Observing some onboards shot from the quickest hillclimb machines Scandinavia, Switzerland and Germany have to offer, the thoughtful viewer must occasionally think, “Are these people right in the head?” Some of the braver participants could likely be certifiable, since throwing a tailor-made racecar at the barriers and trees at outrageous speeds takes either a double dose of daring or a definite lack of imagination. Either way, to seriously compete in a hillclimb requires a little something extra, as this gutsy CRX driver demonstrates. Unfortunately, it doesn’t always work out in the driver’s favor.

Tuned by Switzerland’s R Performance, this dinky CRX has been fitted with an F20B an a sequential gearbox. The F20B is a particularly light engine which typifies the build’s ethos. The CRX is featherweight from the factory, but a healthy diet brings the car down to an even lower weight, which makes it particularly effective on the narrow, twisting backroads seen here.

With overfenders stretching the miniature Honda’s track even wider, the CRX’s nearly square, making it incredibly nimble and willing to change direction. In the faster corners, the carbon canards, diffuser and GT wing keep the car composed, and, generally speaking, the driver implements incredibly smooth lines to keep the car moving forward all the time. It seems as if the car is on its way to an impressive laptime.

To help get the car to rotate, an immensely stiff rear end is implemented, which sometimes results in lifting an inner-rear wheel.

However, the problem with a predictable car is that the driver can forget how quickly they’re going: it’s easy to lower one’s guard, which is a problem when there’s no runoff. A minor lockup on the way into the corner forces the car wide, and to help trim the line, the driver lifts off the gas, prompting a spin. Normally, this wouldn’t be an issue, but with the speed this CRX is carrying, a brush with the hillside ends up putting the car on its roof. Thankfully, the driver walks away unscathed, but it goes to show that, on a hillclimb, a proper rollcage and a little caution are required.