Ford had a successful year at the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb, with Romain Dumas driving the F-150 Lightning SuperTruck to victory in the Open Class. Despite facing tough competition from race car builder Wolf Racing, who had taken the win from Dumas and the Ford SuperVan 4.2 last year, Dumas emerged triumphant with a time of 8:53.553. However, this time was slower than the SuperVan’s record-breaking run from the previous year, which clocked in at 8:47.682.
Ford attributed the slower time to an unnamed technical issue that caused Dumas and the SuperTruck to come to a complete stop on the course for a few moments. This setback cost them approximately 26 seconds. Nevertheless, even with this delay, there was still a significant gap between the SuperTruck and the overall Pikes Peak record of under 8 minutes, which Dumas himself holds, but set behind the wheel of the VW ID.R.
On the podium alongside Ford and Wolf Racing was Hyundai, whose Ioniq 5 N Time Attack car driven by Dani Sordo finished with a time of 9:30.852. Hyundai had three Ioniq 5 Ns participating in the event, with another Time Attack car and a stock example. Interestingly, the stock Ioniq 5 N had a powertrain calibration specifically optimized for Pikes Peak. Despite its stock status, it managed to finish 26th overall and third in the Exhibition class, with Ron Zaras as the driver, achieving a time of 10:49.267.
The final entry in the Exhibition class was the quad-motor Rivian R1T. Although it finished last in its class, this is far from disappointing. Gardner Nichols impressively drove the Rivian up the hill in 10:53.883, which is about 30 seconds faster than the previous year’s run. It is worth noting that the Rivian R1T and the Hyundai Ioniq 5 N were both essentially stock models, making the Rivian’s performance even more impressive. Additionally, Rivian claims the fastest production pickup truck record up the hill, further highlighting its achievement.
In conclusion, Ford’s victory at the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb’s Open Class signifies a successful year for the brand. Despite facing technical issues that hindered their time, Dumas and the F-150 Lightning SuperTruck emerged victorious. The presence of Hyundai and Rivian on the podium, along with their impressive performances, demonstrates the progress and competitiveness within the industry. As these automotive giants continue to push the boundaries of performance and innovation, it will be exciting to see what records and achievements they will conquer in future events.