Veteran racer secures sixth class win in seventh appearance with 1969 Alfa Romeo 1750 GTV
KNYSNA, South Africa – 13 June 2025 – There are few motorsport events in South Africa quite like the Simola Hillclimb, and even fewer drivers whose name has become so deeply intertwined with Classic Car Friday as that of Trevor Tuck. In this year’s 15th edition, Tuck returned to Knysna’s iconic hill for his seventh outing, once again flying the Alfa Romeo flag high and clinching a remarkable sixth class win behind the wheel of a lovingly prepared 1969 Alfa Romeo 1750 GTV.
Tuck’s deep-rooted passion for the Italian marque spans 25 years of building, restoring, and racing Alfa Romeos – a relationship built on mechanical admiration and emotional connection. While he has experience racing in the South African Production Car Championship, it is the classical charm and mechanical purity of vintage Alfas that truly drives his competitive spirit.
“For classic car enthusiasts, the Simola Hillclimb is one of the premier events in the country, and there’s simply nothing else like it in South Africa,” Tuck reflects. “Every year brings something new – the crowd, the support, the variety of cars. You think it’s the last time… and then you find yourself coming back again.”
Celebrating Alfa’s 115-Year Heritage
2025 marks a significant milestone for Alfa Romeo as the brand celebrates its 115th anniversary – a fitting backdrop for Tuck’s latest triumph. His steed of choice, the 1750 GTV, is a cherished member of Alfa’s golden era. Last raced in 2007, the car was dusted off and given a careful once-over before making its way to Knysna. It didn’t disappoint, taking the H5 class win (for four-cylinder racing saloons up to 1975) with a final time of 58.448 seconds.
“It’s a special car,” Tuck notes. “Not the fastest I’ve driven, but it has soul, and that’s what you want from an Alfa.”
Last year, Tuck brought the dainty and beautiful 1960 Giulietta to Simola in celebration of the car’s 70th anniversary. In 2019, it was the turn of the rare and racy 1969 Giulia GTAm – a lightweight track special that helped him storm to a class victory with a 50.147-second run.
But one car holds a place above all in Tuck’s affections: his 1974 Giulia 2000 Rally. Affectionately dubbed Giulia Caesar, this immaculately engineered machine blends raw power with balanced agility, earning him victories in 2017, 2022 and 2023. “It’s the car I know best – it fits like a glove,” he says. “There’s nothing quite like the sound of that twin-cam engine echoing off the trees as you go flat-out up the hill.”
His personal best in Giulia Caesar stands at a blistering 51.328 seconds, set during the 2022 Class Finals – a run that also saw him place ninth in the prestigious Classic Conqueror Top 10 Shootout.
Mastering the Hill – and the Mind Game
With just one day of racing on Classic Car Friday, strategy becomes as important as speed. “This has to be one of the most expensive 50-odd seconds of our lives,” Tuck laughs. “You need to get through practice, nail the qualifying runs, make the Class Finals, and then pull it all together for one final sprint.”
The course itself is a deceptively technical challenge. “Turn 2 is where the magic – or the mistakes – happen. I always try to take it flat-out in fourth. You lose momentum otherwise, and in these old cars, you don’t get it back. After that, it’s mostly fourth gear to the top with a few feathered lift-offs,” he explains.
Beyond 2025: Looking Up the Hill
As the chequered flag dropped on another successful Simola Hillclimb, Tuck already had one eye on 2026. With plans in motion to move into a bigger class, a new project is underway – an Alfetta GTV from the 1980s. “We want to keep evolving. There’s so much more to do, and the Alfetta is something I’ve always wanted to campaign,” he says.
Whether it’s in a svelte Giulietta, a muscular GTAm, or his beloved Giulia 2000 Rally, one thing is certain: Trevor Tuck and his crimson-red Alfa Romeos are part of the very heartbeat of Classic Car Friday.
