Romain Dumas, WEC and Le Mans champion, doesn’t have to risk his life in old cars if he doesn’t want to, but he’s a curious kind of person. As a WRC driver, F3000 Vice Champion, and well as the fastest man up Pikes Peak, it seems he doesn’t like the idea of sticking to one style of racing. Not surprisingly, he handles the vintage cars very well as can be seen in this video.
In this clip, one of his many displays of ability at Goodwood, Dumas wrestles with Bill Shepherd’s Boss 302 in the sort of style that would make all the tweed-wearing types pine for the past. It’s a rare sight to see: a 450-horsepower Mustang of ancient times leaned and drifted around so convincingly on mostly inadequate tires; it might’ve convinced the older fans there they had stepped into a time warp.
Though the sideways antics might not look quick to the semi-trained eye, sideways is fast in much of the older vehicles. Dumas, clearly using a little of his rally experience, hustles this wayward Mustang on pole for the Gerry Marshall Trophy. The traffic and even a little oil on track couldn’t stop this man as he continued to make impressive times every lap.
In the post-qualifying interview below, Dumas has enough humility to not know the secret of driving this big brute, but acknowledges that power is the big Mustang’s strength. “Chassis is not the key point of the car; power is the key point. So, you just try to be as straight as possible, as soon as possible, to go on power,” said Dumas. “…but the car was very good compared to what I drove at the revival. This car I like a lot because it does slide a lot.”
If only it were that easy.