THERE IS SOMETHING DELICIOUSLY serendipitous about a chap from pancake-flat Norfolk becoming the only British driver to have conquered the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb – at least in terms of overall wins on four wheels (Guy Martin claimed the invitational two-wheeled class in 2014). A California-based expat since 2011, Shute joined a hallowed roll-call that includes Mario Andretti, Bobby and Robby Unser, Michèle Mouton, Walter Röhrl and Ari Vatanen on his third attempt at the great Colorado mountain event in 2019, then repeated the feat in ’21. This time, on June 26 at the 100th running, he’ll chase a hat-trick, but also a target that means a deal more: the mountain record.
Never heard of him? You’re forgiven if that’s the case. Shute has flown low under the radar these past few years, partly because he’s an amateur racer with a relatively humble record in various GT series and Formula Pro Mazda single-seaters, but largely because he doesn’t drive for a major car manufacturer throwing dollars at Pikes Peak to make its point. Vatanen’s 1988 victory in a Peugeot 405 T16, and the amazing Climb Dance film that captured it, became for most of us the defining Pikes Peak image of an event that dates back to 1916 – which is precisely why Peugeot went back in 2013 with Sébastien Loeb and a bespoke 208 T16. The rally champion set a new mountain record of 8min 13.878sec over the 12.42-mile ascent that features 156 turns, a climb of 4720ft and a heady altitude at the finish of 14,115ft, and which since 2011 has been completely paved (making comparisons to the old loose-surface years completely redundant).
Loeb’s internal combustion engine mark is the first target Shute is aiming for this year. But he’s vowing to keep going back even if he hits it, because what he really wants to beat is the outright record, set by Romain Dumas in the incredible all-electric Volkswagen ID R. Dumas managed a dumbfounding 7min 57.148sec in 2018, so Shute has some way to go. His winning time in 2019 was 9min 12.476sec, while last year poor
