RECORD-BREAKING SIMOLA HILLCLIMB HONOURS THE MEMORY OF PIETER JOUBERT
The fifteenth running of Knysna’s iconic Simola Hillclimb was marred by the first fatality in the history of the event – but also highlighted the remarkable camaraderie and resilience of the South African motorsport family.
Although Joubert’s brothers Charl and Dawie withdrew from the competition after the accident, they insisted that the event go ahead. While the loss of Joubert cast a shadow over the weekend, it’s a safe bet that he would have approved of the action continuing. The majority of spectators stayed until the end, and the overall tone became one of respect and remembrance, without detracting from the spectacle and competitiveness of the Simola Hillclimb. The Sunday afternoon session featured a blistering display with a number of longstanding records falling.
Motul partners were present in strength, and fully entered into the spirit of the weekend. Supplied with some of Motul’s popular high-end products including RBF 700, Mocool, the Motul 300V range of synthetic racing lubricants and Motul synthetic ester-based transmission fluids, the following teams and drivers thrilled fans throughout the weekend:
Border Towing Team from East London; Jared Roussow; Reggie Roets from BB Motorsport (who finished second in the Modified Saloon Car category, just 1.280 seconds off the pace set by record-breaking King of the Hill winner, Pieter Zeelie); Andre and Jeandre Bezuidenhout; the VW Motorsport team; Piet Potgieter; and Clinton Laurens. Previous record-holder Franco Scribante (like Roets, driving a Nissan GTR R35) finished in fourth place – along with Zeelie, Roets and third-placed Johan Kristofferson, who set a new EV record, he was one of only four drivers to break the 40-second barrier.
“Once again Simola was our highlight of the motorsport calendar. It was bittersweet unfortunately with the passing of friend and well-known competitor Pieter Joubert, but we decided to continue racing in his honour and the team's relentless work was rewarded with a win in our class and a second overall in the King of the Hill shootout,” reflected Reggie Roets, speaking after the event. “Our trusty Motul-powered Nissan GTR R35, ‘Armageddon’, performed flawlessly all weekend and we will massage even more speed from her for next year’s edition of the Simola Hillclimb,” he added.
“Motul is proud to have supported some of the leading Simola contenders for several years now, through every high and low, and sharing in every breakthrough and setback. These long-standing partnerships reflect our loyalty, commitment, and passion for being a part of their journey,” commented Mercia Jansen, Motul’s General Manager for Southern and Eastern Africa. “We were devastated by the loss of Pieter Joubert, and deeply moved by the way the entire Simola community rallied around his family, friends and team – the ultimate example of the spirit of Simola at work,” she added.
For the full set of final results from the 15th edition of the Simola Hillclimb, go to: https://www.speedfestival.co.za/results/2025-results-king-of-the-hill/
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