Next Knysna Hill Climb To Be Open To All Brands
The Jaguar Simola Hill Climb is one of the biggest motorsport events in South Africa. However, the event is taking a new approach for its 10thedition. Knysna Speed Festival and Jaguar South Africa have announced a new business model for the event that will open the festival up to other vehicle manufacturers in an attempt to take the event to the next level.
“We have enjoyed an incredible six-year journey with Jaguar as our title sponsor and we can’t thank the team at Jaguar enough for their support, enthusiasm and partnership over the years,” says Ian Shrosbree, managing director of Knysna Speed Festival. “Jaguar has assisted us in lifting the standard across all levels of the event, and played a key role in helping us build it into the globally recognised Hillclimb that it is today. We will forever be grateful for this incredible support.
“Jaguar’s commitment was never more in evidence than when we went to them with our new vision, which will grow the event into the future to become one of the premier Hillclimbs on the global calendar, and they immediately gave us their full support. Pursuing this goal will demand a lot more resources and, to allow for this and make the event sustainable over the long term, the business model had to be adapted to be more inclusive of the other motor manufacturing brands. “We are eternally grateful to Jaguar management for backing us in this quest and for its continued support going into the future as one of the top tier manufacturers,” Shrosbree adds.
“Jaguar is proud that its name has been associated with the premier motor racing event in South Africa as title sponsor for six years,” says Lisa Mallett, Marketing Director of Jaguar Land Rover South Africa. “Together we have elevated the status of the Simola Hillclimb, and the event has helped cement Jaguar as a leader in premium performance vehicles. We wish the organisers well in their mission to take an already world-class event to the next level.”
The Hill Climb will be open to all brands from 2020, but the event will also offer a top-tier partnership package for 5 brands to have access to live stream branding, track branding, hospitality, track time, VIP runs, exhibition space and race entries.
“We are in discussions with a number of potential title sponsors and have already engaged with a many of the other vehicle brands, and their support for our strategy has been supportive and encouraging,” says Shrosbree. “Several indicated that they had hoped this would materialise at some point as it allows them certain freedoms that have naturally not been possible with Jaguar as the exclusive motor brand title sponsor. We already have a number of commitments and anticipate that the top tier will be over-subscribed very soon.”
The 2020 Simola Hillclimb will take place from 7-10 May with the entry process and ticket sales opening in October 2019.
