SA Motor Sportsman of the Year is…

Kelvin van der Linde (ZA) Volkswagen Scirocco R-Cup - Norisring 2013

Kelvin van der Linde (ZA) Volkswagen Scirocco R-Cup - Norisring 2013

Published Feb 19, 2015

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Johannesburg - Kelvin van der Linde is the SA Motor Sportsman of the Year - again.

Van der Linde, who last year, at 17, became the youngest ever Bridgestone/SAGMJ Motor Sportsman of the Year, has again been honoured this year, for his exceptional performance in the international GT Masters Series.

Van der Linde returned to Germany in his matric year to compete in the prestigious championship, driving an Audi R8 for the Prosperia C Abt team. He and partner Rene Rast were the class of the class, winning the title against some of the world's top sports-car drivers.

That got him a full-time drive in the 2015 GT Masters series for the official Audi factory team.

The former SA Karting champion and Volkswagen Cup title-holder was honoured last year for winning the 2013 VW Scirocco R-Cup against drivers from 24 countries; and for winning selection as Africa's representative at the elite FIA Institute Young Drivers Excellence Academy.

The award, which recognises outstanding achievements by South African motorsport competitors, was first won in 1964.

COLIN WATLING AWARD

The Colin Watling Award for special achievement in motorsport by somebody other than a competitor, went to Porsche SA boss Toby Venter, who put R205 million of his money where other peoples' mouths were, to buy the historic Kyalami circuit and save it for South African motorsport.

Also nominated for the award was Glyn Hall, team principal of Toyota Motorsport, which won both the SA Crass country and SA Rally titles in 2014. No fewer than 18 Hilux bakkies built at his Hallspeed workshops co,peted in the 2015 Dakar Rally, with five finishing in the top 20 and one, driven by Giniel de Villiers, second overall and first in its class.

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