The 2025 Toyota GR Cup season reaches its halfway mark this weekend, as championship leader Nabil Abdool heads into Round 4 of The National Extreme Festival with a perfect scorecard.
After three dominant rounds, Abdool has amassed 42 points from six wins, placing him at the top of the standings with a comfortable lead over rivals Kyle Kock (Car Magazine, 29 points) and Phuti Mpyane (Timeslive, 25 points). The SuperSport-backed driver shows no signs of easing up.
“I think I managed to adapt to circuit driving quite quickly, this early pace translated into us leading every round so far, but Phuti and Kyle are eager for the top step and they’re closing in fast, I’m prepared to fight and maintain the status quo, we’ve come too far to ease up now” says Abdool.
A CIRCUIT THAT REWARDS PRECISION
Zwartkops is known for its short layout, high-risk overtaking zones, and flowing corners that leave no room for error. This circuit has punished even experienced racers over the years with grappling gravel traps and punishing armco barriers.
Abdool previously tested the GR Yaris at this circuit in February at the shakedown
“I unfortunately sat out two sessions at the shakedown due to a technical issue with my car, so I’m somewhat on the backfoot going into this round in terms of overall track experience. Zwartkops is a tight & technical circuit, it rewards precision and punishes even the smallest mistake.”
GETTING THE MOST FROM THE NEW GR YARIS
The previous round introduced the upgraded Toyota GR Yaris, fitted with the 8-speed Direct Automatic Transmission (DAT) and a 10 kW bumper in power. The new drivetrain has demanded adaptability from all drivers and essentially levelled the playing field.
“I’m still trying to adapt my driving style to the new gearbox, I know there’s a lot more pace in the car and hope I can unlock that potential this weekend, it’s a learning curve I quite enjoy.”
ALL EYES ON SATURDAY
The weekend format includes Saturday morning qualifying followed by two feature races. With Zwartkops also serving as the home base for Toyota Gazoo Racing South Africa, pressure and expectations are at an all-time high.
“This round is big. The team, the fans, the sponsors will all be watching closely. The gap to Kyle and Phuti gives me a bit of cushion, but I’m not easing up. I’m here to perform, stay clean, and deliver another strong result.”
GR Cup Standings after Round 3
Position Driver Media Partner Points
1 Nabil Abdool SuperSport 42
2 Kyle Kock CAR Magazine 29
3 Phuti Mpyane TimesLive 25
4 Lawrence Minnie AutoTrader 18
5 Charl Bosch The Citizen 11
6 Willem van der Putte IOL/Independent – 7