Peugeot to make Le Mans return with new hypercar | FerrariChat

Peugeot to make Le Mans return with new hypercar

Discussion in 'Other Racing' started by william, Nov 13, 2019.

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  1. william

    william Two Time F1 World Champ
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    Peugeot to make Le Mans return with new hypercar

    French car maker announces plan for endurance racing comeback in 2022


    https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/motorsport/peugeot-make-le-mans-return-new-hypercar

    Peugeot has given a shot in the arm to the new hypercar class at the Le Mans 24 Hours by announcing its intention to return to the race in 2022.

    Parent company PSA has released a brief statement confirming its intention to not only race at Le Mans, but also to compete in all rounds of the World Endurance Championship, starting in 2022 with an all-new hybrid-based contender. No further details have been revealed at this stage.

    PSA motorsport director Jean-Marc Finot said: "I am very excited at the prospect of channelling the skills and passion of my team into this project.

    "It is a new challenge and I know our experts will rise to it with another demonstration of their will to win with teams financed by the [PSA] Group's brands, fuelled by their long experience of top-flight FIA championships and hunger for success."

    The surprise entry goes a long way to validating the decision to switch from the current LMP1 regulations to a new hypercar formula, which is due for introduction in 2020. Before Peugeot's announcement, the only major car makers to commit to the category were Toyota and Aston Martin.

    The new hypercar rules have been shaped with cost-cutting in mind, with a season's budget expected to be limited to around €20 million (£17m). Manufacturers have the option of developing a bespoke racer, or modify a road-going hypercar for race use. Toyota has opted to focus on a bespoke racer, while Aston Martin plans to enter the Valkyrie.

    Peugeot has a rich history at Le Mans, winning its world-famous home race twice at the end of the Group C era, in 1992 and 1993. It returned to sports car racing in the LMP1 era, battling Audi for honours between 2007 and 2011, winning Le Mans in 2009 with its diesel-powered 908 HDi FAP.

    A hybrid version of the car was under development when Peugeot pulled the plug on the endurance racing programme, just one year before the founding of the WEC in 2012. Since then, rumours have suggested the car maker could return to the race, but bosses have always maintained the would only do so if the rules changed to lower costs and make a campaign more sustainable.
     
  2. Whisky

    Whisky Two Time F1 World Champ
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    Didn't a Peugeot set the top speed record on the Mulsanne? Like 265 or something?
     
  3. BartonWorkman

    BartonWorkman F1 Veteran
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    #3 BartonWorkman, Nov 14, 2019
    Last edited: Nov 14, 2019
    Yes, there was a time when teams would enter Le Mans solely to set the fastest speed down the Mulsanne
    Straight before the chicanes were added.

    In the Group C days there was an outfit called WM Peugeot that attempted this regularly. Their cars were
    streamlined for top speed not so much for handling or reliability but down the Mulsanne they were like
    rockets.

    IIRC, the speed was 248MPH around 1987 or 88 with Roger Dorchy driving.

    After they'd set the speed they thought was insurmountable, they'd bring the cars into the pits and retire
    them. They couldn't win overall against the top Porsche, Jaguar, Mazda, Mercedes-Benz, Nissan, et.al.
    teams of the day, so they'd get headlines in the French newspapers for top speed on Mulsanne.

    Found the story...

    https://www.roadandtrack.com/motorsports/news/a29904/in-1988-a-renegade-le-mans-team-broke-the-record-at-the-mulsanne-straight/

    BHW
     
  4. GuyIncognito

    GuyIncognito Nine Time F1 World Champ
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    A french hypercar team?

    look forward to seeing how the ACO gives them ridiculous favoritism.
     
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  5. LVP488

    LVP488 F1 Rookie

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    Actually 405 kph, more than 251 mph - it was '88. WM was not an official Peugeot team although they had Peugeot engines.
    Peugeot officially competed from 91 to 93 and won in 92 and 93 with their 905.
    Peugeot then returned with the Diesel 908s from 2007 to 2011, winning in 2009 (strangely, they introduced a new car for 2011, just before retiring from the competition in 2012).
     
  6. rdefabri

    rdefabri Three Time F1 World Champ

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    Nonetheless - happy to see them, I prefer more than 2 manufacturers!!
     
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  7. GuyIncognito

    GuyIncognito Nine Time F1 World Champ
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    agree, that's kinda the whole point.

    I hope a few more join in, hearing rumors McLaren is seriously interested.
     
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  8. Devilsolsi

    Devilsolsi F1 Veteran
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    McLaren is seriously interested in anything and everything and flip flop on what they are actually doing on a weekly basis. Weren't they seriously interested in GTE/GTLM and DPi as well at one point?
     
  9. GuyIncognito

    GuyIncognito Nine Time F1 World Champ
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    you could say the same for half a dozen different manufacturers ;)
     
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  10. Turbopanzer

    Turbopanzer F1 World Champ

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    With the planned merger with Fiat/Chrysler and Peugeot, does this mean that this hypercar will come with left handed lug nuts? This will be fun to watch ! :p
     
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