Weekend Recap: Local heroes and international triumphs

Weekend Recap: Local heroes and international triumphs

Motoring excitement was abundant this past weekend. DTM proved to be a huge moment for Kelvin van der Linde, while Leyton Fourie had a blinding run in GT4, and Charles Leclerc finally, after years of bad luck, was crowned winner at his home race.

The van der Linde family is a familiar name in the DTM Championship, with Sheldon taking home a title victory in 2022, and now his brother has stepped up to see the view from the top of the podium. The race was nothing short of chaotic, with cloud bursts and sporadic rainfall causing havoc as drivers fought the changing road conditions over the hour of racing. Kelvin led from the start in his Audi R8 and proved his ability to adapt, rewarding him with the weekend's win. 

Our favourite youngster was also back at it again. Following an incredible season in the BMW M2 Cup last year, Leyton Fourie was bumped into a BMW M4 GT4 car to test his ability, and the youngster gave us a great performance this weekend in the ADAC GT4 championship. Leyton and co-driver Max Rosam battled it out to maintain 3rd throughout the race, and a bold lunge into the first corner of the last lap by the CV Performance AMG took out the leader, slapping a hefty 15-second penalty on the AMG and opening the door for the BMW to take 2nd place.

One of the most highly anticipated racing events on the calendar comes in the form of the Monaco GP, and this year the Monégasque local, Charles Leclerc, had his hopes fulfilled after a great performance in qualifying, placing him on pole, at home, ready for race day. 

Unfortunately, as cars have become wider and longer, the Monaco GP has become increasingly less exciting, with increasingly limited overtaking opportunities available. Kevin Magnussen thought he had found a spot up the inside of Perez, but his move ended in one of the more dramatic accidents we've seen for a while. Nevertheless, Leclerc's nerves remained unruffled as the world watched, tears in their eyes, as he finally crossed the Monaco finish line ahead of the pack, fulfilling a dream he had held for years, backed by the celebrations of millions around the world.

Next up on the calendar is the Nurburgring Ring 24 Hours, a brutal endurance race where drivers will be tested physically and mentally as they take on the world's most infamous track in LMP and GT cars. We will be watching our local boys closely, as their recent performance provides hope for the upcoming season of racing.

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