BRDC ‘Rising Star’ Jake Hill takes victory in the International Trophy for Pre’66 Classic GT Cars on his Silverstone Classic debut

24 year-old Jake Hill took one of the most unlikely overall victories at the 2018 Silverstone Classic today, battling Brisky Racing’s Lotus Elan 26R to a superb win, ahead of a field of charging AC Cobra, E-Type Jaguars, TVR Griffith and more, all driven by the finest historic drivers in the business, made all the more remarkable in that it was the BRDC ‘Rising Star’s’ debut , and the first time he had driven the car since November. Hill put the car comfortably on Pole in his class, but more impressively ended up 7th overall in the mammoth 58 car field, and was very realistic in his ambitions for the ‘Daytona to Dusk’ race late on Saturday afternoon.

“The car is so incredibly well balanced. I love driving it so much and am hugely grateful to Richard Wheeler of Brisky Racing for believing in me and giving me the opportunity to compete in this incredible event. I know it will be tough but feel we may be in with a shout of challenging for an overall podium” said Hill after qualifying.

However a strong opening lap and some fierce battling saw Hill up to fourth overall by the end of the second lap of the 50 minute race, and quickly showing he was comfortable amongst the significantly more powerful machinery around him. When the Safety Car came out almost all of the field made their mandatory pit stop - many changing drivers - with Hill’s John Danby Racing crew making a superb job and getting him out in third place. When the Safety Car eventually pulled in, Hill caught and passed class-rival Ron Maydon in his Ginetta, with it taking the overall lead with four laps to go, but now facing the challenge of the fast-closing Wolfe/Gans AC Cobra, John Spiers’ TVR Griffith and the Dodds/Dodds E-Type Jaguar.

As the chasing cars fought hard to get closer to Hill, the Kent-based Dunlop MSA BTCC star focussed on being as smooth and fast as possible through the corners to ensure he had a sufficient gap over the more powerful cars - some with over twice the power than the Lotus - to fend them off before the end of Silverstone’s long straights.

On the final lap Dodds/Dodds, Spier and Gans/Wolfe drew alongside - with the cars three abreast into Stowe - but Hill kept his nerve, drove an inch-perfect final lap and swept home to a sensational overall victory. “On my goodness! I cannot believe I managed to hang on and win! That was crazy, I am so incredibly chuffed to have pulled that off - not sure how! - but I did it….

This is such an important meeting, to have not only won on my debut here, but beaten some of the very best cars and drivers in a straight fight, this means so very much. To have done it in front of the BRDC - I am in my final year as a ‘BRDC’ Rising Star - so hopefully I have shown my qualities to them once again…and to have Won for Richard Wheeler and for John Danby, Ross Curnow and all the JDR crew means the world! What I really hope is that the Historic racing community will have seen what I can do and I might get asked to race other cars in this superb world. I absolutely love it and just want to do as much as I possibly can” Hill’s immediate plans are to finalise plans for the balance of the Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship. And to celebrate a superb win!

Report provided by Simon Hill

Image courtesy of Jakob Ebrey photography