Franco Scribante has unfinished business to attend to in his radical GT-R.
Image: Supplied
The 15th edition of the Simola Hillclimb kicks off from Friday, May 2, with an epic collection of machinery powering up the hill, from classics to supercars and even budget-priced pocket rockets.
It all centres around a short, but challenging and twisty, 1.9km hill course that leads up to Simola lodge, and this year organisers are again expecting record crowds at the event.
Proceedings kick off with Classic Car Friday, with the “Golden Oldies” competing on the hill and then dazzling onlookers at the nearby Knysna Waterfront with a parade.
Saturday and Sunday see the headline King of the Hill battle resume.
Among the fierce competitors is Franco Scribante, whose radical multi-winged 2019 Nissan R35 GT-R, affectionately known as 'The Sheriff', is rumoured to unleash an astonishing 1,175kW. Scribante will be aiming to reclaim his dominance after last year's heartbreak that saw him suffer gearbox issues during his final qualifying run, halting his quest for a sixth consecutive win.
Scribante will face a fierce challenge from his fellow competitor, Reghard Roets, who will be piloting the BB Motorsport Nissan R35 GT-R, dubbed ‘Armageddon’.
But these two are not the only ones vying for the crown. Last year's victor, Dawie Joubert, showcased his prowess in a lightweight rear-wheel drive Ferrari 488-powered Lotus Exige, finishing with a remarkable time of 38.405 seconds.
Joining the fray will be other formidable contenders, including Pieter Zeelie, the 2021 champion in a Toyota MR2 Super GT, and Charl Joubert, who made waves in his Honda V6-powered Lotus Elise.
Among other highlights, Wade van Zummeren transitions from his daring race in a rear-wheel drive Nissan R34 GT-R to the four-wheel drive category with a similar model, aiming for success in class B5.
In a bid to accommodate increasingly popular tuned but street-legal vehicles, the modified street car class B10 returns, featuring the renowned Farouk Dangor in a 2001 Nissan R34 GT-R, alongside Giovanni Fantin in a 2018 Audi RS3 and Martin van Zummeren in a 1997 R33 GT-R.
Johan Kristoffersson and his all-electric Rallycross Polo.
Image: Supplied
Swedish World Rallycross champion Johan Kristoffersson will also be making an appearance, behind the wheel of his championship-winning, all-electric Volkswagen Polo RX1e.
The Polo RX1e will be the only vehicle competing in class B8 for electric and alternative energy vehicles, but Kristoffersson will be up against a bevvy of established Modified Saloon Car heavy-hitters and previous winners as the event builds up to the all-or-nothing Top 10 Shootout on Sunday afternoon.
Suzuki Auto South Africa is also out in full force at this year’s event, returning as a Tier One OEM sponsor and fielding an exciting trio of media-driven vehicles, out to prove that affordable vehicles can also excite crowds and drivers at a high-profile event such as this.
“We are thrilled to make another return to the Simola Hillclimb,” says Brendon Carpenter, Brand Marketing Manager of Suzuki Auto South Africa.
"It’s an incredible competition and one that allows the public to get up close and personal with an impressive array of cars and drivers.
Suzuki will once again champion affordable racing.
Image: Supplied
"Although the headlines are usually dominated by the mega powerful – not to mention mega expensive – machinery purpose-built for the event, Suzuki is here to demonstrate that you don’t need wads of disposable income and hundreds of kilowatts to take part in what is arguably one of the finest fixtures on the motorsport calendar.”
Suzuki’s 2025 campaign will see motoring journalist Jeanette Kok-Kritzinger take to the wheel of a Suzuki Swift Sport, while a new-generation Swift 1.2 GLX will be piloted by All Things Motoring TV Presenter Ernest Page, and AutoTrader’s Sean Nurse, who is no stranger to racing, will be behind the wheel of a Suzuki Jimny GLX 3-door.
This is truly a motorsport event for all types of cars and enthusiasts, and the expected crowd of 20,000 or so spectators will surely not be disappointed.
IOL