Brandon van der Nest is ready to tackle the world-famous Kyalami Grand Prix Circuit for the first time as he lines up for Round 2 of the 2025 Toyota Gazoo Racing South Africa GR Cup, part of this weekend’s Extreme Festival presented by Coca-Cola.
The Pretoria-based teenager debuted circuit racing just a month ago at Killarney International Raceway in Cape Town, where the season kicked off. While Round 1 came with its fair share of mechanical gremlins, Brandon and his team have worked hard to resolve the issues and come into Kyalami with renewed confidence and valuable track time under their belt.
Known for his flair in karting and rising profile in the local drifting scene, Brandon made the bold move to expand his motorsport résumé this season by joining the GR Cup in the nimble and rear-wheel-drive GR86. While still adapting to the rigours of circuit racing, he showed flashes of promise at Killarney and will aim to mix it with the front runners as he continues to learn the ropes.
The weekend’s action begins on Thursday with two practice sessions before a final run on Friday morning. Qualifying takes place Friday afternoon, with two races scheduled for Saturday.
“This is a big weekend for me,” Brandon said before his first outing at Kyalami. “I’ve always dreamed of racing here, and I’m super excited to finally get the chance. We had a tough start to the season, but we’ve made good progress, and I’m feeling more comfortable in the car. The goal is to keep learning, stay clean, and hopefully fight for some solid results.”
With a smoother weekend and the legendary Kyalami as his stage, Brandon is one to watch as the 2025 season heats up.
Fans can catch all the action trackside at the Kyalami Grand Prix Circuit, with tickets available via Computicket. For those watching from home, a live stream will be available on race day on the link below.
Published by: Motorsport Fanatix
Picture Caption: Brandon van der Nest
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