Romain Dumas has a special relationship with Pikes Peak. One that shows no signs of slowing down.

The French racer claimed his sixth King of the Mountain in the 104th Broadmoor Pikes Peak International Hill Climb on Sunday with the fastest overall time of 8:18.202. 

“This mountain is something special here,” Dumas said. “Our relationship is strange because many times when you go so fast, you are thinking, it’s so dangerous that you don’t want to do it anymore but you are coming again.” 

Dumas made sure to return following last year’s results which saw him and his Ford Super Mustang Mach E electric vehicle take second overall to Italian racer Simone Faggioli by just over five seconds. Due to high winds, competitors in the 2025 PPIHC raced on a shortened course. The adjustment meant Dumas didn’t get to showcase his Mustang at its best. 

“Last year you remember, it was a little bit difficult to accept that we were doing only the lower sector, knowing that our car, the strength is the second and third sector, but it’s a part of the game from last year and so it pushed us even more,” he said. 

Ever since 2012, Dumas has found ways to blaze through 12.42 miles and 156 turns to the 14,000-foot summit of Pikes Peak. He took the rookie of year crown in his debut with a time of 9:46.181. 

Two years later, he earned his first King of the Mountain with a time of 09:05.801. He replicated the feat in 2016, 2017 and 2018, setting a course record on the 3-peat with a time of 7:57.148. After six years, he reclaimed the throne in 2024. 

Beautiful weather on Sunday helped Dumas return to glory again. He said he pushed the Mustang most of the way through the race, easing up in the final mile and a half to take care of the vehicle. 

“When you’re on Pikes Peak, you’re always happy when you have a full run,” he said. “You never know what to predict when you do a full run but what I can tell you it was a nice one and a clean one.”

Even in triumph, Dumas kept the big picture in mind. He said the beauty of the PPIHC is that he can enter a factory vehicle like his or a custom one like United Kingdom racer Robin Shute. Shute earned the second-best time of the day and has become a rival of Dumas, securing a King of the Mountain 3-peat of his own from 2021-2023. 

“Robin is the most impressive guy, to do your own car. You come in Pikes Peak first year and already impressive,” Dumas said. “So I can tell you he knows we have to work hard because he’s pushing too. That’s very nice.” 

For now, the King of Mountain is happy to return home to his family after a great Father’s Day. 

“This morning I got a nice video from my son, who is 12,” Dumas said. “He was here last year and we didn’t win so he was sad last year. But at the end, I’m happy to go home tomorrow. Not that I don’t like Colorado, but I’ve been here for some weeks.”