After France’s ACO racing organizing physique created new guidelines for the Hypercar class in World Endurance Racing, producers like Toyota, Glickenhaus, and finally Cadillac, Ferrari, and Porsche created traditional-looking top-class race vehicles. Peugeot didn’t, debuting its 9×8 single-seater with an unmistakable headlight signature and an unmistakable rear finish that went and not using a wing, its idea targeted on ground-effects aero as a substitute of silhouette aero. The aft aero consideration was a small airfoil between two vertical strakes hanging off the again of the bodywork, its location making it extra like an extended ducktail spoiler or Gurney flap. With two years of racing within the World Endurance Championship accomplished, it seems the consensus at Peugeot Sport HQ is {that a} extra conventional method is required; the 9×8 scored factors, however outdoors of a third-place end in Monza final 12 months, normally completed towards the again of the category. The brand new 9×8 for the 2024 WEC season returns to the outdated methods of a rear wing.
Peugeot Sport Technical Director Olivia Jansonnie stated rule adjustments at first of the 2022 season put Peugeot at a drawback with Steadiness of Efficiency (BOP) guidelines. On the brand new automobile, within the works since early 2023, “The concept was subsequently to return to a automobile design that’s comparable that of our rivals automobile design,” he stated, “in order that it will then be given equal remedy by the BOP.” However he additionally careworn that the brand new automobile is a closely upgraded model of final 12 months’s 9×8, not a model new automobile. Including a rear wing lead engineers to transform 90% of the bodywork and alter the load steadiness. The brand new rules inspired a swap to staggered tires as a substitute of the 310-mm rubber beforehand used throughout. And engineers took steps to enhance engine and gearbox reliability.
As on the final automobile, Peugeot Sport labored with Peugeot Design on a brand new livery in Peugeot Sport’s varied colours, described as “black, gray, white and kryptonite.” The scheme places the model’s lion icon throughout, in numerous sizes, symbolizing a pack of lions that “conveys the sense of collective that displays the values of Endurance racing completely.” It could take a second to make out the heads as a result of they’re larger than you’d anticipate, however begin by wanting on the darkish grey graphics, the icons are simpler to see.
After getting into the earlier 9×8 within the 2024 WEC season’s first race in Qatar, the up to date 9×8 enters the fray on the 6 Hours of Imola on April 21.
