GARY PAFFETT SET FOR SOUTH AFRICA SHOWDOWN

Gary Paffett’s 2019 Intercontinental GT Challenge campaign draws to its conclusion this weekend with the final race of the season - the Kyalami 9 Hour.

Rejoining the Mercedes-AMG Team Strakka Racing team in the #44 Mercedes-AMG GT3, Gary Paffett and his teammates, Tristan Vautier and Lewis Williamson, are set for the fifth and final race of the year. Despite a tough start to the season where Gary experienced two DNF’s at the Bathurst 12 Hour and California 8 Hours, Gary recorded a 13th place finish at the 24 Hours of Spa before going on to pick up his first points of the season with a ninth-place finish at the Suzuka 10 Hours. This weekend will see South Africa’s legendary endurance race make a return after a 37-year hiatus and a circuit revamp in 2015. Not only will this weekend showcase the return of this iconic circuit but it will also be the venue for the championship decider, as Mercedes-AMG and Porsche go head-to-head for Manufacturers’ crown. “I’m really excited to be back in the car this weekend, it’s been a while since Suzuka and the whole team are ready to end the year on a high. Our form in the #44 has been much improved the past two rounds and we’ll be looking to continue the upward trend this weekend in the finale. Mercedes-AMG can take the manufacturers’ title this weekend so we’ll all be working as hard as possible to help secure the crown.” The race weekend gets underway on Thursday with the first paid test session at 08:00 (GMT). Qualifying for the race takes place on Friday at 12:45, with the nine-hour race getting underway on Saturday at 11:00.