Hillclimb racing has always lived in a space where simplicity becomes spectacle. No circuit loops, no long tactical chess matches across hours of endurance racing, just a driver, a machine, and a road that rises sharply into consequence. Every second is exposed, every input magnified, every mistake instantly expensive. It is motorsport distilled to its most honest form, and nowhere is that purity more visible than at the Simola Hillclimb in Knysna.
As South Africa’s premier motoring and motorsport lifestyle event, the Simola Hillclimb has built its reputation on this uncompromising format. It is also widely regarded as the fastest hillclimb in the world, a title that does not simply speak to speed but to precision under pressure. In 2026, that ethos finds a natural ally in Swiss watchmaker Frédérique Constant and luxury watch and jewellery distributor Picot & Moss, who join the event as Supporting Partners for its 16th edition, taking place from 30 April to 3 May 2026.
The partnership is rooted in a shared language of performance and exactness. In motorsport, timing is everything. In Swiss horology, timing is everything refined into art. The two worlds meet at a point where milliseconds define outcomes and where engineering is judged not only by strength, but by consistency under strain.
Frédérique Constant’s connection to the event is not framed as traditional sponsorship, but as alignment. As Gerhard Nilsson, Brand Manager for Frédérique Constant at Picot & Moss, notes, the partnership reflects a meeting point of precision, performance, and passion. It is a space where mechanical mastery on the wrist mirrors mechanical mastery on the hill, and where both disciplines pursue perfection that is measurable only in fractions of time.
Picot & Moss, established in 1919, brings depth and heritage to that alignment. As the exclusive South African distributor of multiple high-end Swiss luxury brands, the company has long operated at the intersection of craftsmanship and customer experience. Its role extends beyond distribution into after-sales care, operating the only Swiss-certified watch service centre in South Africa for its portfolio of brands. This ensures factory-level servicing, repair expertise, and manufacturer-backed warranties, reinforcing the idea that precision does not end at the point of sale, but continues through the life of each timepiece.
At Simola, that attention to detail finds a natural audience. The event draws elite drivers, rare supercars, and purpose-built racing machines that are engineered with obsessive care. It also attracts a discerning crowd that values both heritage and innovation, two pillars that sit comfortably within Frédérique Constant’s design philosophy. The brand’s identity, built on accessible luxury and classical Swiss watchmaking principles, resonates strongly in an environment where excellence is expected rather than optional.
Ian Shrosbree, Managing Director of the Knysna Speed Festival, highlights this synergy clearly. The hillclimb, he notes, is defined by extreme performance demands, from the engineering teams who build and refine the vehicles to the drivers who extract maximum output in a single, unforgiving run. In that context, a luxury watch brand does not sit on the periphery of the action, but within its narrative, where precision is not decorative but essential.
The 2026 edition will see Frédérique Constant integrated directly into the event’s live experience. The brand will feature prominently on broadcast live timing displays and receive trackside branding across the Simola course, embedding its presence into the visual and technical rhythm of the competition. This creates a subtle but constant reminder that time is not only being measured, but celebrated.
Beyond the track, the partnership extends into hospitality. Throughout the event, Frédérique Constant will showcase a curated selection of its classic timepieces within the exclusive Le Mans VIP Lounge, a premium environment hosting more than 500 guests over the three-day competition. Among the highlights will be pieces from the Vintage Rally Healey Collection, a line inspired by the racing legacy of Austin-Healey at the 24 Hours of Le Mans during the 1950s. These watches carry the aesthetic and emotional imprint of motorsport history, bridging past endurance legends with present-day performance culture.
For attendees, the experience becomes more than observation. It becomes immersion into a shared design language where engineering, heritage, and aesthetics converge. The roar of engines on the climb is mirrored by the quiet precision of mechanical movements ticking in sync with measured time, each representing a different expression of the same pursuit.
As the Simola Hillclimb prepares for its 16th edition, the addition of Frédérique Constant and Picot & Moss underscores a broader evolution of motorsport events into lifestyle platforms where performance and luxury coexist. It is a reminder that speed is not only about how fast a car climbs a hill, but about how precisely every moment of that climb is defined, recorded, and remembered.
