The Sportspedia
Kyalami being Kyalami. The Kyalami 9 Hours, final race of the Intercontinental GT Challenge, ended with a Summer African thunderstorm as is usually seen at that track in Gauteng, Republic of South Africa.
Local driver Sheldon van der Linde (ZAF) secured a home win and it is his second win under rain conditions this year, after taking a DTM win under the rain a couple of months ago.
He was joined in the Walkenhorst Motorsport BMW (DEU) by now Champions Augusto Farfus Jr (BRA) and Nicky Catsburg (NED). These two drivers also won the Indianapolis 8 Hours and retired in the Bathurst 12 Hours and Spa 24 Hours. Catsburg has had a great season, having also won the 24 Hours of Nürburgring and a World Touring Car Cup race.
Honda took the pole position with Marino Farnbacher (DEU) and they dominated the majority of the race but failed to correctly adapt to the changing conditions in the lsat hour and were just able to salvage a fourth place in the race. Farnbacher raced with Bertrand Baguette (BEL) and Renger van der Zande (NED).
Mathieu Jaminet (FRA), Patrick Pilet (AUS) and Matthew Campbell (AUS) trailed the BMW drivers in the driver’s standings but helped Porsche become the constructors’ champion with a third place in this race.
The Audi Sport Team WRT (BEL), which has a had a great season here and at the GT World Challenge Europe, were the other team in the overall podium, with Fréderic Vervisch (BEL), Mirko Bortolotti (ITA) and Charles Weerts (BEL).
Walter Lechner Racing took the Pro-Am honors as a tribute to their team founder, Walter Lechner, who passed away this week. The car was driven by his Porsche Supercup driver, Dylan Pereira (LUX) and local drivers Saul Hack and (ZAF) and Andre Bezuidenhout (ZAF).
