Later in the afternoon a third systems check run is completed, again just a run to check the final setup and again a new record. This time 6.09.039. Suddenly we’re wondering if we could see something below six minutes today. Dumas has shaved over 16 seconds off his time in just a few hours. For a man who says he’s tired and hasn’t slept much Dumas shows no sign of flagging.
With a series of what could be called banker laps, but should be called heroic attacks, down the final record attempt comes as the day’s heat is at its height. Track temperatures have soared toward 50C as the baking sun beats away any surrounding rain.
In the afternoon the call is made for one final run, this time the ‘official’ record attempt. The problem is Dumas has sliced heavy margins out of his previous times with each passing run, so doubt begins to creep in as to whether there's too much left.
As he disappears into the forests again he's clearly on it, and the call comes from a photographer out on the course "this is fast".
After what seems like an eternity, but is actually just six minutes Dumas blasts across the line, this time at full tilt. The data collected over the previous runs allowing him to manage that might electric output better across the lap.
The timing screen pauses for a few seconds, seconds that for the team here creep on until it finally reveals the time. Six minutes, five seconds and change. Dumas has done it again, slicing another four seconds from his time and sending the iconic Bellof lap further down the leader board.
As Dumas climbs from the car to rapturous applause, it's clear his work is done for the day. But does he think they could go faster? "You always realise after a race it's importance and how much you enjoyed it," he says. "A year ago everyone was surprised by the time we achieved, now we were able to play a bit with the limit and that makes it very exciting. You always want to reach the top of what you do, my last run I was pushing more and more, in fact I would love to stay here all week and keep going.
"I would love to compare in one year's time the progress, and I think if we returned to Pikes Peak we could now go even faster.
"This last lap I actually lost a little time breaking too late into the Karussell. It was all quite a good lap, nothing special, I cut the second Karussell knowing that it was the last run, so damage didn't matter too much for later in the day.
"We were really looking for the absolute limit, it was OK, so next time I can cut even more."