Photo : D.R. - romaindumas.com

On the 7th of August, Romain Dumas will present the Porsche 911 GT3 R of his own team for scrutineering for the Pikes Peak International Hillclimb (Colorado, USA), one of the world's oldest races, which will  be held on the 12th August.

The 90th Pikes Peak International Hillclimb, which should have been held on the 8th of July was postponed a month because of the terrible fires that ravaged the state of Colorado and specifically the region of Waldo Canyon. Romain Dumas is one of the 187 drivers (representing fifteen different nationalities) in the "race to the clouds", that was held for the first time in 1916. The winner of the 24 Heures du Mans 2010 explained his motivation to take on this new challenge.

Why : "I’ve always wanted to do Pikes Peak and I’ve been talking about it for several years. In fact, my dream was to do this race before the entire surface was paved. It’s one of the legendary races in auto racing with a true history including the Audi and Peugeot duels that marked me in my youth. I’m naturally attracted to new challenges and Pikes Peak intrigues me on many levels. "

State of Mind. "For a few seasons now, when my circuit schedule allows, I’ve been competing in rallies. This participation in the PPIHC fits in with that activity, which is something I’ve undertaken for my personal satisfaction. I created my team at the end of 2007, and through the years, we’ve progressed together ; The team itself and me as a driver.  I try to draw from my various experiences, whether it be with Porsche with Penske Racing and Manthey Racing or with Audi Sport. I try to apply this to my team with one philosophy : be the most professional and competitive as I can be, all while having as much fun as possible. I love driving, but I enjoy discovering what goes on outside the driver’s seat. From the car’s preparation and development to the team’s organisation and its presentation. It’s all very interesting"

The Team :"The human element has counted for a lot in my career, and continues to do so. This is particularly the case in my rallying and also for this Pikes Peak challenge. From team members to our partners, these are people I interact with outside of racing. The human interaction is a determining factor in the test that Pikes Peak represents. That’s also what I like about it, taking on the challenge together and sharing in it."

The car : "I know the Porsche 911 GT3 R, having driven it on track and participated in its development. It was important for me to take on this event with a car whose characteristics and qualities I knew. With my team, we made a few modifications, notably in the aerodynamics, air intake for the engine, a more rally-friendly gearbox and shock absorbers. It’s a unique car and I must say I like its aggressive look ! "

The objective: "I’ve always had a recurring theme : only victory. Despite that, I’m also a realist and I know I’m up against very experienced competitors who know this event well. I’ve also said this is not a one time deal. I’m going to learn and to discover what it’s like and its legend. I want to gather information in order to aim for victory down the road".

Situé à une vingtaine de kilomètres à l’ouest de Colorado Springs, le Pikes Peak est le plus haut sommet de l’Etat du Colorado, culminant à 4 301 mètres. Il doit son nom au lieutenant Zebulon Pike Jr, qui en tenta l’ascension en 1806.

Click here for more information on the Pikes Peak International Hillclimb (19.9 km, 156 corners), including the video of the winning ascent of Nobuhiro Tajima in 2011.

Jean-Philippe Doret
(Quotes from Romain Dumas press release)

Photo :  Romain Dumas will present the full sized Porsche 911 GT3 R at Pikes Peak on 7th Aug for scrutineering for the famous American hillclimb.