Ferodo announces 2012 racing team

The Ferodo Racing Team for 2012 remains true to the brand’s commitment to recognising and supporting young talent
in motor sport.

Returning to the WesBank Super Series in Ferodo colours are 15-year-old Johannesburg grade 10 pupil Kelvin van
der Linde, who will contest his second year in the Engen Volkswagen Cup in a Ferodo VW Polo, and 22-year-old
Pretoria University student Gennaro Bonafede, who will enter his third year in the Bridgestone Production Car
Championship in a class T Ferodo VW Golf 6 GTi.
Joining the team for the first time is 18-year-old matric pupil Ernie van der Walt, who will compete in the Formula
Volkswagen Challenge in Ferodo colours. His car will be prepared by multiple former international and national
karting champion Derick Irving.

The opening round of the series is at Zwartkops Raceway near Pretoria on Saturday (March 3).
The son of a Hoopstad maize farmer, Van der Walt was an impressive debutant in the single seater formula in 2011
and also represented South Africa in the international ROK Cup karting finals in Italy.

Van der Linde was equally impressive in his first year in senior circuit racing, making history at the start of the 2011
season, when he was just 14 years old, by being the youngest driver ever to take to the grid. He went on to
complete a remarkable debut season in third place and scored four podium finishes and three second places,
winning the Rookie of the Year award in the process.

The third generation of the racing Van der Linde family, he will again have his father, Shaun, and grand father,
Hennie, both former national champions, preparing his car.

Lee Thompson, who won the Masters’ title in 2011 in dominant fashion in a Ferodo VW Polo, leaves the team to
compete in a Mini in class T of the Bridgestone Production Car Championship.

Bonafede is in his third season of Bridgestone Production Car Racing and has established himself as both a race
winner and a strong candidate for the class T title. He also finished third in the 2011 championship and scored 19
podiums and a race win at Port Elizabeth’s Aldo Scribante circuit. His car will be prepared by Vic Maharaj.