It’s Simola Hillclimb soon
It's that time of the year again when one of Africa's premier sporting events, the Simola Hillclimb, takes place. This year's event will take place from 2 to 5 May and it's the 14th time it has come around.
One of the most appealing and fascinating aspects of Simola Hillclimb is the diverse range of cars competing, and this is especially true of the Road-going Saloon Car and Supercar category at the Simola Hillclimb,
With a line-up featuring everything from hot hatchbacks to super saloons and topend 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 it comprises standard production cars that everyone can relate to and aspire towards," says Geoff Goddard, sporting director for the Simola Hillclimb.
Porsche has been exceptionally well represented by local circuit racer JP van der Walt.
Iconic brand back
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.
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.