WP GTi Challenge marks 25 years on ‘epic’ Dunlop semis
The Cape GTi Challenge is celebrating an extraordinary milestone in South African motorsport this season, marking a quarter-century of racing on Dunlop rubber. First contested as a championship in 2000, the series has relied on Dunlop semi-slicks supplied by ATS Motorsport as its exclusive control tyre from its second season, establishing one of the longest and most successful technical partnerships in South African circuit racing.
Conceived out of a need for close, cost-effective saloon car competition, the GTi Challenge emerged in the late 1990s before kicking off its inaugural championship season at Killarney International Raceway in 2000. Brett Roach claimed that first title, setting off 25 years of fierce, bumper-to-bumper racing across Class A, Class B, and the iconic Class C ‘Brat Pack’ Golf 1s.
GTi Challenge adopted standard fitment Dunlop Direzza semi-slicks in an effort to overcome early tyre wars and keep costs down. Dunlop has since remained the series equaliser throughout every evolution of the formula, eliminating costly tyre development wars and ensuring setup and driver skill dictate the finishing order. Drivers are allowed two new tyres per meeting, usually mounted for qualifying.
“Twenty-five years of racing together is no small milestone,” Dunlop Tyres Marketing Manager Joanne De Freitas confirmed. “That is a lot of laps, a lot of rubber, and no doubt a few colourful moments along the way! Dunlop is incredibly proud to have shared this journey with GTi Challenge. Congratulations on 25 fantastic years of racing. And thank you for continuing to trust Dunlop where it matters most — out on the track.”
That sentiment is echoed by the series leadership, where the control tyre has formed the backbone of the formula's longevity and paddock appeal. “Twenty-five years is a very long time in motorsport,” GTi Challenge Chairman Zaki Hendricks notes. “I have been with Challenge for 21 years now, and for as long as I can remember, we have raced on Dunlop semi-slicks.
“I became chairman around 2010, and keeping this relationship strong was an absolute priority. The Dunlop Direzza is an epic tyre that we even run in the wet. That is what makes this series so special; we all race on the same tyre, running identical engine output across the classes with each class racing at a specific minimum mass, which means it always boils down to who is the best driver. Dunlop and strategic partner ATS have been superb to us, and we look forward to many more years together.”
From Roach's inaugural 2000 title through dominant multi-championship eras for the likes of Gerrit Coetzee, Peet van der Walt, Raymond Johnson, Paul Simon, Eden Thompson, and Jurie Swart Jr., the Cape GTi Challenge remains one of Killarney’s premier attractions. Now 25 seasons in, the formula heads toward its 2026 season finale with its founding ethos and control tyre partner firmly intact.