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| Kelvin van der Linde leads race one at the Red Bull Ring in Spielberg, Austria |
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| Kelvin van der Linde is flanked by Michelle Gatting (on his right) and Jordan Pepper (on his left) on the podium after race one, won by Kelvin from Gatting and Jordan |
Sixteen-year-old Kelvin van der Linde of Dainfern in
Johannesburg dominated the second and third rounds of the international
Volkswagen Scirocco R-Cup one-make series in Austria on Saturday and Sunday
with back-to-back victories around the 4.3-kilometre Red Bull Ring in
Spielberg.
The 2012 South African Volkswagen Cup champion was ably
supported by 16-year-old compatriot Jordan Pepper of Johannesburg, who finished
third in race one on Saturday and fifth in Sunday’s round in front of a large
crowd who had gathered to watch the main attraction, the German Touring Car
Championship (DTM).
Van der Linde won Saturday’s race over 10 laps from pole
position after it was shortened by two laps as a result of an accident. Fellow
South African Jordan Pepper, also 16, was third. It was a proud moment for the
two Johannesburg teenagers as they stood on the podium together with
19-year-old Michelle Gatting of Denmark, who finished second.
It was a remarkable performance by the rising star of South
African motorsport, who is competing for the first time in this one-make series
and had never previously raced on the Austrian circuit. Four weeks ago he
made their debut in the series at the Hockenheimring grand prix circuit in
Germany, where he qualified second and finished fourth despite losing the car’s
power steering on the opening lap.
Van der Linde now leads the championship with 80 points
after three rounds with six remaining. Gatting is second with 72 points.
Gatting and Van der Linde were involved in a thrilling duel
for the lead in Saturday’s race before the young South African got the upper
hand and crossed the line with a 5.6-second advantage. The top eight finishers
started Sunday’s race in reverse order and Van der Linde took full advantage of
a great start from eighth on the grid to move into the lead by the second lap.
He steadily pulled away from the rest of the field to take the chequered flag
by a comfortable 10.2 seconds from Gatting and 10.5 seconds ahead of Jensen.
“My start in race one was not good and Michelle put me under
pressure right from the word go,” said a happy Van der Linde. “We were involved
in a tough, but fair duel. I had a great start in race two and made up a lot of
places on the opening lap. Once I got to the front it was just a case of
maintaining the pace and making no mistakes. I’m very happy with my first
Volkswagen Scirocco R-Cup victories at the Red Bull Ring, which is a new
circuit to me.”
The next round is at the Norisring circuit in Germany on July 13.
The next round is at the Norisring circuit in Germany on July 13.
STORY AND PICS COURTESY OF PETER BURROUGHES
COMMUNICATIONS
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