- Double reigning Road-going Saloon Cars and Supercars King of the Hill champion, Reghard Roets, spearheads 2019 line-up
- Thrilling battle anticipated for the overall title and between Cronje brothers, Mark and Gavin, in Jaguar F-TYPE SVR Coupés
- Exclusive line-up of powerful road-going cars, including Mercedes-AMG GT R, Shelby Mustang Super Snake, Audi RS3, Alfa Romeo Giulia QV, BMW M2 Competition … and a lot more!
KNYSNA, South Africa, 4 April 2019 – Of all the vehicles competing in the annual Jaguar Simola Hillclimb, taking place this year from 3 to 5 May, the Road-going Saloon Cars and Supercars are often the most relatable to the spectators, as they are street-legal machines that you can buy off a showroom floor.
Unlike their mild-to-wild race-bred counterparts that compete in the ‘Class B’ Modified Saloon Car category, the ‘Class A’ entries are standard production models without any modifications permitted, including the limitation of using original-specification road tyres.
However, that doesn’t suggest that the line-up of cars, or the show that the drivers deliver, is anything less than truly spectacular – as the category’s King of the Hill shootout has proven in recent years. Revealing just how competitive the class is, reigning double King of the Hill champion, Reghard Roets won last year’s final Top 10 Shootout by a mere 0.075 seconds over Jaguar’s Dawie Olivier, setting a new Class A record of 44.631 seconds over the 1.9 km course in the process.
Roets will return to Knysna once again this year in an attempt to claim a hat-trick of King of the Hill titles in the latest iteration of the venerable Nissan GT-R. However, as the lone GT-R in the category, he faces an even more intense challenge from title sponsor Jaguar, thanks to a uniquely intriguing two-pronged assault.
The new rivalry comes in the form of the Cronje brothers, Mark and Gavin, who are considered amongst South Africa’s fastest and most talented crop of current racing drivers. Between the pair, they have claimed multiple championships in a wide range of motorsport formulas, encompassing everything from karting to production car and endurance circuit racing, rallying and cross country.
While they will undoubtedly both be vying for the King of the Hill crown in a pair of identical Jaguar F-TYPE SVR Coupés, there’s also a long-standing needle match to settle between the two regarding who is fastest in identical cars and conditions: will it be Mark or younger brother Gavin?
“The Jaguar Simola Hillclimb is always extremely competitive, and I’m sure the two Cronje brothers will be in contention right from the start,” Roets says. “I doubt that I can go much faster than last year in the GT-R, even in better conditions. It’s possible that a lighter and more powerful supercar could go quicker, but I would love to make it three in a row!”
Regarding the undeniable charm of the Jaguar Simola Hillclimb, which keeps people coming back for more, Roets says it has an amazing vibe, right from the classic car event on Friday to the final King of the Hill shoot-out on Sunday. “The fact that spectators travel to the Hillclimb from all over the country to experience the spectacle is proof of the popularity of this event.
“As a driver, the Hillclimb is extremely challenging,” he adds. “There is no chance for a warm-up and no margin for error, which makes for an incredibly intense 40-odd seconds behind the wheel.”
In the individual classes, Roets will be competing in A4 which caters for five and six-cylinder four-wheel drive cars, alongside Udo de Beurges in a 2018 Audi RS3, which is regarded as one of the hottest hatchbacks on the market currently.
The supercharged V8 Jaguar F-TYPE SVR Coupés are grouped together in A7 for eight-cylinder cars and above, and will be fighting for class honours against the likes of a very exclusive Mercedes-AMG GT R entered by Johan Pretorius, Jacques Wheeler’s 2013 McLaren MP4-12C and a pair of Shelby Super Snake Mustangs, driven by Paige Lindenberg and Charles Needham.
Class A5 for six-cylinder naturally aspirated cars includes a 2018 Porsche GT3 that will be driven by Paul Munro on his sixth outing at the Hillclimb. He will be up against Feroz Ebrahim in a 2009 BMW Z4M.
It’s a three-way battle in A3 for two-wheel drive turbocharged cars, as the Alfa Romeo Giulia QV entries of Pierre Bester and Piet Potgieter will face off against a BMW M2 Competition with former BMW works racing driver Gennaro Bonafede behind the wheel.
In Class A1 for four-cylinder two-wheel drive cars, Gavin Williams will be taking to the start line in an Opel-powered Lotus, joined by Bruce Meyer in a turbocharged Volkswagen Polo, as well as Willem and Jacques Bower who will both be contesting their 10th Simola Hillclimb this year.
There’s also an interesting line-up of entries for A8 (hybrid and electric cars), as well as A9 which caters for high-performance sport utility vehicles (SUVs) – but this will be revealed soon.
Make sure you don’t miss out on the action and excitement of the 10th edition of the Jaguar Simola Hillclimb!
Be sure to secure your tickets as Pit Access, Turn 2 Grandstand Seating, as well as Pit Priority Parking tickets, are selling briskly. Online ticket sales are available on www.jaguarsimolahillclimb.com.
Demand for the limited number of exclusive VIP Hospitality packages, which include event and pit entry, as well as access to the Le Mans VIP Lounge, Piston Club or a Corporate Box in the VIP Village has also exceeded previous records – so book your tickets now to secure the best motoring and motorsport showcase South Africa has to offer!
For more information on the event visit:www.jaguarsimolahillclimb.com #JaguarSHC
Press Service Provided by Castrol
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Release compiled by Colin Mileman (082-897-6145 colin@milemanmedia.co.za)