[Video] Volkswagen ID. R sets new all-time Festival of Speed hillclimb record!
History has just been made here at the Goodwood Festival of Speed presented by Mastercard. The hillclimb record, which has stoood for 20 years, has been smashed by Romain Dumas. As well as breaking a long-standing record, he did so at the wheel of an all-electric car, the Volkswagen ID. R.
Romain Dumas in the Volkswagen ID. R steals FOS hillclimb record from Nick Heidfeld
The previous record of 41.6 seconds was set by a young Nick Heidfeld at the wheel of the McLaren MP4/13 in 1999. Now, on the 20th anniversary of that record, it has been beaten by almost half a second, with Dumas posting a time of 41.18 seconds in the 671bhp, all-electric Volkswagen ID. R.
It's interesting to note that the ID. R's speed across the finish line was 128mph, slower than the next four cars. The BMW E36 V8 Judd of Jöerg Weidinger was a full 10mph faster across the finish line. At the end of the first sector, though, it was travelling much faster than all others – 120mph versus 108mph of Oliver Solberg's Citroën DS3 WRX, itself several mph faster than anything else at that point on the hill.
It's not the first time that Dumas and the ID. R have set a blistering pace here on the Goodwood hill. Last year, he set a new record for an electric car with a time of 43.05 seconds. Back then, the car was looking a little different – its Pikes Peak aero having recently been changed for an F1 inspired package that helped the ID. R set the fastest time for an electric car around the Nürburgring last month.
And it's still only Friday – there's every chance that Dumas could go even faster during the rest of the weekend. Keep an eye on the action to see if he break his own record again!
Photography by Tom Shaxson.