Lights, accelerator, action! TGRSA launches the new GR
cup hot seat
Three well-known South African personalities — Girlie Lukhele, Kriya Gangiah and Mpho Maboi — will each step into the GR Yaris AT for a taste of real-world circuit racing across three rounds of the 2026 GR Cup season.
Turning up the heat for 2026
TOYOTA GAZOO Racing South Africa (TGRSA) is set to turn up the heat in the 2026 GR Cup season with the launch of the new GR Cup Hot Seat — a fresh challenge that will see three well-known South African personalities step into the pressure cooker of real-world circuit racing.
Across three rounds of the 2026 GR Cup season, celebrated broadcaster and media personalities Girlie Lukhele, Kriya Gangiah, and Mpho Maboi will each take their turn behind the wheel of the GR Yaris AT, as they take to their respective circuits.
The initiative aims to give the guest drivers a first-hand taste of the intensity, pressure, and excitement that defines the GR Cup paddock — trading studios, microphones and simulators for helmets, race suits and wheel-to-wheel action.
While each of the three women comes from a different background, they all share one thing in common — a genuine passion for motorsport and a willingness to step outside their comfort zones.
Girlie Lukhele · Zwartkops, May
Sim racer, content creator & rookie rally driver
Round 1 · Zwartkops Raceway · 22–23 May
Girlie Lukhele, a sim racer, content creator, and rookie rally driver, will be the first to tackle the challenge when she lines up at Zwartkops Raceway in May. Although her experience largely comes from the National Rally Championship, she is eager to test herself in circuit racing.
“Track is something that’s not very familiar to me, so I’m really looking forward to learning more than anything. Rally has always been my comfort zone, but I’m hoping to apply what I’ve learned there to the track environment — and hopefully fight for a podium.”
Girlie Lukhele · GR Cup Hot Seat, Zwartkops
Kriya Gangiah · Killarney Raceway, September
Broadcaster & media personality
Round 2 · Killarney Raceway · 18–19 September
Kriya Gangiah will make her GR Cup Hot Seat debut later in the year at Killarney Raceway, where she admits the challenge of tackling the iconic Cape Town circuit is both exciting and intimidating.
“I always get the opportunity to talk about racing and understand the theory behind it. Now I finally get to put that theory into practice. I’ve driven road cars on various circuits before, but never Killarney, so this is going to be a completely new experience for me.”
Kriya Gangiah · GR Cup Hot Seat, Killarney
While Gangiah joked that her first goal is simply to “keep it on the black stuff,” she is eager to embrace the challenge and experience the pressure of competitive racing from the driver’s seat.
Mpho Maboi · Killarney Raceway, October
Sports broadcaster
Round 3 · Zwartkops Raceway · 16–17 October
The final GR Cup Hot Seat appearance of the season will belong to sports broadcaster Mpho Maboi, who will race at Zwartkops Raceway in October.
Maboi, who has spent more than two decades working in radio and television, says the opportunity forms part of her personal commitment to embracing new experiences.
“I believe in saying yes to opportunities. At the end of the day, I just want to have fun and walk away with the experience of having driven a real racing car. What better way to do that than with the Toyota GR Cup?”
Mpho Maboi · GR Cup Hot Seat, Zwartkops
Unlike some complete newcomers, Maboi has already sampled circuit racing before, having previously competed at Zwartkops Raceway — something that could prove valuable when she returns to the track later this season.
Real pressure, real racing
The next round of the 2026 South African National Rally Championship will take the team to Tzaneen, in Limpopo, on 29 and 30 May. Known for its high rainfall, lush surroundings and a mix of fast forest roads and technical sections, the Tzaneen Rally presents a very different challenge, and another key opportunity for the TGRSA crew to continue their development on gravel.
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