Simola Hillclimb
Back for the 14th year
KNYSNA - It's that time ime of the year again when one of Africa's premier remier sporting events, the Simola Hillclimb, climb, takes place. This year's event will take ake place from 2 to 5 May and it's the 14th time it has come around.
One of the most appealing ealing and fascinating aspects of Simola Hillclimb climb is the diverse range of cars competing, ng, and this is especially true of the Road-going Saloon Car and Supercar category gory at the Simola Hillclimb, b,
With a line-up featuring ing everything from hot hatchbacks to super saloons and top-end supercars, there truly is something for everyone at the Simola Hillclimb, which is widely considered South Africa's premier motoring and motorsport lifestyle event.
"The Road Car and Supercar category has always been popular, as s it comprises standard production oduction cars that everyone can relate to and aspire towards," says ays Geoff Goddard, sporting director ector for the Simola Hillclimb.
Iconic brand back ack
As one of the world's most iconic automotive brands,
Porsche has been exceptionally well represented by local circuit racer JP van der Walt, who has dominated the Road Car and Supercar category over the past three years in a series of 911 models. He will be back in action this year in the 2021 911 Turbo S that he powered to victory last year, and remains the man to beat.
"It's a bit of unfinished business for me, as last year the car was running in a 'safe fail' mode the whole weekend, which prevented me from going faster," Van der Walt says. "It was also damp last year, which I don't mind as the 911 Turbo S is very quick in wet conditions with its four-wheel drive system. But hopefully it will be dry this year so we can push for the new class record." The fastest time of 44,094 seconds is currently held by Reghard Roets, achieved in 2019 in a Nissan R-35 GT-R.
Van der Walt will also be competing for class A4 honours (for all-wheel drive forcefed machines up to six cylinders) against the likes of Feroz Ebrahim in a 2014 911 Turbo S, Graeme King in a 2019 Audi RS3, and the official BMW South Africa-entered M4 Competition xDrive driven by Christiano Verolini, head instructor for the BMW Driving Experience.
There's a trio of rear-wheel drive
Porsches in class A5, comprising rally ace Enzo Kuun's 2015 911 Carrera, Dayaan Padayachee in a 2014 Cayman GTS and Simola Hillclimb regular Sean Mackay in his 2000 911 GT3.
Class A6 for naturally aspirated eightcylinder engines and above will be hotly contested by Simola Hillclimb regular Gordon Nicholson in his 2017 Audi R8 V10 Plus, a 2012 Ferrari 458 driven by former rally driver Jon Williams, Farhaad Ebrahim's 2020 Toyota Supra and Shiraz Bawa's revered 2005 BMW M5.
Garth Mackintosh will once again be a leading contender for the class A7 title (eight-cylinder and above turbocharged/ supercharged cars) as well as the overall King of the Hill battle in his rapid 2017 McLaren 720s. He will be up against a formidable contingent of supercharged Mustang Super Snakes from Shelby South Africa / Lindenberg Racing, including Paige Lindenberg, James Temple, Deon Smit, Anton Pommersheim and Joshua O'Callaghan. Masterdrive's Eugene Herbert will also be in contention in a supercharged Mustang.
Class A3 for two-wheel drive turbocharged/ supercharged cars up to six cylinders will feature Piet Potgieter's 2017 Alfa Romeo
Giulia Quadrifoglio, while A2 (four-cylinder all-wheel drive) incorporates Nico Nel in his privately entered 2021 BMW M135i xDrive.
The battle of the Swift Sports will resume in class A1, with three entries from Suzuki Auto South Africa, that remains a Tier One sponsor for the 2024 Simola Hillclimb. Advanced driving instructor Wesley Greybe will be joined by motoring journalists Thomas Falkiner ( Sunday Times) and Brendon Staniforth ( Maroela Media) in a trio of 2023 models, along with the privately entered 2020 model driven by Giles Missing.
New energy vehicles
"What has been fascinating in recent years
is the growing number of electric and hybrid vehicles being entered, reflecting the trends within the new car market. We will see more of these 'new energy vehicles' in 2024 thanks to some exciting new cars from BMW and Mercedes-Benz that will make their South African debut at the Simola Hillclimb this year," Goddard says.
More information and online ticket sales are available on the Simola Hillclimb website: www.simolahillclimb.com
To find out more about this year's line-up of cars and drivers, read the story online at www. knysnaplettherald.com