FORMULA 1600 | Bezuidenhout Claims Respectable Top 8 Debut Finish

Investchem Formula 1600 rookie Mikel Bezuidenhout impressed on debut, finishing in a commendable eighth overall at the weekend's opening round of the National Extreme Festival in Cape Town. Killarney International Raceway hosted the first of two rounds as part of the national tour, and spectators came out in numbers to support South Africa's most popular motorsport tour.

After spending the best part of Friday familiarising himself with the circuit and the car's handling, Bezuidenhout qualified 12th on a greasy surface after some overnight rain. Despite his inexperience, the Johannesburg driver made up several positions during the opening phase of the race before making up another towards the end to finish a remarkable eighth. Race 2, however, was somewhat uneventful, with Bezuidenhout maintaining his position throughout the race to finish ninth.

"I am pretty satisfied with the weekend's results. As a rookie I wanted to leave here unscathed with the car in one piece, focus on learning the circuit and to understand the car better. I believe we have accomplished that and we will now focus on the next goal. Thank you to everyone for the support and to the Killarney fans," stated Bezuidenhout.

While Bezuidenhout prepares for the upcoming national karting weekend, the following Formula 1600 Championship round is set for an exciting return to the iconic Kyalami Grand Prix Circuit on 12-13 April 2024.