- Suzuki joins the prestigious occasion as Tier A single sponsor
- Numerous Suzuki-run racers also to compete
- Spectators to return for the to start with time since 2019
Approximated reading time: 5 minutes.
Why did the Suzuki race up the hill? Since it was there!
This coming weekend, Suzuki Auto South Africa, two budding racing motorists and two inventory Suzuki Swift Sporting activities will tackle the famed hill for the 2022 Simola Hill
Climb in Knysna. Suzuki will also help the Hill Climb as a Tier Just one sponsor.
Suzuki has entered the two Swift Sport versions – an auto and a guide model – in Course A1 for road-going turbo- or supercharged sports automobiles. The motor vehicles will be piloted by journalist Reuben van Niekerk and precision driver and instructor, Wesley Greybe.
“Last year, we entered the Simola Hillclimb for the initially time and supported the fleet of Suzuki-run race autos in the Vintage Auto Friday and King of the Hill
shootout. This yr, we up our support as a Tier Just one sponsor and enter our own Swift Activity to exhibit that you can have double the enjoyment for fifty percent the rate in the class for regular race automobiles,” says Brendon Carpenter, Brand name Advertising and marketing Supervisor for Suzuki Car South Africa.
Suzuki is no stranger to hill climbs. Monster Tajima is a legend in racing circles for his file-breaking races up Pikes Peak with modified race cars these as the
Escudo (Vitara) Pikes Peak and the SX4 Pikes Peak Distinctive. To this day, the Suzuki Hillclimb race cars and trucks are some of the most preferred autos in the Gran Turismo
racing game.
“The Simola Hillclimb is certainly one particular of the most prestigious racing events on the South African calendar and it has normally been a bucket checklist product for us.
“We are really very pleased of the private hill-climb groups that are run by Suzuki engines, and we consider our involvement is a great in shape for the Suzuki manufacturer, as a
system to showcase the spirit, enthusiasm and general performance of Suzuki as a lifestyle manufacturer,” states Carpenter.
Reuben and Wez driving the wheel
Racing for Suzuki in a 2022 Suzuki Swift Sport Automobile is Reuben van Niekerk, a experienced motoring journalist with about 18 years’ expertise. He is the editor of
Automobil magazine.
Van Niekerk is an avid motorsport lover and has competed in many formulas on two and 4 wheels, such as the Krugersdorp Hillclimb. He is also a frequent reporter on motorsport gatherings for a variety of publications and is an avid classic car or truck supporter.
Van Niekerk is no stranger to competitive sports and spends his spare time on his mountain bicycle. In 2014, he was the very first amputee to complete the gruelling Absa Cape Epic, which is regarded as the hardest mountain bike stage race in the environment.
He went on to complete this function a total of 5 moments and in the system grew to become the initially individual with any disability to join the Amabubesi club for a few occasions finishers.
“I am actually wanting forward to tackling the Simola Hillclimb in Suzuki’s Swift Activity. I experience that the mix of entrance wheel push, very low body weight and a turbocharged
motor will do the job very perfectly at this party, and it is the great option to showcase what this hot hatch can actually do,” says Van Niekerk.
“Just like a time demo cycling event, the Simola Hillclimb places driver and auto versus the clock with nowhere to cover and is an celebration that requires the very best from equally man and device in order to triumph.”
Van Niekerk’s greatest level of competition in Class A1 will occur from Wesley Greybe in the matching Suzuki Swift Sport manual.
Greybe, affectionately recognised as Wez, has usually had his eye established on a specialist racing vocation and has competed in motorcycle and go-kart racing. He continue to races in the F400 and SSS karting series and operates closely with various racing teams on their race cars.
In his profession as Superior Driver coach, Wez has labored all through Africa and the globe. 1 of the highlights of this element of his motoring vocation has been doing work
as a precision driver for James May, Jeremy Clarkson and Richard Hammond in the 1st year of The Grand Tour.
Greybe is no stranger to Simola as he was the de facto demonstration driver at earlier gatherings. Right here he took superstars, these kinds of as a few of Springbok rugby
players up the hill in between race heats.
“It was a wonderful jol to go up the hill with travellers and to listen to them scream! Now I will have an prospect to make the crowds scream as we clearly show them how
swift the Swift Activity is on the tight and twisty Simola Hill,” says Greybe.
Suzuki Ability on show
As a Tier One particular sponsor, Suzuki will host the burnout zone, where competition generate massive clouds of white smoke as they warm up their tyres and entertain the
crowd, in advance of launching up the hill.
It is truly worth noting that Simola will reopen its gates for spectators this year, thanks in no compact part to the financial support of sponsors like Suzuki Auto.
Between the many opponents that will entertain the crowds are a number of Suzukipowered competition. They include Megan Verlaque and Ashley Haigh-Smith who
will race up the hill in two comparable Speedcar tubular-framed racing cars and trucks. Equally are
run by 600cc Suzuki bike engines.
Devon Robertson will also return to compete for the King of the Hill trophy with his Suzuki Hayabusa-driven Radical SR1.
Past calendar year, Robertson shocked the other rivals by ending in the Leading 10 towards a number of a lot much more highly effective racing cars. He set a ultimate time of 41.075
seconds – the fifth fastest general – up the hill.
Spectators welcome!
States Carpenter: “We are very thrilled to welcome again the spectators to the Simola Hill.
“For Suzuki, our participation in the 2022 Simola Hillclimb is really symbolic as it resonates with our ethos of bringing motoring enthusiasm to the masses. Irrespective of whether this
is by means of our cars and trucks, these kinds of as the true-blue Jimny 4×4 or the thrilling Swift Sport for much less than R400 000, or by sponsoring the Simola Hillclimb to assistance the organisers
welcome spectators again to the event for the first time given that 2019.”
Suzuki and motorsport admirers can abide by the action on Suzuki’s social media channels and on YouTube, where the organisers will broadcast a dwell feed of the
occasion.
