As the Simola Hillclimb’s 15th edition approaches (1-4 May 2025), all eyes are on the Single-Seater, Sports Car and Sports Prototype category, where precision and agility reign supreme on the serpentine 1,9 km ascent. While Modified Saloons may boast brute power, these nimble machines dominate through featherlight builds, aerodynamic finesse, and razor-sharp handling — proving speed isn’t just about horsepower.
Andre Bezuidenhout, a six-time champion between 2017 and 2023, remains the benchmark. His 34,161-second record, set in 2022 at an eye-watering 200,228 km/h average, still stands unbeaten. But last year’s twist saw rival Robert Wolk seize victory when Bezuidenhout’s Gould GR55B succumbed to engine gremlins. Wolk piloted a feisty 1989 Pilbeam MP58 — a vintage beast with a modern Nissan Indycar V8 heart — to a 37,133-second Class Finals win, trailing Bezuidenhout’s pace by nearly three seconds.
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This year, the rivalry intensifies. Wolk, armed with a newly acquired 2005 Gould GR55B from UK shores, aims to level the playing field. The car, mid-rebuild and powered by the same Nicholson McLaren V8 as Bezuidenhout’s machine, promises a seismic leap from his manual-shift Pilbeam.
“The Gould’s sequential gearbox, aerodynamics, and lighter frame will transform the game,” Wolk admits. Yet, time is tight: the WCT Engineering team, juggling their groundbreaking MSA4 series, races to assemble the Gould before May. “We’ll need to hit the ground running,” Wolk adds, “but I’m confident.”
Beyond the headline duel, the Investchem team’s Ian Schofield — last year’s runner-up in a Mygale SJ Formula Ford — faces Formula VW contenders Byron Mitchell and Allen Meyer in Class C2. Meanwhile, Class C6 features fan favourite Rui Campos, whose thunderous Shelby CanAm V8 clinched third overall in 2024, alongside Stefan Wintershoven’s roaring Corvette and Johan Bekker’s turbocharged Ariel Atom.
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A subplot stealing attention is the debut of Schofield’s MSA4 series cars. Three of these halo-equipped, turbocharged 1,0-litre VW-powered machines — driven by Klayden Cole Ensor-Smith, Simphiwe Mohlahlo, and veteran Rick Morris — will tackle Class C1 after their Kyalami championship opener in April. Designed to reignite grassroots single-seater racing, they blend safety upgrades with modern tech, heralding a new era for aspiring South African talents.
As engines roar and tyres screech up Simola Hill, the question lingers: Can Wolk’s last-minute Gould gamble dethrone Bezuidenhout? Or will the king of the climb extend his reign? With innovation, rivalry, and vintage grit on display, the 2025 showdown promises edge-of-seat drama—no superlatives needed.
Colin Windell for Colin-on-Cars in association with
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