Breaking records and barriers, Christine Sloss claimed victory at the fourth annual Corkscrew Hillclimb, becoming the event’s first female winner.
Sloss drove her Ferrari SF90 XX Spider into the history books on Saturday, Aug. 9, at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca, winning the prestigious Corkscrew Hillclimb with a blistering 29.535-second run. The triumph not only made her the event’s first female champion but also set new marks for a road-legal production car, a hybrid, and a convertible in the uphill reverse-course challenge.
Sloss bested a competitive 15-car field that included motorsport veterans and exotic machinery. Ned Bacon piloted his 1975 Porsche 911 RSR to second place at 30.252 seconds, while Alex Grigoreas claimed third in his 2000 Porsche 996 GT3R at 30.697 seconds.
The Corkscrew Hillclimb – now a Monterey Car Week tradition – reverses the famous circuit’s flow, sending drivers from the Start/Finish line through Turn 11 and up the hill to conquer the legendary Corkscrew. While Sloss’s Ferrari rewrote the record books for production-based entries, the overall course record still belongs to Max Chilton, who clocked an astonishing 21.958 seconds in the all-electric 2022 McMurtry Spéirling last year.
This year’s entry list was as diverse as it was competitive, featuring a Pikes Peak-proven 2025 Rivian Gen 2 Quad-Motor R1T (30.819 seconds), a 2022 Toyota Supra (31.026 seconds), and even a classic 1958 Austin Healey 110-6 (34.623 seconds). Jonathan Merrill provided the two-wheel highlight aboard his 2023 Yamaha R6, recording a 33.695-second run.
Spectators were also treated to demonstration runs from the fan-favorite “Rexy”-liveried AO Racing Porsche, driven by IMSA star Gunnar Jeannette, along with tandem drifting exhibitions by GRIDLIFE drivers.
“The Hillclimb has become a wonderful tradition at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca, and it’s such a fun way to kick off an incredible week in Monterey,” said April Henderson, director of the Monterey Pre-Reunion, Corkscrew Hillclimb, and Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion. “We’re excited for another great day on Sunday and an incredible week at the Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion.”
Racing action continues Sunday at the Monterey Pre-Reunion, leading directly into the 51st Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion, Aug. 13–16, where more than 400 historic and period-correct race cars from nearly every era will take to the legendary California road course.
Images: Tony Campbell