- Official lubricant partner to the Knysna-based Hillclimb for third consecutive year
- Motul sponsors extreme motorsport categories and events, on two and four wheels
- 2017 Jaguar Simola Hillclimb winners Andre Bezuidenhout and Wilhelm Baard relied on Motul to earn their King of the Hill titles
KNYSNA, South Africa, 5 March 2018 – The Jaguar Simola Hillclimb will be continuing its proud association with Motul, the international oil and lubricant specialist, which is the official lubricant partner to the 2018 event that takes place from 3 to 6 May.
Motul began its support for the Jaguar Simola Hillclimb at the 2016 edition as the official lubricants partner and followed this up with a two-year contract for the 2017 and 2018 events.
“The Jaguar Simola Hillclimb is the perfect fit for Motul, as the company targets high-profile and extreme events that link directly to our product strengths,” says Jacky van der Merwe, Motul’s Business Development Manager for South Africa.
“This is undoubtedly one of South Africa’s premier motoring and motorsport lifestyle events, and competitors go to exceptional lengths to compete for glory on the short but extremely challenging Hillclimb with a wide range of mild to absolutely wild performance cars,” Van der Merwe adds. “We are therefore extremely proud to be involved with the Jaguar Simola Hillclimb, and with some of the top-calibre teams that test our products to the absolute limits.”
Besides being thrust into the limelight as the official lubricant partner to the Jaguar Simola Hillclimb, last year the company enjoyed the spoils of victory with two Motul-backed entries claiming titles in their respective categories.
Andre Bezuidenhout earned his first King of the Hill crown in the Single Seater and Sports Car category, powering his spectacular 1989 Dallara F189 Formula 1 car to a record-blitzing time of 37.695 sec – achieving an astonishing average speed of 181.456 km/h from a standing start!
Former Group N ace and 2011 Jaguar Simola Hillclimb champion Wilhelm Baard gave the French lubricants company further reason to celebrate when he smashed the existing Modified Saloon Car record by completing a best-ever run of 39.892 sec in his wild Nissan R35 GT-R.
“This year’s ninth edition of the Jaguar Simola Hillclimb promises to be bigger and better than ever, and we’re looking forward to once again being part of the action as it unfolds along with the thousands of enthusiastic spectators and competitors,” Van der Merwe says.
As director of the Jaguar Simola Hillclimb, Ian Shrosbree believes that partnerships with prominent and proven international brands such as Motul adds to the quality and appeal of the event.
“Event partners such as Motul have enabled us to raise the standard of the Jaguar Simola Hillclimb each year, and attract the highest calibre of local entries, along with an increasing level of interest from abroad,” he says.
“It is fantastic to have Motul involved with the Hillclimb, both as the official lubricants partner, and as a sponsor of some of the top competitors. Our goal of becoming an internationally recognisable premium motorsport event fits comfortably with Motul, which has already achieved the status of being one of the world’s premium lubricants. The Hill also provides a demanding challenge for competitors and their vehicles, and this platform allows Motul to showcase the performance qualities that makes it such a premium product.”
International Motorsport
As one of the world’s leading oil and lubricant manufacturers, Motul has a rich motorsport history, and is a headline sponsor and partner to preeminent motorsport categories and events on two and four wheels around the world.
Internationally, Motul’s illustrious portfolio of motorsport and technical partnerships includes the likes of the 24 Hours Le Mans and the Endurance World Championship – both encompassing the car and motorcycle events – along with the Super GT series in Japan the Trophée Andros ice racing championship in France and the famous Pikes Peak Hillclimb in the US.
On the motorcycle front, Motul is a partner and event sponsor to the annual Dakar Rally, MotoGP, Superbike World Championship, and the legendary Isle of Man TT. Closer to home, Motul is the title sponsor for the Roof of Africa in Lesotho – renowned as one of the toughest enduro motorcycle races in the world – and a technical partner to the SA Motocross Championship and the SuperGP superbike series.
Aside from its involvement in motor racing, Motul has a proud heritage spanning more than 160 years. The French company has a global footprint across the world and is a true pioneer in the lubricant industry. It launched the world’s first semi-synthetic oil in 1966, followed by the very first 100% synthetic oil for cars in 1971.
This legacy continues today with its extensive product range covering the various automotive sectors, including cars, motorcycles, scooters and commercial vehicles, as well as marine and leisure applications.
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Release compiled by Colin Mileman (082-897-6145 colin@milemanmedia.co.za)