Moderator's Report
Starting the Privateer\'s trophy from Kyalami, leading from Pole Position, Gareth Hall took the first win of the season. Dave Ranier took 2nd place with a consistent run to the flag. Bastian Grupp took the final podium position after a long battle with John Hammonds & Fulvio Policardi.
There were a couple of reported incidents; one involving the start which involved several cars. Another fine example of not being able to win at the start, but certainly able to lose it!
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Dave Curtis makes an excellent start and attempts to pass Andy\'s slower-starting BRM. The two tangle and cause a temporary road block, affecting other racers.
With the pit-wall fitted, Kyalami is notorious for sucking in cars into risky overtakes at the start as the pit-wall squeezes the track width by a lane until the pit-exit. When Dave made his move on Andy there was a just about a car\'s width, but with the tightening of the pit-wall and Andy holding his line, contact was inevitable.
If Dave wasn\'t alongside Andy, typically Dave would take the blame for this incident. However, as Dave had managed to get alongside Andy when the contact happened the situation isn\'t so clear cut. You could argue Dave should backed out sooner but I don\'t feel Andy is to blame for holding his line. It\'s unusual that Kyalami\'s pit-wall narrows the track in this instance.
Ultimately, as Dave was the instigator for this scenario, the fault, if any, has to lie with him. Though the gap was just wide enough on entry, the narrowing of the pit-wall should have been taken into account. With discussion with the mod team a penalty is borderline, but as the collision affected several racers it\'s difficult to condone the situation.
Ronnie was in the wrong place at the wrong time. He attempted to slow but contact was inevitable.
Michael bogged down at the start and received no flag warning to the events over the brow of the hill. There was a gap Michael was aiming for when he arrived at the incident but it closed when he got there, causing Michael to collide into Ronnie. In hindsight, Michael could have been more generous on the brakes, but an attempt to slow was made.
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Recovering from a previous incidents, Ronnie & Fabio rejoin the circuit before the Jukskei sweep. Both are not up to racing speed. Ronnie takes a cautious approach to the corner after Fran but rear-ends him on the exit of the corner.
It appears as though Fabio slowed on the exit of the corner, possibly struggling with the gears. Regardless, his exit speed is significantly lower than his usual pace, even taking into account the rejoin. Although Ronnie flips Fabio with the rear contact, the unusual circumstances would list the contact as a racing incident for this particular case.
