The 2026 Simola Hillclimb once again underlined its status as one of South Africa’s leading motorsport and lifestyle events, drawing large crowds to Knysna for a weekend that blended high performance machinery with a distinctive, accessible atmosphere.
Now in its sixteenth year, the event has grown beyond a pure competition into a showcase of engineering, driver skill and fan engagement, with competitors and spectators alike benefiting from favourable weather and a well organised programme.
At the centre of the weekend were the King of the Hill titles, awarded across the event’s three main categories. Robert Wolk emerged as the standout in the Single Seater, Sports Car and Prototype category, securing his second title with a best run of 35.024 seconds in the final shootout. Driving the Gould GR55, he demonstrated consistent pace throughout the weekend, even if he narrowly missed his personal target of breaking the 35 second barrier.
In the Modified Saloon Car category, Pieter Zeelie further cemented his reputation as one of the event’s most successful competitors. His victory marked a second consecutive win and a third overall, achieved in a highly developed Toyota MR2. Although he fell just short of his own class record set the previous year, his winning time of 37.216 seconds reflected the steady evolution of the car.
The Road Car and Supercar category highlighted how modern production vehicles are increasingly capable of delivering performance close to that of dedicated race machinery. Clint Weston claimed back to back titles in a Mercedes AMG GT 63 S E Performance, setting a new class record of 42.527 seconds. Notably, the car remained in standard production specification, underscoring the advances in road car engineering.
The seventeenth edition, scheduled for late April to early May 2027, is expected to build on this foundation, further enhancing the Hillclimb’s reputation as a key fixture on South Africa’s motorsport calendar.
The 2026 Simola Hillclimb individual class winners were:
Road Cars and Supercars:
Modified Saloon Cars:
Single Seaters, Sports Cars & Sports Prototypes:
The 17th edition of the Simola Hillclimb will take place from 29 April to 2 May 2027. For more information and ticket sales, visit the website: www.simolahillclimb.com
South Africa’s fast evolving automotive industry faces an urgent challenge in ensuring technical aftersales skills keep pace with increasingly advanced vehicle technology.
South Africa’s electric vehicle (EV) market is at a pivotal moment. Progress has been made in manufacturing, registrations, and charging infrastructure, but the pace and scale of adoption will depend on decisive policy choices and coordinated industry action.
TruckStore, the used-vehicle division of Daimler Truck Southern Africa, has opened a new facility on the West Rand, strengthening its presence in one of Gauteng’s busiest used-truck corridors.
Advertisement
Advertisement
I have bad reflexes. I was once run over by a car being pushed by two guys
Woody Allen
South Africa’s fast evolving automotive industry faces an urgent challenge in ensuring technical aftersales skills keep pace with increasingly advanced vehicle technology.
Isuzu Motors South Africa has begun distributing the latest D-Max from its Gqeberha plant to dealerships across the country, with further shipments planned for more than 30 African markets.
Stellantis is accelerating its push into software defined vehicles through an expanded partnership with Qualcomm Technologies that will bring more advanced driver assistance, connectivity and in car digital systems to its next generation vehicles.
