Simola Hillclimb Day 1: TimesLIVE sets the pace in Class A1

The 2024 Simola Hillclimb is in full swing here at Knysna. While Friday belonged to the classic racing cars of motorsport's golden age, the King of The Hill competition for more modern machines started on Saturday morning with the first of four practice sessions.

After a quick drivers' briefing and customary photograph of all the drivers assembled at the start line, it was time to suit-up and see what my bright green, TimesLIVE-branded Suzuki Swift Sport could do up the fearsome 1.9km ascent to the plush Simola Golf Estate. 

Now just in case you need a quick refresh, Suzuki is one of the main sponsors of this epic motorsport event and as such entered three Swift Sports into Class A1: a battleground for standard road-going production cars (front- or rear-wheel drive) fitted with either a turbocharged or supercharged four-cylinder engine.

The other two drivers include the immensely experienced (and quick) Wesley Greybe – an advanced driving instructor by trade – and fellow motoring scribe Brendon Staniforth from Maroela Media. Completing the four-car field is a privately entered Swift Sport piloted by Giles Missing. 

Anyway, with my GoPro on and the traction control off, I rolled to the start and got ready for my first burn up the hill. After building up some revs I dumped the brake pedal and was surprised at how quickly the Swift Sport accelerated off the line. It puts the power down well with zero axle hop and sends you firing towards Corner 2 (a long, sweeping right-hander) at a rate of knots. From here on you're fighting the effects of gravity and are literally flat out all the way up to the finish line.

In this kind of environment the Swift Sport is the epitome of momentum car and as such you need to focus on being as smooth with the controls as possible and carrying as much pace as you can through corners. Be too aggressive with the steering inputs or lift off the gas too soon and you'll pay the price.

As I wasn't sure what the surface had in store, my first run was a bit cautious and I set a rather conservative time of 56.107. No great shakes when you consider Greybe ran a 54.395 at last year's event. Fortunately I found some pace over the next three sessions and in my fourth run managed a 54.534 – a real confidence booster.

The competition was fierce though, with Greybe 0.027 behind me. Staniforth, a Simola rookie, was also making ground with a 55.185. With practice over it was looking like Class A1 was going to be a nail-biter. 

After a quick lunch it was time to step things up a bit as afternoon qualifying kicked off. Now more accustomed to the Swift Sport and how it handled through the curvy bits, I put the hammer down in the first session and somehow managed to string together a 54.143. This was followed by a 54.250 and less impressive 54.602 as the road surface cooled and spots of rain started to fall (it always rains at Le Mans and it always rains at Simola).

This result puts my TimesLIVE machine at the top of the Class A1 standings as we head into the final day of the event. Greybe is currently second in class with a 54.471, followed by Staniforth who set a 55.395. This could all change tomorrow, however, as we have another three qualifying sessions in the morning before reaching the class finals in the afternoon.

The track is also going to be green as rain is belting down as I write this, washing away all the grip-enhancing rubber that's been built up over the last two days of competition.

Watch this space (or follow me on Instagram) for updates as and when they happen.