Pirelli conquers Pikes Peak with the Ford Mustang Mach-E and Simone Faggioli’s Norma M20 FC

Milan, Italy – What do a 1400-horsepower Ford Super Mustang Mach-E—an evolved road-going version of the iconic electric sports car—and an extreme prototype like the Norma M20 FC have in common? This June, both vehicles successfully tackled the legendary Pikes Peak International Hill Climb, the world’s most renowned race of its kind. Beyond their performance, they shared another crucial element: a long-standing partnership with Pirelli, equipped with P Zero tires specifically developed for this demanding event.

The race took place on Sunday, June 22, in Colorado, where Pirelli engineers supported two elite drivers. Romain Dumas piloted the electric Mustang in the Pikes Peak Open category, while Simone Faggioli—multiple Italian and European hill-climb champion—drove the Norma M20 FC in the Unlimited category, the event’s premier class. Both drivers conquered the iconic “Race to the Clouds,” a 19.93 km course featuring 156 corners and a staggering elevation gain of 1,440 meters, climbing from 2,862 to 4,302 meters above sea level.

“For this type of event, our support focused on two crucial aspects: collaborating with team engineers to optimize vehicle setup and, of course, delivering a reliable, high-performance product,” explained Matteo Braga, Circuit Activity Manager and liaison with Ford, alongside Terenzio Testoni, Rally Activity Manager responsible for Hillclimb events. “The characteristics of our racing P Zero tires—praised for their grip, consistency, and precision—are essential for handling the immense power of these cars as they push uphill on a variable surface with demanding corners. It was a spectacular race.”

Pirelli’s legacy at Pikes Peak continues to grow. Last year, the company equipped the F-150 Lightning Super Truck, also driven by Dumas. In 2019, Robin Shute claimed overall victory in a Honda turbo-powered Wolf GB08 on P Zero tires. That same year, the Bentley Continental GT, also on P Zeros, won and set a record in the production car category. In 2018, Pirelli supported the Bentley Bentayga in setting the SUV record, which was later broken in 2022 by the Lamborghini Urus Performante—again, on P Zero tires.

Beyond the racing prototype, the road-going Mustang Mach-E also rides on Pirelli P Zero tires, developed with Elect technology tailored for electric and hybrid vehicles, where tire performance plays a pivotal role.