CREVENTIC will take the Michelin 24H Series to Africa for the first time in January 2027 after moving its long-running 24H Dubai event to South Africa’s Kyalami Grand Prix Circuit.
Kyalami will host the 24-hour race from 8-10 January, taking over the date originally allocated to Dubai. CREVENTIC made the change amid continuing uncertainty in the Gulf region, which has complicated logistics, transport planning and operating costs.
The move will also return major international endurance racing to Kyalami for the first time since the 2023 Kyalami 9 Hour and add another significant chapter to the South African circuit’s sports car racing history.
Gulf uncertainty forces change to 24H Dubai plans
CREVENTIC opted to move away from Dubai after assessing the continuing uncertainty across the Gulf region and its effect on preparations for the January event.
The Dutch promoter identified Kyalami as its preferred alternative after consulting with its venue partners, allowing it to retain both the 24-hour format and the original 8-10 January date.
The decision represents a major change for one of CREVENTIC’s best-known events. Dubai has occupied a prominent place on the 24H Series calendar for years and traditionally provides an early-season endurance challenge before the championship moves into its European programme.
Rather than cancel the event, CREVENTIC will use the circumstances to expand the championship into a new continent and introduce its competitors to one of Africa’s most celebrated racing circuits.
Kyalami to welcome 24H Series for first time
The event will mark the first Michelin 24H Series race on the African continent and, according to CREVENTIC, South Africa’s first international 24-hour race under the championship’s banner.
Kyalami will provide teams with a substantially different challenge from the Dubai Autodrome. The current 4.522km Grand Prix layout features 16 corners and runs anti-clockwise, while its location approximately 1,532 metres above sea level adds another consideration for teams and drivers.
The circuit’s elevation changes, blind crests and fast-flowing corners should place a particular emphasis on consistency over the full 24 hours. Its altitude could also add another technical variable as teams manage their cars throughout a complete day-and-night cycle.
Kyalami has 40 pit garages and underwent an extensive redevelopment beginning in 2015, with the project including a resurfaced circuit, upgraded safety measures and major improvements to the pit, paddock and spectator facilities.
CREVENTIC embraces South African move
CREVENTIC believes Kyalami’s infrastructure, reputation and experience of staging international motorsport make it a natural destination for the championship.
The promoter also highlighted the reception it received from the circuit as preparations began for the landmark event.
“Kyalami is an exceptional motorsport destination and we are delighted by the warm reception we have received from the entire team,” said a CREVENTIC spokesperson.
“The circuit, facilities and professionalism of the organisation make it a natural fit for the Michelin 24H SERIES, and we are excited to bring our competitors and fans to South Africa for this landmark event.”
The move gives CREVENTIC an opportunity to preserve an important winter endurance race while extending the geographical reach of the 24H Series beyond its established European and Middle Eastern venues.
International endurance racing returns to Kyalami
Kyalami last hosted major international endurance competition in February 2023, when the Kyalami 9 Hour formed part of the Intercontinental GT Challenge.
Team WRT claimed a one-two finish on that occasion, with Sheldon van der Linde, Dries Vanthoor and Charles Weerts winning in the #32 BMW M4 GT3 ahead of teammates Philipp Eng, Augusto Farfus and Maxime Martin.
The circuit had returned to the international endurance calendar with the revived Kyalami 9 Hour in 2019, attracting leading GT manufacturers and teams before the event last ran in 2023.
The Michelin 24H Series will now bring international endurance competition back to Midrand after an absence of almost four years. It will also introduce a very different format, with competitors facing twice the duration of the circuit’s previous nine-hour international contests.
A full 24-hour race will place additional importance on reliability, traffic management and changing track conditions as teams race through daylight and darkness.
Kyalami move reshapes CREVENTIC’s 2027 programme
The relocation represents one of the most significant changes to CREVENTIC’s plans for 2027.
The promoter will continue to centre its European campaign around established endurance venues, while Kyalami will give the series a high-profile international event at the beginning of the year.
Moving the Dubai fixture rather than abandoning it also allows CREVENTIC to maintain an important part of its winter programme despite the logistical concerns affecting the Gulf region.
The organiser has yet to confirm the complete entry list, class composition or detailed timetable for the South African race, but teams will now prepare for a considerably different challenge from the one originally scheduled in Dubai.
For Kyalami, the agreement brings international endurance racing back to the circuit and introduces a 24-hour event to its modern programme. For CREVENTIC, it opens a new continent as the Michelin 24H Series prepares for one of the most significant expansions in its history.
