F-150 Lightning Supertruck Reigns Supreme as the King of the Mountain at Pikes Peak

SuperTruck outpaces all 61 competitors with the fastest run of 8:53.553

The Ford F-150 Lightning SuperTruck electric vehicle proved its worth by conquering a challenge and emerging victorious at the 102nd Pikes Peak International Hill Climb, clocking in at 8:53.553 – the quickest time out of 61 participants.

This achievement follows closely on the heels of the truck breaking a new qualifying record for the open class, finishing with a time of 3:32.831, surpassing the previous record of 3:39.939 set by the Ford Performance SuperVan 4.2 back in 2023 by over seven seconds.

“The progression of Ford electric vehicles taking on and completing the toughest challenges is a major testament to the hard work and dedication our teams have put into the program,” said Mark Rushbrook, global director, Ford Performance Motorsports. “We learned a great deal from SuperVan 4.2 in last year’s Pikes Peak International Hill climb and were able to apply that knowledge to this year’s run. It’s onward and upward from here.”

Drive, Romain Dumas, faced a technical problem while ascending, causing him to halt completely on the track. This stop resulted in an additional 26 seconds compared to his original qualifying time. However, Dumas' quick thinking allowed him to minimize the problem by completely resetting the 1,600-horsepower F-150 Lightning SuperTruck and continuing his ascent.

“I’m honored to achieve this victory with Ford Performance at the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb,” Dumas said. “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.”

The Ford Performance F-150 Lightning SuperTruck was a true example of teamwork in action. STARD (Stohl Advanced Research and Development) was instrumental in the development of the 1,600-horsepower truck. Additionally, the SuperTruck featured high-quality Sparco racing harnesses and safety gear, along with custom-made Pirelli P-Zero tires, guaranteeing its performance on rugged mountain terrains.

“To achieve this amazing feat was no small effort,” said Sriram Pakkam, Formula 1 & high-performance EV manager, Ford Performance Motorsports. “This was a true team effort across the board from our super-talented aerodynamicists to our powertrain specialists. We also had to work as a team to sweat the details such as keeping the weight down while maximizing the downforce and I think the team did a fantastic job.”