The 14th edition of the iconic Simola Hillclimb will take place over the first weekend in May (May 2nd – 5th). The twelve months since the rainy yet thrilling 2023 edition have flown by like Andre Bezuidenhout’s record-holding Gould GR55, and once again the attention of the country’s motorsports fans will be turning to a steep hill outside Knysna.
The 1.9km course has been the setting for some epic duels in recent years, and fans can expect more of the same as challengers attempt to dethrone Bezuidenhout after his six successive Simola titles. Last year saw a great crowd (despite the weather) and new attractions this year seem certain to swell those numbers.
Contenders powered by Motul at this year’s event will include defending King of the Hill Andre Bezuidenhout, Franco Scribante (Scuderia Scribante) and BB Racing’s Reggie Roets, as well as Farhad Ebrahim (The Car Collector) and Gary Martins (Grease Monkey), who will all pit their vehicles and skills against the demanding Simola gradients.
Graeme Nathan of VW Motorsport will also be running Motul’s performance products including Motul 300V, as will Border Towing, who will be represented by the father-and-sons team of Wade, Jody and Martin van Zimmerman. They will be lining up alongside Aldo and Silvio Scribante, also of Scuderia Scribante.
“As the defending Simola Hillclimb champion, I’m conscious that I have a target on my back,” joked Andre Bezuidenhout. ”After testing the car at Killarney this week I am confident with the early performance, albeit that I know that it is becoming increasingly difficult to keep ahead of my competitors. My all-time lap record (set in 2022) could be in danger if the rains stay away,” he added.
“Last year I arguably pushed a little too hard and ended up sliding wide on the S-bends – I managed to save it, but that cost me vital time,” admitted Reghard ‘Reggie’ Roets as he reflected on Simola 2023. “I’m certainly ready to fight for the title again this year,” he added.
As part of the festivities during the weekend, renowned ‘King of Drift’ and Motul Athlete, Jim McFarlane (XS Promotions), will be exchanging his more usual arenas for the steep slopes of Simola as he performs demo drifting rides on the course – the perfect prelude to the competition.
“We’re delighted to continue our close association with competitors at the Simola Hillclimb Speed Festival,” commented Mercia Jansen, Motul General Manager for Southern and Eastern Africa. “We are looking forward to cheering on our partners, and seeing how our flagship racing engine lubricant, Motul 300V, performs.
Motul has a full range of exceptional performance fluids including RBF 700 brake fluid and various gear oils, all formulated for high-performance vehicles and tuned engines in severe driving conditions. Simola is the perfect testing ground to showcase these products,” she added.
CLICK HERE to submit your press release to MyPR.co.za.
Author: Adilia Joubert from Listen Up on behalf of Motul.
Moonflower
To bear witness to all the unnecessary suffering on the planet and make ourselves available to service – whatever that means for each of us. We go deep in our personal relationships in America, but we need to go deep in our public relationships as well. – Marianne Williamson
Undergrad
In the 1930s, Public Relations was more popular than marketing. In fact, a magazine called “Public Relations” featured an organizational chart in which the PR team reported directly to the CEO and Chairman while the marketing department was all the way down at the bottom. PR was simply a bigger industry during that time. Remember: That was the same decade as The Great Depression. Companies were more interested in ensuring they built trust in communities than trying to market and sell a product to them.
Soda Delirium
“When customers feel like you value them — like they’re truly special to you — they’ll keep coming back.” ~ Oscar Auliq-Ice, Happy Customers