An Unconventional Victory
At the recent 102nd Pikes Peak International Hill Climb, the Ford Performance F-150 Lightning SuperTruck, expertly driven by Romain Dumas, was crowned King of the Mountain. Despite suffering from a ‘technical issue’ that caused a complete halt and a 26-second delay, Dumas was still able to secure a winning time of 8m 53.553s. Proving that it’s not an ordinary F-150 Lightning, the performance of this notably bewinged and uber-powerful SuperTruck was stunningly impressive.
Recovering Like a Champion
On the dramatic race day, just a few corners in, the SuperTruck came to an unexpected stop. However, the experienced Dumas managed to breathe life back into the vehicle by performing a full reset – an old IT trick. From there on, Dumas drove with intense determination, akin to his record-holding Pikes Peak performance, to secure the top spot on the podium.
The Driver’s Take
Reflecting on the event, Dumas explained, “Everything about this event is a challenge because it is unlike any other form of racing. You only have one shot. We faced a challenge early on but that only gave me more determination to make up the lost time in the rest of the run.”
Record-Breaking Motor Sport Moments
Despite the hiccup, Dumas was the exclusive driver to record a time under the nine-minute mark this year. It’s worth noting that although the incident prevented him from beating his stellar 8m 47.682s timing in the SuperVan last year, he managed to establish a new qualifying record for the Open Class with a commendable timing of 3m 32.831s.
The SuperTruck’s Future
Ford’s 1,600bhp+ F-150 Lightning SuperTruck is set to continue its journey by breaking new boundaries in the commercial vehicle speed arena around the globe. Stay tuned as we wait for its triumphant reappearances.
