Peugeot's Big News ! ! !

Nice! Good for Brab's.

 

http://www.planetlemans.com/2009/02/09/peugeot-sport-announces-2009-racing-programme/

Despite today’s difficult economic context, Peugeot has chosen to pursue its different motor sport activities in 2009. These range from its high profile endurance racing programme to the promotion of its products through its various single-make series. The current crisis has led Peugeot’s management to seek synergies within Groupe PSA Peugeot Citroën with the appointment of Olivier Quesnel at the helm of Peugeot Sport.

Peugeot Sport suffered a huge disappointment in 2008 after coming so close to winning the Le Mans 24 Hours with the 908 HDi FAP which, even so, demonstrated its competitive potential with a score of four wins from five races in last year’s Le Mans Series.
The entire team is today fully focused on this year’s programme, beginning with its efforts to iron out the shortcomings that handicapped its bid for victory last year at Le Mans. These areas include optimisation of the traction control system, preventing the radiators from getting choked up and improvements to the fitment of the wheels with a view facilitating their replacement by the mechanics. Meanwhile, it has been a
case of adapting the 908 to the latest ACO regulations which target a significant curbing of performance.

“The engine settings have been completely revised to take onboard the new air restrictor dimensions and the lower turbo pressure which has resulted in a fall in power of approximately 10 per cent,” explains Peugeot Sport’s Technical Director Bruno Famin. “Significant work has gone into the 908’s aerodynamics, too, in order to re-optimise the car’s balance following the notable reduction in the width of rear wings which has been cut from two to 1.60 metres. We are also continuing with development work aimed at putting air-conditioning in the cockpit with a view to ensuring that the temperature inside the car stays within the regulatory threshold.
“At the same time, we are working on enhancing the car’s performance potential. This includes ongoing work on weight reduction in a bid to get close to the minimum limit, even with air conditioning, as well as optimisation of the diesel engine’s combustion, particulate filters (in association with Dow) and fuel injection (with Bosch), plus research into defining best possible chassis/tyre package (with Michelin).”

As stated above, the 2009 season’s overriding objective is the Le Mans 24 Hours and, as Olivier Quesnel explains, Team Peugeot Total has defined a particularly active programme as it builds up to the celebrated endurance race: “Our busy test programme notably includes endurance simulation tests at a variety of circuits, and we will take part in two races upstream of Le Mans which will serve as fullscale dress rehearsals for everyone in the team. We have consequently chosen to compete in March’s 12 Hours of Sebring, which is the opening round of the American Le Mans Series, with two cars and six drivers. We will then take three cars in Belgium for the 1,000km of Spa- Francorchamps in May (8-10). We haven’t yet decided what our programme after the Le Mans 24 Hours will be. We are looking at the different options to ensure the best possible exposure for the brand in promotional and media coverage terms, and also as a function of the level of competition. Last but not least, the livery of the 908 HDi FAP has changed. All the cars will now be predominantly blue, with the cockpit covered in a reflective chromelike aluminium covering aimed at keeping the temperature inside the car to a minimum. This endurance programme is only possible thanks to the assistance of our partners.”


© Peugeot Media
The Peugeot Sport line-up features 9 drivers, with the team’s confidence going to the drivers who have made such a satisfactory contribution to the first two years of its current endurance programme:

* Sébastien Bourdais (France), 30.
* David Brabham (Australia), 43.
* Marc Gené (Spain), 35.
* Christian Klien (Austria), 26.
* Pedro Lamy (Portugal), 37.
* Nicolas Minassian (France), 36.
* Franck Montagny (France), 31.
* Stéphane Sarrazin (France), 33.
* Alexander Wurz (Austria), 35.

The crews of the two cars for Sebring (March 21) are:

N°7 908 HDi FAP
Nicolas Minassian/Pedro Lamy/Christian Klien
N°8 908 HDi FAP
Franck Montagny/Stéphane Sarrazin/Sébastien Bourdais



Looks like a great combination of talent. I'm not sure if they have done any winter testing at Sebring yet. The Audi R15 has not been there as of yet. Some issue with the engine and motor mounts due to the lightened frame.

 

that's a hell of a driver line-up.

I thought the announcement was going to be about Peugeot's class-leading pepper mills

 

I thought they made bicycles ??

 

that too!

 

Let it not be forgotten that David Brabham's elder brother Geoff is a Le Mans winner in a Peugeot, back in 1993. Great looking car that was.

 

As seen on Wikipedia:
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The P1 Acuras will likely win the 12 hour on reliability as their programme appears to be further along, but it now looks as if they are really gooing to have to work for it. Promises to be a great event.

 

Why isn't Jacques Villeneuve returning? Anyways it's cool to see an active F1 driver doing Lemans.

 

Just spoken to David - he's delighted about it, and I am very happy for him too.

He couldn't be joining a team of nicer blokes (sorry Carol - I know you like Dindo and Tom!).

When David drove for me at Le Mans in 2006 his teammates were Nelson Piquet jr. and Antonio Garcia, neither of whom need any introduction! The previous time that the Piquet and Brabham names were linked was when Nelson sr. drove a Brabham F1 car, and Bernie was the Team Manager!!
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That is an awesome lineup of endurance racers. I thouroughly enjoyed Brabhams agressive yet controlled driving in ALMS last year. If they could ever lay their hands on McNish and Kristensen, they´d have the best imaginable line up. Now lets hope Audi can put up a fight once again!

 

No! McNish should stay at Audi!

 

It is pretty cool to have Bourdais actively competing not just at the leman's 24 hours, but at Sebring as well.
Can't think of many active F1 drivers in the modern day doing any other form of competitive racing during their F1 careers. It used to be quite common.

 

+1

Le Mans, Bahamas Speed Week, etc......

 

Anyone else hearing rumours of Pescarolo getting a 908?
Shake down at Spa and get serious at Le Mans.

 

I thought that Pescarolo was sold? Rumors are they may come over and run LMP1 in the ALMS.*crossing fingers*

 

Racing a Pug is ole Henri's dream gig.
EnduranceInfo are now making a case for it.
Guess we'll know for sure when the 24 Hour entry list is released.

 

A Pescarolo as in a single race car was sold to Mundhill Racing not "Pescarolo" as in the team or entity!

 

My bad, didn't register that you guys were referring to Mundhill.

 

Saw it in Montreal '90. That thing HOWLED, unlike the current Pug drone. Progress, sigh.....