- Fameliaris claims the 2024 GT title
- Lombard pips Reib to the runners-up spot
- Compaan takes the GT2 crown
Third place in the opening heat of the final round of the 2024 Mobil 1 V8 Supercar championship, held at Zwartkops Raceway on 15 and 16 November, was good enough for Julian Fameliaris (Lube-Net / Di Matteo Racing Chevrolet Corvette) to secure his second successive title. With only two entries in the GT2 class, which limited the points offered for the weekend, Auke Compaan (Hurricane Automotive Ford Mustang) secured the crown before turning a wheel.
Warren Lombard (PepBoys Automotive Ford Mustang) carried on with his habit of setting the quickest time in Friday’s practice sessions, with Thomas Reib (Mobil 1 / Café 9 Automotive Chevrolet Lumina) about half a second behind. Lombard carried that pace over to Saturday morning’s qualifying session, taking pole position from Reib by just over four-tenths of a second. The leading GTX class driver, Ben Morgenrood (Ben Morgenrood Ford Mustang), was in third place ahead of Fameliaris. Franco di Matteo (Di Matteo Racing / GWR Racing Jaguar XKR) and Terry Wilford (Fuchs Lubricants Ford Mustang) filled the third row of the grid ahead of Sam Dahl (Arcprotech Ford Falcon) and Compaan, who opted to compete in the GTX class after securing the GT2 title. GT2 runners Shaun Holtzhausen (959 Panelbeaters & Spraypainters Ford Falcon) and Steve Herbst (PREI Instrumentation / PPG Coatings / QI Systems Chevrolet Corvette) filled row five.
Speaking in the pre-race paddock before the opening heat, Lombard said he aimed to win from pole position, and he did not put a wheel wrong doing precisely that, leading from lights to flag. Reib was a distant second, which closed the gap in the fight for second place in the championship to just five points. Fameliaris spent the opening half of the race behind Morgenrood’s GTX car but did not want to take any chances on a risky pass, as he was third in the GT class and would secure the 2024 championship. Shortly after half-distance, Morgenrood started to slow, and Fameliaris went past to cross the line in third on the road and retain the Number 1 plate for 2025. Di Matteo and Dahl also passed Morgenrood’s ailing Mustang to take fourth and fifth, while Morgenrood had to settle for sixth and the GTX win. Herbst was the only GT2 car to cross the line.
The reverse grid second heat, led away by Di Matteo, was only a lap old when the safety car was deployed after Wilford found himself stranded in the gravel trap at Turn 4. Once his vehicle was recovered, Di Matteo again led the field away, followed by Fameliaris and Reib. Reib moved past Fameliaris just after one-third distance but, just a lap later, spun and dropped to the back of the field, allowing Fameliaris back into second just ahead of Lombard. The leading trio opened a substantial gap over the rest of the pack led by Morgenrood. With three laps left to run, Fameliaris moved past his teammate and into the lead and went on to take victory in the season’s final race. Di Matteo then had his hands full, trying to hold off Lombard. It looked like he would be able to hang on to second place, but a final corner move by Lombard paid off, and he took second by just seven one-hundredths of a second. Reib recovered to finish fourth ahead of Morgenrood and Dahl, the last classified finisher.
Lombard claimed his second successive overall win ahead of Fameliaris and Reib. Morgenrood took the GTX win, with GT2 going to Holtzhausen.
Fameliaris ended the season comfortably on top of the GT standings to take the championship. Reib’s spin in the second heat and Lombard’s last corner move on di Matteo allowed the PepBoys Automotive man to snatch second place in the championship. Reib, the early-season points leader, had to settle for third ahead of Di Matteo, Dahl and Wilford.
The GT2 championship went to Compaan from Herbst and Holtzhausen.
African Group Lubricants’ Marketing Manager Nicole Jooste congratulates everyone who made the 2024 season possible. “Top-class action from the 2024’s first green flag to the final corner of the last race, nobody could’ve scripted anything more exciting than this year’s Mobil 1 V8 Supercars championship. African Group Lubricants wants to thank and congratulate the drivers, teams, and everyone behind the scenes who made this exciting season possible. To Julian and Auke, our 2024 champions, your hard work has paid off to see you hold up the most significant trophies in South African motorsport.”
The V8 Supercars will be back in action at Zwartkops Raceway on 1 March for the first round of their 2025 championship.