Round 2 of the GR Cup heads into largely uncharted territory at Redstar Raceway, where an unfamiliar circuit layout resets the playing field for the media championship contenders.
As the dust settles on the opening round of the 2026 National Extreme Festival, the GR Cup returns to Mpumalanga on Saturday for Round 2 at Redstar Raceway, marking the series’ first visit to the circuit since 2022.
Located just 34km from OR Tambo International Airport, Redstar Raceway is a tight and technical track with 13 corners and five straights.
Known for its flowing yet unforgiving layout, the bi-directional circuit is a favourite among two-wheel competitors, but its clockwise configuration presents a fresh challenge for the GR Cup field this weekend.
A CIRCUIT THAT DEMANDS PRECISION
SuperSport’s Nabil Abdool approaches the weekend with cautious optimism, despite prior experience at the venue in endurance racing.
Abdool and AutoTrader’s Mbiri previously teamed up for the 24 Hours of iLamuna in 2025, gaining valuable insight into the circuit’s technical demands, albeit in the anticlockwise direction.
“We’ll effectively spend almost double the time on track over the eight-lap sprints due to the technical nature of the circuit, so tyre management becomes critical,” Abdool explains.
“The Redstar surface has relatively low degradation, which helps, but consistency across sessions will be key.”
With none of the media drivers having raced the clockwise layout in GR Cup machinery, the playing field is effectively reset.
“It’s essentially a level field now. No one has turned a wheel in this configuration,” he adds.
“The track can catch you out. Everything looks familiar, but it is not. You really have to stay sharp.”
MEDIA FIELD GATHERS MOMENTUM
The media championship battle is already intensifying following a strong showing in the first round at Killarney. Ex-production car driver Craig Nicholson (News24) and Taye Mbiri (AutoTrader) displayed strong pace, consistently challenging for runner-up positions across both heats.
Justin Ford impressed with a composed and calculated drive, and will be looking to convert that consistency into more podium finishes.
Fan favourite Kumbi Mtshakazi returns to the grid, sharing duties in car #4 with Brandon Jacobs, and might shake up the leaderboard.
Meanwhile, Niresh Maharaj continues to show steady progression, improving session by session as he adapts to the demands of GR Cup competition.
NEW GR COROLLA COMES INTO ITS OWN
Killarney marked the debut of the new 2026 Toyota GR Corolla race cars, equipped with a DAT paddle-shift automatic gearbox, was introduced under extreme conditions with minimal testing. For Abdool, the focus was on understanding the package rather than extracting maximum performance straight out the box.
“We approached the first round with a data gathering mindset. These were brand new cars with less than 100km on them. Add to that the new handling and brake package, compounded by the intense heatwave, so there were many unknown variables we didn’t want to risk.”
Despite the cautious approach, the early signs were promising, particularly in comparison to the more developed Academy Corolla machinery.
“It was encouraging to see that we could maintain the gap to the Academy car. That platform has had two seasons of development, so it shows we are heading in the right direction.”
With more confidence in the package, the gloves may come off in Round 2.
“Now we can start leaning on the car more, and I’m looking forward to some proper side-by-side racing.”
With an unfamiliar layout, a tightly packed field and growing confidence in the new GR Corolla, Round 2 at Redstar Raceway is set to deliver close racing and defining moments in the championship battle.
CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS (AFTER ROUND 1)
SuperSport, Nabil Abdool, 14 pts
News24, Craig Nicholson, 9 pts
AutoTrader, Taye Mbiri, 8 pts
eNCA, Justin Ford, 6 pts
Khulekani On Wheels, Brandon Jacobs, 4 pts
The Witness / Algoa FM, Niresh Maharaj, 3 pts
2026 NATIONAL EXTREME FESTIVAL CALENDAR
14 Mar, Killarney International Raceway, Cape Town
18 Apr, Redstar Raceway, Delmas
23 May, Zwartkops Raceway, Pretoria
27 Jun, Aldo Scribante, Gqeberha
15 Aug, Prince George Circuit, East London
19 Sep, Killarney International Raceway, Cape Town
17 Oct, Zwartkops Raceway, Pretoria