ||||
| 1:46.975[30] | 1990 Yellow Pages 200 | |||
| Grand Prix Circuit (1st Configuration): 4.104 km (1961–1988) | ||||
| 1:08.149 | 1985 South African Grand Prix | |||
| 1:11.170[31] | 1986 Southern Sun 500 | |||
| 1:19.300[32] | 1974 Kyalami 6 Hours | |||
| 1:20.100[33] | ||||
| 1:20.680[34] | 1987 Kyalami Group C2 race | |||
| 1:24.910 | 1985 South African motorcycle Grand Prix | |||
| 1:25.340[35] | 1979 1000 km of Kyalami | |||
| 1:28.140 | 1985 South African motorcycle Grand Prix | |||