[WEC] Peugeot Sport returning to WEC

[tomcug]

They were faster at Bahrain last year with inferior BOP so no, that's not the limit for this car. Unless upgrades they did before 2023 have an opposite effect to expected one

[S griffin]

Hopefully Peugeot will learn the lessons of this year and come back stronger next year. They need to improve

[hondafan37]

https://www.endurance-info.com/auto/...au-paul-ricard

Video - The Peugeot 9X8 with rear wing tested at Paul Ricard.

[Gerard C]

The wing is not a small one. Not at all Ferrari style.

[TF110]

Looks like double endplates. Ala TS020 in high downforce trim.

[Gerard C]

Official pictures to come soon.

[S griffin]

Hopefully it can look more effective than last year’s car. Certainly it looks better from those testing photos. We’ll see when they release the official photos

[Aysedasi]

Originally Posted by S griffin

Hopefully it can look more effective than last year’s car. Certainly it looks better from those testing photos. We’ll see when they release the official photos

It wasn't looks last year's car was short of - it's a fantastic looking car. At LM, I thought it was probably the best looking car of them all. But performance, that's a different matter....

[veeten]

Just proves that Motorsports is no beauty contest. Form follows function... it's that simple.

[Hawkwood]

Originally Posted by Aysedasi

It wasn't looks last year's car was short of - it's a fantastic looking car. At LM, I thought it was probably the best looking car of them all. But performance, that's a different matter....

In fairness, it also performed well at Le Mans, but only at Le Mans.

[tomcug]

Originally Posted by Hawkwood

but only at Le Mans

Monza? And Bahrain was strange, they were slower than in 2022, despite upgrades on the car.

[flatlandsman]

it only really went very well at LM in the wet where it was the fastest car at times, no doubt due to relying less on aero and more on ground effect

[Adam43]

And having a lower front wheel drive deployment speed.
https://tentenths.com/forum/showpost...&postcount=417

Not sure how it generates the downforce is a factor.

[Gingers4Justice]

I think people are way too harsh about the 9X8’s performance last year. It led Le Mans on merit, and not just in the wet. It was very competitive at Monza too.

It clearly could do with a much wider performance window but if we’re talking about a weakness, they’ve got to make it more reliable.

[GingerPixel]

Agreed. It always happens when someone tries something different though.

Motorsport fans: "booo everything looks the same"
Also motorsport fans: "booo your car is stupid and different and I hate it"

[S griffin]

I think they should be praised for the ingenuity, but there were too problems with it to be a consistent challenger. If they can build on their potential, they will be a much better force

[FIRE]

Originally Posted by GingerPixel

Agreed. It always happens when someone tries something different though.

Motorsport fans: "booo everything looks the same"
Also motorsport fans: "booo your car is stupid and different and I hate it"

It's not black/white. I applaud for trying something different but at the same time we have to agree it didn't really work.

[flatlandsman]

I think to be honest the people who do work them need to hang their heads in shame, they had endless gearbox issues, this might be the people who make the box but it also might be a "mating issue with the box, engine and electronics.

but for it to go on as long as it did, with the budget available was a joke

[TF110]

You can look at f1 teams and their struggles to get the ground effects cars to work. Their budgets are much higher than Peugeot. Should go to show you that it's not so easy to get a certain concept right.

[veeten]

But then again, ground effects has been around since the 60's, when Jim Hall was developing both passive and active versions of his Chaparall racers. It was after seeing them in action that inspired Colin Chapman to his designs that would make a winner in the 70's. Not to mention Alfa's short lived "fan" car.

Peugeot was looking to make a car that was based on passive ground effects and not need a rear wing for stability. Unfortunately, it was changing conditions that would prove to make the car unstable.

[E.B]

Originally Posted by veeten

. Not to mention Alfa's short lived "fan" car.
.

Actually a Brabham BT46B (powered by Alfa) [/pedant]

[Gerard C]

[Adam43]

A few snippets from Di Resta
https://www.dailysportscar.com/2024/...different.html

and also a suggestion that the new car might not debut in the first race this year!

[joeb]

Originally Posted by Adam43

A few snippets from Di Resta
https://www.dailysportscar.com/2024/...different.html

and also a suggestion that the new car might not debut in the first race this year!

I'm still holding out hope that they do something other than what we expect with the aero, like maybe they do add a wing, but not where you expect.

[TF110]

Confirmed that the updated 9x8 won't race in the opening round. Hopeful they can homologate the new car for Imola in April.