Suzuki Swift Sport takes on the Simola Hill

• Suzuki joins the prestigious party as Tier A single sponsor
• A number of Suzuki-driven racers also to contend
• Spectators to return for the initially time due to the fact 2019

Believed reading time: 5 minutes.

Why did the Suzuki race up the hill? Because it was there!

This coming weekend, Suzuki Car South Africa, two budding racing motorists and two inventory Suzuki Swift Athletics will tackle the famed hill for the 2022 Simola Hill
Climb in Knysna. Suzuki will also assistance the Hill Climb as a Tier A single sponsor.

Suzuki has entered the two Swift Activity products – an auto and a manual variation – in Class A1 for street-likely turbo- or supercharged athletics cars. The motor vehicles will be piloted by journalist Reuben van Niekerk and precision driver and instructor, Wesley Greybe.

“Last calendar year, we entered the Simola Hillclimb for the very first time and supported the fleet of Suzuki-run race vehicles in the Basic Auto Friday and King of the Hill
shootout. This year, we up our support as a Tier One particular sponsor and enter our own Swift Sport to exhibit that you can have double the enjoyment for fifty percent the price in the class for typical race autos,” suggests Brendon Carpenter, Manufacturer Marketing Manager for Suzuki Auto South Africa.

Suzuki is no stranger to hill climbs. Monster Tajima is a legend in racing circles for his history-breaking races up Pikes Peak with modified race autos this kind of as the
Escudo (Vitara) Pikes Peak and the SX4 Pikes Peak Unique. To this working day, the Suzuki Hillclimb race automobiles are some of the most popular vehicles in the Gran Turismo
racing sport.

“The Simola Hillclimb is definitely just one of the most prestigious racing functions on the South African calendar and it has often been a bucket record product for us.

“We are incredibly very pleased of the non-public hill-climb teams that are driven by Suzuki engines, and we consider our involvement is a fantastic healthy for the Suzuki model, as a
platform to showcase the spirit, enthusiasm and functionality of Suzuki as a way of life brand,” states Carpenter.

Reuben and Wez at the rear of the wheel

Racing for Suzuki in a 2022 Suzuki Swift Activity Vehicle is Reuben van Niekerk, a professional motoring journalist with more than 18 years’ practical experience. He is the editor of
Automobil journal.

Van Niekerk is an avid motorsport supporter and has competed in a number of formulas on two and 4 wheels, which include the Krugersdorp Hillclimb. He is also a common reporter on motorsport gatherings for different publications and is an avid classic car or truck enthusiast.

Van Niekerk is no stranger to competitive athletics and spends his spare time on his mountain bike. In 2014, he was the to start with amputee to finish the gruelling Absa Cape Epic, which is regarded as the hardest mountain bike phase race in the globe.

He went on to complete this function a whole of 5 moments and in the procedure grew to become the to start with individual with any disability to be part of the Amabubesi club for a few situations finishers.

“I am actually wanting forward to tackling the Simola Hillclimb in Suzuki’s Swift Activity. I feel that the combination of front wheel generate, very low pounds and a turbocharged
engine will do the job really nicely at this event, and it is the excellent possibility to showcase what this incredibly hot hatch can actually do,” says Van Niekerk.

“Just like a time trial cycling occasion, the Simola Hillclimb places driver and motor vehicle against the clock with nowhere to cover and is an event that necessitates the most effective from the two man and equipment in purchase to do well.”

Van Niekerk’s most significant levels of competition in Class A1 will arrive from Wesley Greybe in the matching Suzuki Swift Sport guide.

Greybe, affectionately identified as Wez, has often had his eye established on a experienced racing vocation and has competed in motorbike and go-kart racing. He even now races in the F400 and SSS karting sequence and operates intently with several racing teams on their race cars.

In his occupation as Innovative Driver trainer, Wez has labored throughout Africa and the entire world. One of the highlights of this element of his motoring profession has been doing work
as a precision driver for James May perhaps, Jeremy Clarkson and Richard Hammond in the initial time of The Grand Tour.

Greybe is no stranger to Simola as he was the de facto demonstration driver at previous activities. Listed here he took celebrities, these types of as a pair of Springbok rugby
players up the hill in between race heats.

“It was a fantastic jol to go up the hill with passengers and to listen to them scream! Now I will have an prospect to make the crowds scream as we display them how
swift the Swift Sport is on the tight and twisty Simola Hill,” suggests Greybe.

Suzuki Energy on display

As a Tier 1 sponsor, Suzuki will host the burnout zone, the place competitors create massive clouds of white smoke as they warm up their tyres and entertain the
crowd, right before launching up the hill.

It is value noting that Simola will reopen its gates for spectators this 12 months, thanks in no small section to the financial help of sponsors like Suzuki Vehicle.

Amongst the many competitors that will entertain the crowds are numerous Suzukipowered competitors. They involve Megan Verlaque and Ashley Haigh-Smith who
will race up the hill in two identical Speedcar tubular-framed racing automobiles. Both equally are
driven by 600cc Suzuki motorbike engines.

Devon Robertson will also return to compete for the King of the Hill trophy with his Suzuki Hayabusa-powered Radical SR1.

Last year, Robertson surprised the other competition by finishing in the Leading 10 towards a selection of significantly more effective racing cars and trucks. He established a ultimate time of 41.075
seconds – the fifth fastest in general – up the hill.

Spectators welcome!

Says Carpenter: “We are very thrilled to welcome back again the spectators to the Simola Hill.

“For Suzuki, our participation in the 2022 Simola Hillclimb is extremely symbolic as it resonates with our ethos of bringing motoring enthusiasm to the masses. Whether or not this
is by means of our automobiles, this kind of as the accurate-blue Jimny 4×4 or the thrilling Swift Sport for less than R400 000, or by sponsoring the Simola Hillclimb to support the organisers
welcome spectators back again to the party for the to start with time considering that 2019.”

Suzuki and motorsport lovers can adhere to the action on Suzuki’s social media channels and on YouTube, where the organisers will broadcast a live feed of the
occasion.