Three Days of Thrills Lined up for 2019 Jaguar Simola Hillclimb
As South Africa’s premier motorsport and motoring lifestyle event, the 2019 Jaguar Simola Hillclimb is scheduled to roar into life from 2 to 5 May, marking the 10th edition of this truly exceptional automotive extravaganza.
Quite simply, there’s no other event on the calendar that attracts such a vast and diverse range of iconic cars and legendary drivers from all eras competing for glory – thus making it the must-attend event of the year for enthusiasts and competitors alike.
Reigning champions in Classic Car Friday and King of the Hill return to defend their titles
An amazing line-up of 28 marques represented in Classic Car Friday across eight classes
Three King of the Hill titles up for grabs with 30 vehicle brands on the entry list, driven by some of the biggest names in SA motorsport.
At just 1.9 km, the Simola Hill course is less than half the length of the Kyalami Grand Prix Circuit, and 500 m shorter than Zwartkops Raceway. It’s steep though, with the elevation climbing 160 m from the start line to the timing beams at the top of the hill. And it’s staged on a public road without the benefit of a smooth-as-glass surface, nor does it have perfectly contoured red-and-white painted kerbs, or even run-off areas.
Considering that nearly all King of the Hill contenders post sub-60 second times – with even the slowest average speeds nudging 120 km/h – it becomes abundantly clear that the challenge of the Jaguar Simola Hillclimb is far greater than merely the sum of its corners. Yet it has some particularly testing and very fast turns, along with its famous sequence of snaking negative camber S-bends that push even the most accomplished and bravest racers to the very edge of their abilities.
Nowhere is the exceptional diversity of the entries more evident than in the line-up for Classic Car Friday. For the 2019 Jaguar Simola Hillclimb, 28 marques will be taking to the starting line with drivers competing in eight categories for individual class honours, as well as for overall glory.
The intensity and excitement build throughout the day, culminating in the Top 10 final shootout. The 10 drivers that posted the fastest times during qualifying go head-to-head in a single-run dash that ultimately determines the overall winner, who earns the Classic Conqueror title.
As usual, the King of the Hill entry list is restricted to a maximum of 84 competitors, with 30 automotive brands set to excite and delight fans this year. Title sponsor Jaguar will once again be creating a buzz by showing off its latest models driven by some of the country’s leading race drivers, joined by a dazzling array of entries that include Porsche, Lamborghini, McLaren, Alfa Romeo, Chevrolet, BMW, Lotus, Mercedes-AMG, Shelby and Nissan.
This category has been remodelled for 2019 to allow Single Seaters and Sports Cars to compete in separate classes, with the line-up increased from three to six categories.
It’s party time in 2019!
The Jaguar Simola Hillclimb will roar to the sound of engines, cheering spectators and popping champagne corks as they celebrate 10 editions of South Africa’s leading motorsport lifestyle event.