Jake Hill was back racing at the Silverstone Festival for the first time since 2019, and it was an excellent weekend that he had as well.
Having raced in four different cars in four different events across the weekend, it culminated in a double podium for the 2024 British Touring Car Champion.
Hill and Sowter teamed up in the Masters Endurance Legends in a Superformance-prepared 2012 Ferrari 458 GT3 car, as well as the Pre 1966 Transatlantic Touring Car Trophy, in a 1965 Ford Mustang, also prepared by Superformance, and raced with Kane Tilley in Era Motorsport’s Porsche 997GT3 in the GT3 Legends event, then finally with Ric Wood in Ric’s Nissan Skyline R32 GT-R in the Historic Touring Car Challenge.
Qualifying for all four events took place on Friday, firstly in the Nissan Skyline where Ric Wood took the car out, putting it P8 before Hill took over, immediately setting fastest sector times on his first flying lap before a puncture ended his session early.
Next up was the GT3 legends, driving the Porsche for the first time and qualifying P9, before a spectacular effort in the Masters Endurance Legends put the Ferrari 458 GT3 P2 in class, with the final session for the Ford Mustang resulting in P4 on the mammoth 45 car grid.
On Saturday Kane Tilley – in his first-ever race in a GT3 car, and first in a car more modern than a 1962 Lotus Elite – did a stirling job in the opening part of the 18 lap GT3 Legends race, with Hill taking over and putting in rapid lap times as the pair took a solid finish in P23.
“Kane did a great job in his first ever-GT3 race, and for me it was lovely racing a Porsche GT3 for the first time – a big thanks to Era Motorsport for the opportunity”
Next was the 30 minute Masters Endurance Legends race, with Sowter starting and handing the car to Hill in P3, Hill then taking a charging P2 in class in the Superformance Ferrari 488GT3.
“Great fun, and really pleased to get a podium with Colin in his amazing Ferrari – such a lovely car to race”
Later on Saturday Colin Sowter took his distinctive Orange and Black 1965 Ford Mustang into battle for the 45 minute race and scrapping hard – so much so the car bore a huge dent in the passenger door post-race – and brought the car in to hand over to Hill in P15, with the pair benefitting from a long Safety Car period which closed the pack up and left a two lap blast to the finish.
Now running P8 but in striking distance of the leaders, Hill immediately passed the Lotus Cortina of Jake Giddings, then quickly dispatched the Mustang of Davison, and began chasing down BTCC rival Tom Ingram’s Mustang.
In a beautifully timed move, Hill went round the outside of Ingram, then nipped across ahead of Tom Sharp and ran side by side with Nigel Greensall, before out-braking his bright blue Mustang into Brooklands.
Now P3 Hill charged after the leading pair of former BTCC ace Sam Tordoff and Matt Johnson, sliding spectacularly out of the final turn and crossing the line just 0.791 seconds behind Tordoff.
“That was just fantastic! Colin did a brilliant job, and then those last couple of laps were frantic – a proper Historic Touring Car battle! So chuffed to get a podium with Colin, another lap we might have even Won it! Huge thanks to Colin, Lewis, Chris, Steve and Angela for an amazing job”
Hill’s final race on Sunday morning saw Ric Wood start in the Nissan Skyline, running a strong pace and gradually working his way into the top three, and eventually the lead before handling over to Hill still in the lead at the half-way point of the 50 minute race.
Hill quickly began setting fast laps – fastest lap in class and only a few hundredths of a second from Fastest Lap overall – and now charging towards the leaders when an overheating issue stopped the distinctive blue machine suddenly.
“Such a shame, the car was lots of fun to drive – and we were looking good to challenge for a podium, and maybe a Win. Thanks to Ric and the team for another great experience in one of my favourite cars”
Hill immediately set off from Silverstone en route to Gatwick Airport, flying to Portimao in Portugal to test the Ferrari 296GT3 he will share with Dwight Merriman, Kyle Tilley, Ryan Dalziel and Oliver Bryant in the Barcelona 24 Hours next month, then returns to battle in the BTCC at Donington Park next weekend.
“Portimao in the Ferrari will be amazing, and of course I can’t wait to get back on board my Laser Tools Racing with MB Motorsport BMW 330i M-Sport after taking two Wins last time out at Knockhill. I love Donington Park so hopefully we can continue our progress there”
Image courtesy of Jakob Ebrey Photography