Guiding a proper racing Ferrari around Kyalami not just a dream anymore
It was a once-in-a-lifetime experience for one lucky individual.
Orlando Pirates star Happy Jele gets ready to set Kyalami alight.
Driving lightning-fast Ferraris around South Africa’s most iconic raceway, throwing doughnuts on the skidpan, changing tyres as part of a Formula One pit crew and operating a race car on a state-of-the-art simulator might be dream for most, but a reality for Vodacom Red clients.
Throw in rubbing shoulders with a few players from Orlando Pirates and Super Rugby teams and the once-in-a-lifetime experience during the Vodacom Red Track Day at Kyalami last week was complete for the lucky winners selected exclusively from Vodacom Red clients.
The undoubted highlight of the day was the driving experience around Kyalami. Former national saloon car champion Paolo Cavalieri’s Pablo Clark Racing was roped in to provide the all-Ferrari star-studded cast which included three 360 Challenge models, a F430 Challenge and a very rare vintage 250 SWB GTM.
Contestants had the privilege of driving a few laps by themselves around the circuit under the expert guidance of Cavilieri and other racing instructors, which included Jaki Scheckter, son of former F1 driver Ian and nephew of F1 world champion Jody, over the in-car microphone system. But just as the aspiring racers thought they were doing fairly decent, a hot lap in the passenger seat with one of the real racers behind the wheel was a rude reminder that it’s maybe a good idea not to give up the day job just yet.
Watching a professional at work up close and personal is almost better than driving yourself. The ease in which they glide the elegant machine around the track in just poetry in motion … together with a handful of G-forces of course.
Drifting around cones proved to be a lot more challenging in a Nissan 350Z or Chevrolet Lumina, with former Sharks player Craig Burden popping a tyre in the process.
On the simulator, former Springbok and Lions prop Julian Redelinghuys proved there is truth to the rumour that rugby players spend their spare time in front of the TV by clocking the fastest time on the day.
And for everyone who stumbled over each other to fit a F1 tyre will have new respect for pit crews watching F1 on TV.
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