What Investchem Formula 1600 Round 3 Report
Where Zwartkops Raceway, Pretoria
When Saturday 18 May 2024
Community South Africa National
Jagger takes control of Investchem Formula 1600
Gauteng youngster Jagger Robertson took an iron grip on the 2024 South African National Investchem Formula 1600 championship with a fourth race win on the trot in a double victory at Zwartkops’ Extreme Festival races in Pretoria on Saturday.
Polo Cup refugee and Formula 1600 series rookie Robertson picked up where he left off with pole position for another bonus aboard his yellow Liqui Moly Mygale on Saturday morning. Second in the title chase, KC Ensor-Smith was just seven hundredths of a second off the pace in his African Heating version, with Karabo Malemela’s KMFT Morita car alongside Cape Town lad Jason Coetzee’s Mint Wrapworks entry on the second row.
Alex Vos’ DV Building Supplies car and Investchem driver Siya Mankonkwana shared row three ahead of NBR rookie Mikel Bezuidenhout, and Durban lad Shrien Naidoo’s Production X Mygale. Ewan Holtzhausen’s Bee Tee car, Metal Used rookie Renzo Ribeiro, Storm Lanfear from the Cape in his Mantellis entry, and newcomer Ndzalo Khoza’s Makaselaair car closed off the grid.
Robertson and Ensor Smith got away cleanly, but behind them Holtzhausen and Ribeiro tangled leaving Holtzhausen stuck in the Turn 1 sand and the safety car in control. That was not sufficient, so the race was stopped. It restarted off the grid again, as Ensor Smith and Malemela made it three abreast in Turn 2. But Robertson was having none of it and took advantage to fend his attackers off and establish a small initial advantage.
That left Robertson leading Ensor Smith, Malemela and Coetzee, with Vos, Mankonkwana and Naidoo in close pursuit. Besides Vos putting Coetzee under pressure, not much changed as Robertson lapped up the pressure. He went on to take his fourth win on the trot from Smith, Malemela, Coetzee, with Vos, Mankonkwana and Naidoo. Bezuidenhout, Lanfear, Ribeiro and Khoza followed, after Holtzhausen failed to restart.
Jagger Robertson made no mistakes at the second race start and led the way, but KC Ensor Smith kept him honest for the distance. Siyabonga Mankonkwana got ahead of Alex Vos early on and stayed there while Karabo Malemela found a way past Jason Coetzee for fifth with Shrien Naidoo next up from Ewan Holtzhausen, Renzo Ribeiro, Mikel Bezuidenhout and Ndzalo Khoza after Storm Lanfear went off late in the race.
Zwartkops was another excellent day for Jagger Robertson. He took pole position and two race wins to consolidate his stranglehold on the championship chase. That said, KC Ensor Smith’s two fastest lap bonus points not only helped stem the tide, but also suggest a long overdue maiden win.
Investchem Formula 1600 now heads to one of its favourite races and an annual midwinter appointment at Aldo Scribante in Gqeberha on Saturday 29 June. Something special for PE race fans to look forward to. Diarise it now!
Issued on behalf of Investchem Formula 1600
Photography by: Colin Windell
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