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interests in London, agreed to finance a circuit on their Tokai property. “The circuit, to be
known as the Grosvenor Grand Prix Circuit, is beautifully located in a large natural

amphitheatre under the Muizenberg, Tokai and Constantia mountains, which is well
wooded and possesses the inestimable advantage over alternative sites available of being

sheltered from the Cape’s prevailing winds.” (R.A.C. Journal, July 1936). The 7.56km

circuit was completed in the record time of six months and consisted of four parallel
straights less than 100m apart; these were joined by hairpin bends and one very difficult

series of six consecutive zigzag corners at the eastern end called Mac’s Waggle. For
spectators there was a special grandstand with seating for 1700 people, open seating for 10

000, and ramped banks around the perimeter of the track with seating for 120 000 people.
Steenberg Station shot to prominence by being the most convenient access point for

spectators arriving by train. Cape Town now had its first proper motor racing track. (Figs

3.44 & 3.45.)

The First Grosvenor Grand Prix was scheduled for 16 January 1937. (Fig. 3.46) Great

excitement had been created in the South African racing scene by the news that Baron von
Oertzen, who had introduced the popular DKW light cars to South Africa, had persuaded

the Auto-Union Company to enter two of their enormously powerful rear-engined racing
cars, for East London and Cape Town. These Porsche-designed cars were the most

advanced in the world and were to be driven by the top German drivers Bernd Rosemeyer,
the then-European Champion, and Ernst von Delius. At East London Rosemeyer managed

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only 5 place and von Delius retired, being let down by the many pit stops needed for tyre
changes, but their performance presaged great possibilities in Cape Town.

The Cape weather preceding the race was typical of January: sunny with gale force south-
easterly winds; in other words, sandstorm conditions. This caused great consternation

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among the competitors and very few ventured out for trials on the 15 in what were
regarded as dangerous circumstances. Rosemeyer, who did, returned to the pits with his

goggles chipped and pitted and his face seared.