The Pikes Peak International Hill Climb (PPIHC) may not be one of the most famous motorsports competitions in the world, but it is decidedly one of the most among the most reputable in the USAhaving even begun to attract European, Japanese and South Korean manufacturers who intend to compete in the North American market. And the magic involving PPIHCIn addition to deciding who is the fastest driver/car duo in what is known as the “race to the clouds” since it starts at 1,440 meters above sea level, but the finish is at 4,302 meters, well above the clouds in this case. mountain in Colorado—, it has to do with the The risk of travelling at high speed over the 20 kilometres and 156 curves that have already claimed seven lives in the 98 editions of the test.
On the 2024 ramp, The winner was once again Romain Dumas, who won the race for the fifth time. And apparently the only reason he didn’t break the record he’s held since 2018 (with the VW ID. R) was because his car stopped right at the start of the race’s only climb and he had to start again. The model in question is a prototype designed in the Ford’s new electric pickup truck, the F-150 Lightning, light, full of wings and appendages have the necessary aerodynamic support, even at the top of the ramp where the air is thinner, and with some impressive 1600 horsepower.
Despite having stopped and having lost a lot of time (and concentration) to get the F-150 going again, Dumas crossed the finish line after 8 minutes and 53.553 seconds. This time was not enough to beat the 7.57.148 he achieved in 2018, with the VW ID. R, but that did not prevent him from winning the ramp and the Open category. Second place went to Christian Merli, with a Wolf Aurobay GB08, who covered the 20 km in 9.04.454, being the fastest among the Unlimiteds.
In 3rd place in the PPIHC was a name well known to Europeans, including Portuguese fans of the World Rally Championship (WRC), which, integrated into the Exhibition category, allowed the Hyundai Ioniq 5 N to get off to a good start in this “race”. The clouds. At the wheel of the South Korean SUV was Dani Sordo, a WRC driver where he defends the colours of Hyundai, being the third ace of this discipline to demonstrate his worth on the North American ramp, after Ari Vatanen and Sébastien Loeb.
Victory at Pikes Peak for Romain Dumas, in the Ford F-150 Lightning
Also using a huge rear spoiler, which adds a no less generous appearance. dissident Up front, the Ioniq 5 N was developed in just six months, adapting a production electric sports car into a racing machine. Mechanically, the Ioniq 5 N only had 40 hp more than the production model, with the manufacturer declaring a total of 680 hp, which according to its technicians would allow the Hyundai to survive the 20 km climb without the batteries overheating.unlike what happened with the Tesla Model S, which broke the record in 2023, not officially representing the brand, but rather representing an independent tuner. The reality is that the Ioniq 5 N beats the Model S’s time by almost 25 seconds.prompting Hyundai to say it intends to return to try and go even faster. Sordo said this race is not “just about to**ts” even though the road is lined with cliffs that command respect.
Source: Observadora
