Johannesburg, 13th September 2019
On Friday (21st September), for the first time in seven years, the Mobil 1 V8 Supercars return to the coastal city of Port Elizabeth and it’s Aldo Scribante Racetrack.
After four rounds at the Gauteng and Freestate altitude, the 15 V8’s will have plenty of extra air to breath, and along with it some additional horsepower at their disposal. Although the Aldo Scribante Racetrack is almost the same length as their home ground track of Zwartkops Raceway, it’s far from an easy proposition for the racers. The long straight and elevated corners, combined with the temperamental windy conditions, could be in favour of the more seasoned V8 drivers.
The V8’s haven’t yet had the chance to race the new track surface, and the previously abrasive asphalt is now considered one of the best surfaces in the country.
Mackie Adlem heads to the penultimate round of the championship with a 24 point lead over Terry Wilford. It is the biggest lead anyone has had thus far in the season, and with two races to go Mackie has his sight set to retain his V8 championship crown. Wilford, who had a few difficult heats, is back on the rise and will not go down without a fight. Franco Di Matteo, third in the standings, is still in contention of the championship with 29 points adrift from Adlem. With points for pole position, fastest lap and overall top-3, the top three will undoubtedly give it their all to collect as many points as possible. “It is too early to go for a safe strategy”, Mackie explains. Both Terry and Franco are seasoned racers and they will push it to the limit to carry their title chances to the final round at Zwartkops raceway.
Thomas Reib and JP Nortje, who had a pointless round 4 at the Festival of Motoring, have now lost sight of the championship leader and only stand a mathematical chance on clinching the title.
The V8’s popularity is on the rise this whole season, with emphasising proof that Johan van der Westhuizen and Bevan Schartz will return to the series at Aldo Scribante. “It’s difficult to resist a standing V8 and we see more and more former competitors returning to the championship”, Mobil 1 V8 Supercar chairman Terry Wilford explains. “It’s a trend that will most probably carry on into the future.”
The Mobil 1 V8’s will have their traditional three practice sessions on Friday, and on Saturday (22nd September) the drivers have a morning qualifying and two 12 laps races. Tickets for Saturday are available at the gate at R 80. (Children under 12 have free entrance)
Live updates start from Thursday (20th September) at: www.facebook.com/mobil1v8supercars