Among the 17 entries expected for the final round of the international Superstars Series for 373KW (500 bhp) V8 production saloon cars, to be held at the Kyalami Grand Prix Circuit in Midrand on November 28, are several drivers who have already made their names in other motor racing categories and who have previous experience of South Africa’s premier motor racing circuit.
There are four ex-Formula One drivers – Italians Gianni Morbidelli and Emanuele Naspetti, Swiss Andrea Chiesa and Johnny Herbert of Great Britain – all of whom drove in the South African Grand Prix at Kyalami. Morbidelli has won the last three Superstars championships and, together with Chiesa, was here for last year’s inaugural Kyalami round. Naspetti and Herbert are making their first appearance in the series.
Superstars returns to Kyalami courtesy of Blue IQ and the Gauteng provincial government and will share a three-day feast of top class motor racing with the final round of the WesBank Super Series.
Gianni Morbidelli, 42, is from Pesaro in Italy and drives a Team BMW Italia BMW M3. He won his third successive Superstars Series championship in 2009. He competed in 70 Formula One Grands Prix from 1990 to 1997 for Dallara, Minardi, Ferrari, Footwork and Sauber, achieving one podium. He drove for Minardi in the 1992 South African Grand Prix at Kyalami. He started his racing career in karting in 1982, was both Italian and European F3 champion in 1989 and between 1998 and 2006 he competed in the British, European and World Touring car championships for Volvo, BMW, Seat and Alfa Romeo. He was third in the ETCC in a BMW 320i in 2000.
Johnny Herbert, 46, born in Romford, England, is in his first year in Superstars, driving a Motorzone Chevrolet Lumina CR8. A former Formula Ford Festival winner (1985) and British F3 champion (1987), he was in Formula One between 1989 and 2000 with Benetton, Tyrrell, Lotus, Ligier, Sauber, Stewart and Jaguar. His best year was 1995 when he was fourth in the World Championship in a Benetton, winning the British, Italian and European GPs. He competed in a Lotus in the 1992 and 1993 SA GPs at Kyalami. Since retiring from F1 he has concentrated on sports car racing (he won the Le Mans 24 Hours in 1991 in a Mazda 787) and won the 2004 Le Mans Series in an Audi R8.
Emanuele Naspetti, 42, born in Ancona, Italy, is a member of the Rangoni Motorsport Mercedes C63 AMG team. Like many top drivers, he started his career in karting, in 1980, and graduated to Formula One via Italian Formula Three (where he was champion in 1988) and Formula 3000. He drove an F1 March in 1992 and was with the Sasol Jordan team in 1993, competing in the South African GP at Kyalami in both years. After F1 he contested the Italian Super Touring Car Championship for seven years (winning in 1997 and finishing runner-up on three occasions), the American Le Mans series and FIA GT (in a 550 and 575 Ferrari Maranello). This is his first year in Superstars.
Andrea Chiesa, 45, born in Milan, Italy, is resident in Switzerland and is competing in his second season of Superstars in a Swiss Team Maserati Quattroporte. He drove in 10 grands prix in 1992 for Fondmetal (including the South African GP at Kyalami, where he made his F1 debut). He started his racing career in karting in 1982, won the Swiss kart championship in 1983, was second in Italian F3 in 1987 and moved up to F3000 from 1988 to 1991. After his year in F1 he competed in IndyCars in the US, FIA GT, World Sports Cars, ISRS and won his class in the Spa-Francorchamps 24 Hours in 2002 in a Ferrari 360. He was Italian GT champion in a Ferrari in 2003 and 2004 and finished second in the Sebring 12 Hours in the US in 2003 in a Porsche GT3 RSR.
The weekend’s entertainment will include the final races in the WesBank Super Series of national championships for Bridgestone Production Cars, WesBank V8 Supercars, Engen Volkswagen Polo Cup, Formula Volkswagen and Interfile Superbikes and Supersport.
STORY COURTESY OF PETER BURROUGHES COMMUNICATIONS
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