RECORDS ARE MADE TO BE BROKEN From above the clouds on Pikes Peak to the forest lined Nürburgring in Germany, electricity and technology proved to be the record breaking combinations for Volkswagen and Porsche, with both manufacturers recently re-writing the record books at these iconic motorsport locations.
While technology marches on relentlessly, in the domain of motorsport it has often been technical regulations that have stepped in to slow or contain this development. This is not because motorsport regulators are the fun police, rather that free reign on development increases costs exponentially, reduces competitiveness across category fields due to the varied financial positions of teams, and creates safety implications when cars become ‘too’ fast for the circuits they compete on. The safety factor will remind many of the infamous ‘Group B’ rally cars, which were eventually outlawed due to their speeds. Outside the confines of race series requirements or as part of one off events like Pikes Peak, there is opportunities for manufacturers to unleash their considerable resources, marketing budgets and talented employees to create all new advanced projects or improve on existing technologies to create
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vehicles with a new level of performance potential. These endeavors don’t come along often but if you are even remotely interested in motorsport or motoring technology in general for that matter, it is a special treat, with results that enable us to sit in awe, dream and for a moment be reminded of that pioneering spirit when teams come together in the pursuit of achieving new levels of speed. ABOVE THE CLOUDS The Pikes Peak Hill Climb is a unique spectacle, with real danger lurking at every turn. From the trees
PIKES PEAK HILL CLIMB Turns: 156 Distance: 19.99km Average Climb Grade 7.2% Total Climb: 1,440m Finish Line Height: 4,300m
lining the road at the lower levels, to the photogenic yet incredibly dangerous sheer drops without guard rails, the famous hill climb is a test of man and machine. For air and fuel burning combustion engine vehicles competing at Pikes Peak, the thin air at altitude creates an engineering challenge, which plays havoc on engines ability to maintain safe operation and maximum operating efficiency. The thin air also creates aerodynamic challenges for every car tackling the mountain. For Volkswagen and the incredible one off I.D R PIKES PEAK record setting vehicle, the thin air wasn’t a consideration for the all-electric motor, and with experienced racer Romain Dumas behind the wheel, the I.D R PIKES PEAK eerily quietly snaked its way up the 156 turn hill climb at astonishing speed, in the process smashing the previous outright record set by Sébastien Loeb’s one off Peugeot 208 T16 by 16 seconds with a 7m 57.148s.
