Gazoo Racing Cup Gears up for Round 3 at Gqeberha's Aldo Scribante Circuit
GR CUP GEARS UP FOR ROUND 3 AT GQEBERHA'S ALDO SCRIBANTE CIRCUIT
The third round of the 2025 GR Cup, Toyota South Africa’s premier one-make racing series, is set to take place at the Aldo Scribante Circuit in Gqeberha on Saturday, 10 May. This marks the Eastern Cape’s turn to host the high-intensity series, with Friday reserved for practice and setup, followed by Qualifying and two heats of racing on Saturday.
The big news ahead of Round 3 is the arrival of the new automatic GR Yaris, which will make its debut in the GR Cup Media Challenge. The drivers have raced in the manual GR Yaris until now, but from Aldo onwards, the upgraded auto model will take over.
The all-new GR Yaris Rally features a 1.6-litre turbocharged engine - the most powerful three-cylinder engine in the world - producing 215kW and 390Nm of torque. With an 8-speed automatic gearbox, it accelerates from 0–100 km/h in just 5.5 seconds, reaching a top speed of 230 km/h. This change is expected to significantly impact the performance and driving dynamics in the Media Challenge for the remainder of the season.
The Dealer Challenge drivers will continue racing the GR Corolla, as they have done from the start of the season, while the GR86 Development Academy cars remain unchanged.
The Aldo Scribante Raceway is a 2.48-kilometre circuit featuring a combination of tight corners and fast straights. The flat layout requires precision and control, while rewarding commitment through the sweeping sections. Weather for the weekend is expected to be sunny and dry, with mild to warm temperatures — ideal conditions for both spectators and competitors.
GR Cup Media Challenge – Championship Standings
As the season continues to heat up, Nabil Abdool (SuperSport) leads the championship with a perfect score of 28 points from the opening two rounds. He is followed by Kyle Kock (CAR Magazine) on 20 points and Phuti Mpyane (TimesLive) on 16. With only 14 points up for grabs this weekend, the fight for positions behind Abdool remains wide open.
|
Position |
Driver |
Publication |
Points |
|
1 |
Nabil Abdool |
SuperSport |
28 |
|
2 |
Kyle Kock |
CAR Magazine |
20 |
|
3 |
Phuti Mpyane |
TimesLive |
16 |
|
4 |
Lawrence Minnie |
AutoTrader |
12 |
|
5 |
Charl Bosch |
Citizen |
8 |
|
6 |
Willem van de Putte |
Independent Media/IOL |
4 |
GR Cup Dealer Challenge and Development Academy
In the Dealer Challenge, it’s Mario de Sousa (Motus Toyota) who leads the standings, with Devon Scott and Paul de Vos (GR Driving Academy) in hot pursuit. The team of Werner Venter and Theo Brits (NMI Menlyn/Centurion) as well as Marius Claasen and Andries de Villiers (Rola Motors) will look to gain ground at Aldo Scribante. Riaan du Ru (CFAO Mobility), who joined the fray at Kyalami, returns to add to the excitement.
In the GR86 Development Academy, Jason Coetzee has emerged as the early pacesetter with 25 points. Kent Swartzand Khanya Ngqenya are second and third respectively, and all three will be focused on maintaining momentum through the tight Eastern Cape circuit.
