In the British Hill Climb Championship, cars competing in the 3.0-litre class regularly produce over 750bhp, while cars competing internationally will sometimes be over 1,000bhp, which is similar levels of power to that produced by modern Formula 1 cars. Coupled with the (in many championships) unrestricted power outputs, these cars are faster than most, especially when tackling an ascent. Reduced weight and maximum downforce are often key priorities when building a hill climb car, helping them to achieve unbelievable levels of grip and mind-blowing cornering speeds. There are many different types of hill climb racing cars, but generally they can be separated (as with all racing cars) into open (single seater) and closed cockpit.

The most notable include Shelsley Walsh, which was first used in 1905, and the short but exhilarating Prescott hill climb. UK hill climb courses present their own unique challenges and are usually much shorter than their European and American counterparts. Also known as 'The Race to the Clouds', it is 12.42 miles long and has 156 turns.Įuropean hill climb courses include (closed) public roads, and the absurdly-dramatic Trento-Bondone course in Italy which has a 7.9% gradient and a total running length of 10.75 miles. The Pikes Peak International Hill Climb in Colorado, US, is perhaps the most famous and demanding course in the world. Hill Climb CoursesĪs one of the oldest forms of motorsport (potentially the oldest), Hill climb racing is famous all over the world for its thrilling on-the-edge action, and is particularly popular in North American and European countries, including Britain. We take a deeper look into the sport of hill climb racing and explain why it is such a popular pastime amongst motorsports enthusiasts. Whilst there's no wheel-to-wheel racing involved, it still gets spectators excited as drivers try to beat each other's times. Whoever gets there in the shortest amount of time wins.įrom Pikes Peak to Shelsley Walsh, the fabled hill climb has seen events take place around the globe. Hill climb racing is where drivers go from a start to an end point, uphill, in a time trial format.

Amongst all the disciplines of motorsport, the wonderfully simple hill climb is one of the most exciting there is.

Best cars in hill climb racing