Mont Ventoux in the south of France is famous as a stage of the Tour de France cycle race, but nine-time World Rally Champion Sebastien Loeb has been racing to the top using four wheels and making the climb at a considerably faster rate.

Loeb has been testing Peugeot’s new challenger which is set to tackle the famous Pikes Peak hill climb in Colorado next month.

“This is an important run because Pikes Peak is very different from a nice, smooth race track,” noted Sébastien Loeb.

“It is vital for us to evaluate the car on a terrain that is more like what we will find in the States. This road will give us a reasonably accurate idea…

“It’s not the power that impresses me anymore; I’ve got used to it. It’s the speed at which the corners leap out at you which is more striking than round a circuit where there’s always a ‘100-metre’ board to show you where to brake.

“Here, you can be in fifth or sixth gear and you suddenly see mountainside ahead of you; you have to work out for yourself where you need to brake…”

“The steering is still very, very responsive, so it can be a little hairy keeping your foot to the floor though the fast portions.”

The next step for the Peugeot program is testing in Colorado on the Pikes Peak course that will only be available on a section-by-section basis on June 8, 9, 14, 15 and 16.

After this final testing phase, the Pikes Peak event will run from June 24 to June 30.