- Da Fonseca goes flat-out to secure King of the Swifts honours
- Middleton delivers consistent pace to claim second in tight Swift battle
- Lukhele finds breakthrough pace, dipping into the 1:05s
- Masethe’s weekend cut short after dramatic Qualifying 5 incident
Clear skies and warm conditions greeted competitors on the final day of the 2026 Simola Hillclimb, setting the stage for a flat-out showdown in the King of the Swifts contest.
With the field finely poised for the final qualifying sessions, it was all to play for as the four Suzuki Swift drivers completed their decisive runs up the 1.9 km Simola Hill.
At the front, Sam Da Fonseca emerged as the benchmark, delivering a confident and committed performance when it mattered most. Having steadily built pace throughout qualifying, Da Fonseca approached the final day with clarity of purpose – and no intention of holding back.
“Apparently, I have the record now in Swifts, eh? And they just told us that there was oil on the track. What do you mean? Oil on the track? Be careful, me, Sam. Hell no! My foot is through the floor, guys,” he said after his run.
With Class A1 – which is open to standard, two-wheel-drive production cars with four-cylinder engines that include turbo or super chargers – encompassing cars with significantly more power, the Swifts were unable to crack into the Top 10 for the Class Finals.
“I’m not worried about the class finals, to be honest. I’m here for myself and for all automotive content creators out there. I feel like we often get misjudged, and I’m proving that we can do it. When the going gets tough, we can get tougher.”
In what was his first real experience of competitive hillclimbing, Da Fonseca’s performance carried a deeper personal significance.
“I came here not expecting much, especially from myself in terms of a racing performance. I’ve never done this. The most I’ve ever done is go-karting. But I think this proves that I can do it. For the little boy inside of me, I feel like I’m making my dream come true.”
Avon Middleton, meanwhile, provided a consistent and determined challenge throughout the weekend, steadily improving his pace and extracting more from the car with each run. While ultimately falling just short of the top spot, Middleton reflected positively on both his performance and the overall experience.
“It’s been a rollercoaster weekend – lots of excitement, lots of adrenaline. You go up, you come down, then it builds again. Anything with adrenaline is fun, and that’s why we’re here,” he said.
“Seemingly I’ve come second in the group, which is not where I wanted to be, so there’s a bit of disappointment. But I found three seconds over the course of the weekend, and a second today, so I’m really happy with my own performance.”
Middleton was also quick to acknowledge Da Fonseca’s pace.
“I must congratulate Sam – he’s been on it all weekend. I’m blaming it on him being 20 kilos lighter than me, that’s my official excuse, and I’m sticking to it,” he joked.
Beyond the competitive aspect, Middleton highlighted the resilience and efficiency of the Suzuki Swift platform.
“My theme for the week is the little car that can. It’s done around ten runs up the hill, flat out, and I’m still seeing 5.6 litres per 100 kilometres. That says everything.”
For Yolanda ‘Girlie’ Lukhele, the weekend was defined by progression and growing confidence. Having chipped away at her times throughout qualifying, she delivered one of her strongest runs on the final day, breaking through a key personal barrier.
“It’s been an amazing experience. I’m so sad that it’s coming to an end, but I’ve had a great time. The energy has been incredible, and I’m just so grateful for the opportunity,” she said.
The highlight for me was breaking into the 1:05s and going up that hill full speed – not lifting, just committing. That was the best part.”
Her connection with the car was evident, as she praised its consistency and capability over the course of the event.
“The car has been amazing. She’s done a great job all weekend. I can’t believe it’s over.”
Ziphorah Masethe’s weekend, meanwhile, came to a premature end during Qualifying 5, when an off-track excursion resulted in minor damage that prevented her from continuing. Despite the setback, her experience encapsulated both the intensity of the Simola Hillclimb and the confidence inspired by the car.
“It was super scary. Coming out of that last corner, flat out, I just ran out of talent a bit. Next thing I’m trying to stabilise the car and we hit the embankment. I honestly thought we might roll, but we didn’t,” she said.
“The car handled really well. It’s not even that badly damaged — just some popped tyres. It really shows how safe the Suzuki Swift is.”
In the end, the King of the Swifts contest delivered exactly what it promised: a tightly fought, highly relatable battle where commitment outweighed outright power. Under near-perfect conditions, the small hatchbacks once again proved that performance is not defined by size or output, but by the driver’s willingness to push to the limit.
Brendon Carpenter, Brand Marketing Manager for Suzuki Auto South Africa, said the concept achieved exactly what it set out to do:
“For us, it’s about showing that we’re a fun brand, and that our cars are accessible. The Swift is exactly that. We like to say that horsepower stands for ‘hope pret’ – a lot of fun – and that’s been our approach from the start.”
As the 2026 Simola Hillclimb drew to a close, the Swift drivers left the hill having demonstrated tenacity, growth, and no shortage of courage – a fitting conclusion to one of the most engaging subplots of the event.
