With multiple interviews still to come both from the Peugeot Sport senior management team and from the factory driver squad here’s just some of highlights Peugeot 9×8 story so far.
Homologation of the 9×8 is near complete.
The programme will go racing from the Monza 6 Hours in July, with two new 9×8 chassis, the first new chassis to be introduced into the programme since the start of the test programme.
The newly confirmed six driver roster (Loïc Duval, Paul di Resta, Mikkel Jensen, Jean-Éric Vergne, James Rossiter and Gustavo Menezes) will all feature in the Monza race but with the final trios still to be decided – That decision will be made “in the coming days”.
Peugeot Sport will also race both cars in both Fuji and Bahrain.
The team is committed at present to race in the FIA WEC until the end of the 2025 season with potential to extend that commitment.
Over that period of time the team expect to construct 8-12 9×8 chassis to fulfil the expected programme.
There are no current plans to request a third car for Le Mans – this is not though counted out.
The team has completed 25 testing days and over 11,000kms of running. (the day following the launch at Portimao was day 26 and saw rain falling in the morning.
That testing has included wet weather mileage at Magny Cours (with an artificially wetted track). The Magny Cours test included mileage in full wet and wet to dry conditions.
There are no immediate plans to add IMSA races to the programme – but the option remains open to assess that.
There are no immediate plans either for other Stellantis brands to utilise the 9×8 platform in IMSA or WEC – But the future option remains open to examine any potential interest and programme opportunity.
Peugeot remain content with their choice to develop an LMH prototype despite the recent changes in the regulations and BoP parameters. Peugeot believe that the LMH platform allows them to display and promote their technical and design innovation in a way that LMDh would not have achieved.
The openness and clarity displayed by the entire Peugeot management team was impressive – few, if any, questions were off-limits. Technical matters in particular saw a high quality response.
