Summarize

2024 will be bring another rich era of South African single seater racing to an end when Investchem Formula 1600 commences its final season at Killarney International Raceway’s 2024 Extreme Festival season opener on Saturday 16 March. The series will then step up to the all-new MSA4 formula from 2025. Which means that whoever takes this year’s title, will be the final South African Formula 1600 champion.

The 2024 champion will also step into some pretty illustrious footsteps. Julian van der Watt took the maiden 2017 Investchem Formula 1600 title, before Stuart White was champion in 2018, and Scott Temple ’19. Andrew Rackstraw did it in 2021, Josh Le Roux in ’22 and Troy Dolinschek is the reigning 2023 Investchem Formula 1600 champion.

2023 runner-up Jason Coetzee came on strong towards the end of last season and he should start as the home favourite in his Mint Wrapworks Fuchs Lubricants DAW Racing Investchem Formula 1600. Expect Jason’s biggest threat to come from stalwart Nicholas Van Weely’s Magnificent Paints & Hardware entry, Alex Vos in his DV Building Supplies Investchem car, and Siyabonga Mankonkwana’s Investchem machine on the all-Mygale SJ grid.

They’re all sure to have their hands full with a few second-season Investchem Formula 1600 racers. None less than karting star KC Ensor-Smith in his Brian Kruger-prepared African Heating Vitro Frameless car and his teammate, KMFT Morita man Karabo Malemela, Production X DAW lad Shrien Naidoo and Mantellis Investchem RDSA entry Storm Lanfear. 

Ewan Holtzhausen makes his long awaited return to Investchem Formula 1600 aboard his Bee Tee machine, and his progress will be watched with as much interest as 2024’s series rookies. Liqui Moly lad Jagger Robertson needs little introduction following his rapid Polo Cup exploits. Renzo Ribeiro debuts at Killarney aboard his Metal Used Spares car alongside fellow first timer, Mikel Bezuidenhout’s NBR Mygale SJ.

The Investchem Formula 1600s will be joined by a pack of post-1990 Formula Ford Kents. Veteran Investchem trio Ian Schofield and Rick Morris’ Mygales take on Allen Meyer in a Van Diemen. They’re up against F1600 dads Duncan Vos’ Ecurie Zoo Swift and Ronald van Weely’s Magnificent Paints & Hardware, and the evergreen Graham Hepburn’s Qualipak JHB Van Diemen.

The 2024 Investchem Formula 1600 champion wins a R200,000 cash prize and a South African Touring Car test, the runner up takes R100,000 home and the third man R50,000. Investchem Formula 1600 races two heats on Killarney’s action-packed National Extreme Festival program. See you at Killarney!