Метка: Peugeot Sport

Pourchaire in line for Peugeot Hypercar reserve role

Опубликовано от ASPPA IMAGES ANO


Formula 2 champion Theo Pourchaire is under consideration for a test and reserve role with Peugeot’s World Endurance Championship squad along with former sparring partner Clement Novalak.

Poruchaire, who also raced with Arrow McLaren in IndyCar this year, and LMP2 regular Novalak have entered the frame to replace Malthe Jakobsen on his graduation to a race seat in place of Nico Muller for 2025 after taking part in the official WEC rookie test in Bahrain earlier this month.

Peugeot has stated that it wanted to take a look at some new drivers and confirmed that they are in contention for the seventh spot in the Peugeot Sport WEC squad.

Peugeot Sport technical director Olivier Jansonnie said: “It is always interesting to evaluate drivers for the future. The idea of the rookie test for us was to test some proper rookies.

“We looked at some potential drivers: we wanted someone with strong single-seater experience and recent prototype experience, and that is Clement [who raced in the European Le Mans Series with Inter Europol in 2024]. Theo has a bit of a different profile but is obviously very talented.”

When asked if Pourchaire and Novalak were being evaluated for a potential reserve role, Jansonnie replied in the affirmative. He confirmed that Peugeot would go into 2025 with a seventh driver, but he stressed that no decisions had been made.

#94 Peugeot Totalenergies Peugeot 9X8: Malthe Jakobsen, Théo Pourchaire, Clement Novalak

#94 Peugeot Totalenergies Peugeot 9X8: Malthe Jakobsen, Théo Pourchaire, Clement Novalak

Photo by: JEP / Motorsport Images

Pourchaire stated that he was open to a reserve role with Peugeot alongside a proper return to competition after a season in which he started out in Super Formula with Team Impul before switching to what turned out to be a disjointed IndyCar campaign.

“A reserve driver role in Hypercar, why not?” said the 2023 F2 title winner, who holds a similar position in Formula 1 with Sauber. “It could help me have a full-time role in the future, but for sure I am looking for a drive to actually race.”

Should Pourchaire land a Peugeot drive, it is likely that he would be placed in LMP2 next year to gain race experience. He was spotted with the Algarve Pro Racing P2 squad at Paul Ricard during a Goodyear tyre test last week.

Novalak, a race winner in F2 in ’23, said: “If I could dream of anything it would be getting a reserve role [in Hypercar] and doing the ELMS and the IMSA SportsCar Championships [in P2],” said the London-based Franco-Swiss.

Pourchaire and Novalak are not under consideration for race seats at Peugeot for next year.

The team will go into the new season with an unchanged roster in its two 9X8 2024 Le Mans Hypercars with the exception of Jakobsen. But the Dane will not necessarily slot in as a like-for-like replacement for Muller in the #93 entry alongside Mikkel Jensen and Jean-Eric Vergne.

Jansonnie explained that the final decision on the line-ups in each car had yet to be made.

Peugeot shuffled drivers between cars for 2024 when Stoffel Vandoorne moved up from the reserve role on the departure of Gustavo Menezes. He took Menezes’s seat in the #94 car, driving alongside Loic Duval and Paul di Resta, who swapped places with Muller between seasons.

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Pourchaire gets Peugeot Hypercar chance in Bahrain WEC test

Опубликовано от ASPPA IMAGES ANO


Reigning Formula 2 champion Theo Pourchaire will get his first run in a sportscar prototype when he joins Peugeot for the World Endurance Championship’s Bahrain rookie test next month.

Pourchaire is one of the two drivers to be selected by the French manufacturer to drive the 9X8 2024 LMH at the Bahrain International Circuit on 3 November, along with his former F2 rival Clement Novalak.

Pourchaire had previously revealed his ambition to race in the WEC, telling Autosport that he «watches almost every race» and that the Le Mans 24 Hours is an event that he «would like to do one day».

However, there will be no immediate opportunities available at Peugeot’s Hypercar squad, which has already locked in its line-up for 2025 after promoting Malthe Jakobsen to replace new Porsche factory driver Nico Muller.

«For Team Peugeot TotalEnergies, these Rookie Tests in Bahrain bring a fresh perspective, even though reconditioning the cars after the race requires a lot of work from the entire team,» said Peugeot technical director Olivier Jansonnie.

«It is always very motivating and rewarding to see young drivers arrive with wide eyes, discovering the team, the car, etc.»

«We selected two different profiles. Theo is single-seater-oriented with an already impressive track record and is recognised as one of the single-seater hopefuls.

«Clement has more endurance experience with notable results in ELMS, particularly a second place in LMP2 at the 2024 24 Hours of Le Mans. His statistics in this discipline impressed us. I think it’s an interesting combination.

#93 Peugeot Totalenergies Peugeot 9X8: Mikkel Jensen, Nico Muller, Jean-Eric Vergne

#93 Peugeot Totalenergies Peugeot 9X8: Mikkel Jensen, Nico Muller, Jean-Eric Vergne

Photo by: JEP / Motorsport Images

«They will be guided by Paul di Resta and Malthe Jakobsen, who also went through this process before being appointed full-time next season. It is always very interesting for us to get technical feedback from fresh perspectives.»

Pourchaire is still searching for a drive next year after admitting recently that he doesn’t have a «lot of money to put on the table».

The Frenchman started the season in the Super Formula series with Team Impul, but ended up splitting with the squad after just one round when an opportunity came to enter IndyCar with Arrow McLaren.

However, his relationship with Arrow McLaren in IndyCar also turned out to be short-lived, as the team replaced him with Indy NXT graduate Nolan Siegel at around the mid-way point of the year. Pourchaire returned to the outfit for a one-off appearance at Toronto in place of Alexander Rossi, but has been out of action since then.

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Novalak, who previously raced against Pourchaire in F2, also left the category after 2023 in favour of a new career in sportscar racing.

Competing for InterEuropol Competition in an ORECA-Gibson 07, he finished on the podium in the recent European Le Mans Series event at Portimao. A maiden outing at Le Mans yielded a second-place finish in the LMP2 class.



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Peugeot’s WEC pace still «not brilliant» despite best result of the year

Опубликовано от ASPPA IMAGES ANO


Peugeot says a double points finish in the Fuji World Endurance Championship round doesn’t mean it has made a breakthrough, as the 9X8 2024 is still «not brilliant» on pure pace.

A strong final stint on fresh tyres propelled the #93 Peugeot 9X8 Le Mans Hypercar of Mikkel Jensen, Nico Muller and Jean-Eric Vergne to fourth place in Sunday’s Japan event, just three seconds off the final spot on the podium.

It marked the first top-five finish for the upgraded 9X8 that debuted at Imola in April as well as the French marque’s best result in WEC since it finished on the rostrum with the previous version of the car in Monza last year.

But Peugeot’s technical director Olivier Jansonnie warned that the team shouldn’t get carried away with its showing at Fuji Speedway, as the result wasn’t representative of the car’s true speed.

«Look at the lap times, it’s still not looking brilliant in terms of pace, to be honest,» he said. «But we managed to compensate [for] that and get this P4.

«There is a bit of luck involved in that [as well], to be honest. We have been very unlucky in some races, [but] at some point it’s also changing [our way].

He added: «[The result] is a boost. We have been through some very hard times with no results, lots of pressure since Sao Paulo and Austin – especially Austin was a very bad race for us.

#93 Peugeot Totalenergies Peugeot 9X8: Mikkel Jensen, Nico Muller, Jean-Eric Vergne

#93 Peugeot Totalenergies Peugeot 9X8: Mikkel Jensen, Nico Muller, Jean-Eric Vergne

Photo by: JEP / Motorsport Images

«We always operate [on] the same [level]. This time we managed to align it with things and our competitors made some mistakes and that really helps.»

Both Peugeot entries were running outside of the top 10 at the midway point of the six-hour enduro, as the team focused on saving tyres for a late assault.

The strategy paid dividends when a stoppage for the Lamborghini SC63 in the penultimate hour reset the order, wiping out Peugeot’s deficit to the frontrunners and giving it a massive tyre advantage over its direct rivals.

Jensen was running 10th at the beginning of the final hour, having already completed his last pitstop by then, and was able to charge through the field to climb to fourth, passing the #12 Jota Porsche 963 of Norman Nato in the closing stages of the race.

Loic Duval, Paul di Resta and Stoffel Vandoorne claimed eighth place in the sister Peugeot, securing their first points finish of the year.

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A collision between the #7 Toyota and the #5 Porsche Penske 963, as well as penalties for the #8 Toyota and the #35 Alpine, also contributed to their rise near the front.

Jansonnie said that it wasn’t easy for Peugeot drivers to make sacrifices in the early stages of the race in the hope of making a comeback later.

«[We are] happy with the strategy, we made a couple of gambles during the race,» he said.

«We knew we had saved more tyres than others in the [final] pitstops, so we just had a bit more pace at the end of the race. But it required some drivers at the beginning of the race to try to keep the tyres for the end.

«We still kept pushing on track even if the lap times were not coming because we knew that in the end, we would have fresher tyres.

«It was a big team effort and the performance of the drivers in the last stint was amazing as well. So in all, very happy with that.»



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Peugeot evaluating further hypercar upgrades for 2025 WEC season

Опубликовано от ASPPA IMAGES ANO


Peugeot is evaluating the introduction of further upgrades to its Le Mans Hypercar in 2025 in order to close the gap to the front in the World Endurance Championship.

The French manufacturer wants to get a full understanding of the potential of the updated 9X8 2024 by the end of the current season in order to determine whether it needs to use more evo jokers for next season.

Asked what Peugeot has to do to improve its fortunes in the Hypercar class, the marque’s technical director Olivier Jansonnie said: “We are looking at the performance of the car right now, obviously until you find something [major] it’s always difficult to know what it was [that needed improving].

“We are looking at various things: we have evaluated and started to pinpoint so many things on the car that need improvement — especially the last two races were quite relevant for that.

“Part of that is for sure set-up, which we can cure, and once we have a clear picture of what we cannot cure with set-up, we will have to look at evos and jokers eventually.”

He added: “Only once you start getting to the point you can see what you are missing and when it’s to evolve in terms of technical package, jokers and homologation.”

Peugeot invoked the first of the five evo joker performance upgrades allowed to it under the initial five-year lifecycle of the 9X8 LMH ahead of its first full season in the WEC in 2023. 

#93 Peugeot Totalenergies Peugeot 9X8: Mikkel Jensen, Nico Muller, Jean-Eric Vergne

#93 Peugeot Totalenergies Peugeot 9X8: Mikkel Jensen, Nico Muller, Jean-Eric Vergne

Photo by: JEP / Motorsport Images

How much of its allocation it has used has not been disclosed and the use of evo jokers is not in the public domain nor shared by the series rule-makers with the manufacturers. 

It is unclear whether its shift from equal size wheels and tyres all round to the narrower fronts and wider rears that was at the centre of the 2024 makeover counted as one. 

Toyota made the same switch from 31cm tyres to 29 and 34cm with its GR010 HYBRID LMH between the 2021 and ’22 seasons. 

It successfully argued that it needed to make the switch as a result of the reduction of minimum weight in LMH that followed the convergence process to allow LMDh machinery into the WEC.

Evo jokers have to be applied for to the rule-makers, the Automobile Club de l’Ouest and the FIA, and are allowed at their discretion. 

While the upgrade for 2024 represented a major change in concept, the new 9X8 has not finished higher than eighth in the five races it has contested so far. The previous version of the car logged a podium finish at Monza in 2023.

Jansonnie said it remains to be decided at what point Peugeot could use evo jokers to introduce new parts on the car if it decides to go down that route, but did not rule out the prospect of starting the 2025 season in late February with the new version.

“It’s open again,” he said. “We are looking hard into what could bring us performance. So depending upon the findings we do between now and the end of the year, we will decide what we do.”

Jansonnie wouldn’t be drawn about the scope of the changes when asked if Peugeot would make small tweaks to the car or bring more substantial upgrades.

“It’s impossible to tell until we have the full picture,” he said. “It has to be some balance between how long we can wait before doing something and how much you can gain from doing something quickly. It depends on what we find on track next month [in testing].”

Jansonnie added that “the target is to have a clear picture by the end of November” while the “type” of update will also help in determining the full timeline of the upgraded car.

“You have some quick and easy things that you can design in a couple of weeks, produce the parts in three to four weeks and test them, if you are 100 per cent sure what you are doing,” he said.

“That’s a two, three-month turnaround. There are other options that could be much longer. It’s impossible to answer.”



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Muller to leave Peugeot’s Hypercar squad after 2024 WEC season

Опубликовано от ASPPA IMAGES ANO


Nico Muller will split with Peugeot at the end of the 2024 World Endurance Championship, the French manufacturer announced on Thursday.

Muller has been racing for Peugeot in the Hypercar class ever since his early exit from Audi at the conclusion of the 2022 DTM season, which followed the German car maker’s decision to call off its under-development LMDh programme.

Following his departure from Audi, the Swiss driver made an earlier-than-expected debut in the Peugeot 9X8 in the 2022 Bahrain finale as a replacement for the retired James Rossiter, before joining the team for the full year in 2023 with team-mates Loic Duval and Gustavo Menezes.

He was moved to the sister #93 car in 2024 alongside Jean-Eric Vergne and Mikkel Jensen and was on course for a maiden podium finish in the Qatar season-opener, before the car slowed down with a few minutes to run after running out of fuel. 

With the car later disqualified from the Losail round for a double breach of regulations, a fourth-place finish in the 2022 Bahrain event remains his best outright result in the WEC.

“It has been a wild ride @nico_mueller and it isn’t over just yet,” Peugeot announced on social media site X (formerly Twitter). 

“But at the end of the season, our favorite Swiss driver will leave Team Peugeot TotalEnergies to write a new chapter of his racing journey.

“Danke, grazie, merci Nico for the hard work and good vibes!!”

Nico Muller, ABT CUPRA Formula E Team, on the grid

Nico Muller, ABT CUPRA Formula E Team, on the grid

Photo by: Sam Bagnall / Motorsport Images

The news about Muller leaving Peugeot follows his announcement that he will also be leaving Abt in Formula E after this weekend’s London finale, just as the German team begins a new tie-up with Lola Cars and Yamaha.

The 32-year-old has been tipped to move to Porsche customer Andretti in the all-electric championship next year, although it remains unclear how that would affect his future in WEC.

Muller previously enjoyed a long relationship with fellow Volkswagen Group marque Audi that saw him win multiple races in the DTM and score an outright win in the Nurburgring 24 Hours in 2015.

As for Peugeot, the French marque has the option of promoting reserve driver Malthe Jakobsen or hiring a driver from outside the Stellantis roster.

Jakobsen, who has tested the 9X8 at a number of occasions, has been competing in the European Le Mans Series with Cool Racing this year and won the season-opening race in Barcelona along with team-mates Ritomo Miyata and Lorenzo Fluxa.



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Peugeot WEC focus shifts from reliability to performance

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Peugeot has switched from focusing on the development of its updated 9X8 2024 Le Mans Hypercar fully to improving performance after its reliable run at the Le Mans 24 Hours.

Olivier Jansonnie, technical director of the Peugeot Sport organisation that develops and runs the 9X8s, revealed that he is expecting an upturn in the performance of a car that failed to make it into the top 10 at double-points round of the World Endurance Championship in June as a result. 

He explained that the clean finish for the two 9X8s, which ended up 11th and 12th at Le Mans, “moves a bit the kind centre of gravity of what you are doing”.

“Before Le Mans, you have that thing where you must deliver reliability,” he said.  “We really focussed over the winter on reliability to cure all the issues we had in previous years.

“It seems that the reliability is good; now we need to spend more time testing on performance. Now the focus of testing will be different: it is easier to run after one thing rather than running after reliability and performance. 

“We still have four races to try to show performance and we are really pushing to do this.”

#93 Peugeot Totalenergies Peugeot 9X8: Mikkel Jensen, Nico Muller

#93 Peugeot Totalenergies Peugeot 9X8: Mikkel Jensen, Nico Muller

Photo by: Marco Losi / KAPPAEMEDIA

Jansonnie conceded that Peugeot is still learning about its new Hypercar class contender, which has switched wheel and tyre configuration from equal size rims all round to narrower fronts and wider rears. 

The change of concept that arrived at the Imola WEC round in April has resulted in heavily revised aerodynamics, including the addition of a conventional rear wing. 

“There is definitely still a lot to learn on this car,” he explained. “We started running the car in December and it is quite different to the previous car.

“At Le Mans, the areas we were weak were the areas where on the other one [the first-generation 9X8] we were quite strong, and vice versa — that shows that it is very different.”

Jansonnie explained that Peugeot has identified the areas in which Peugeot needs to improve the latest version of the 9X8. 

“Generally we are trying to give more confidence to the drivers in order for them to push the car a little bit more,” he said.

Peugeot will resume its test programme with a run at Austin ahead of round six of this year’s WEC on 1 September. 

#93 Peugeot Totalenergies Peugeot 9X8: Mikkel Jensen, Nico Muller

#93 Peugeot Totalenergies Peugeot 9X8: Mikkel Jensen, Nico Muller

Photo by: JEP / Motorsport Images

It will take part in a two-day test attended by multiple manufacturers as well as a one-day Michelin test focussed on the new generation of tyre the French supplier plans to introduce next year. 

Jansonnie revealed that there would be further testing after the Fuji round, which takes place two weeks after Austin on 15 September, and before the series finale in Bahrain in November. 

Peugeot topped the times in an inclusive opening session of free practice for this weekend’s Sao Paolo 6 Hours WEC round. 

The #93 entry was at the top of the times with a time from Nico Muller when a session that started on a damp track was red-flagged halfway through its 90-minute duration. 

The practice period was not restarted and instead 45 minutes have been added to FP2.

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Peugeot claims unfair treatment in veiled BoP attack following WEC Spa

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Jean-Marc Finot, the French manufacturer’s motorsport boss, told Motorsport.com at Spa that “my feeling is that we are being treated unfairly”.

He did not mention the BoP, because it is expressly forbidden for manufacturers, teams and drivers to talk about it in the series’ sporting regulations.

But the interference from his comments has to be that Peugeot believes its updated 9X8 2024 Le Mans Hypercar should have received a performance break for its second WEC appearance at Spa last weekend.

“We have spent one year trying to improve the car and we don’t see the effect on the race track or in our results,” continued Finot.

“That is very difficult to understand and is very bad for team morale.”

The new version of the 9X8 wasn’t competitive on its debut at Imola in April and received no help from the BoP ahead of Saturday’s Spa 6 Hours.

The car was given a 4kg weight increase and a 2kW (2.5bhp) power decrease ahead of round three of the WEC in Belgium.

That was in accordance with a realignment in the BoP for the Circuit de Spa-Franchorchamps that resulted in only minor changes for all the cars in the Hypercar class bar the Ferrari 499P LMH, which was pegged back after Imola with a 12kg increase in minimum weight and a power reduction of 4kW (5bhp).

#93 Peugeot Totalenergies Peugeot 9X8: Mikkel Jensen, Nico Muller

#93 Peugeot Totalenergies Peugeot 9X8: Mikkel Jensen, Nico Muller

Photo by: Marco Losi / KAPPAEMEDIA

But the Automobile Club de l’Ouest, which co-organises the WEC with the FIA, re-iterated a key component of the new BoP methodology introduced for 2024 in reaction to Finot’s comments.

“The process of the BoP lays down a window, and if a car is overperforming we will slow them down quickly,” explained club president Pierre Fillon.

“But if a car is underperforming we will react much more slowly — this is to avoid sandbagging.”

Peugeot Sport technical director Olivier Jansonnie described the showing at Spa as disappointing despite the best of the two 9X8s finishing in the points in 10th place.

“We are quite disappointed by the performance of the car here,” he said after the race.

“We knew from the start, from Free Practice 1, that it would be quite difficult here to be honest, but we were hoping to be a bit closer than what we showed today.”

Jansonnie pointed out that at Spa the 9X8 was quick in the fast first and last sectors, which accurately replicate sections of the Circuit de la Sarthe at Le Mans.

“We hope that we can show better pace at the Le Mans 24 Hours,” he continued.

“It is quite different in terms of layout”.

Finot refused to make any predictions for Le Mans next month while again steering clear of mention of the BoP.

“There is something that I cannot speak of that will be different for Le Mans, so I cannot make any forecast,” he said.

Last year the original version of the 9X8 posted one of its best performances at Le Mans, leading the race on four occasions between the early evening and shortly before the halfway mark as the #93 entry shared Loic Duval, Nico Muller and Gustavo Menezes consistently ran in the top three.

The revised version of the Peugeot has abandoned the equally-sized front and rear tyres in favour of the narrower fronts and wider rears run by the rest of the Hypercar field.

The rearward shift in weight distribution that has accompanied the new tyre dimensions has resulted in an overhaul of the aerodynamic concept and the addition of a conventional rear wing.

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Peugeot explains decision not to use WEC reserve driver at Spa

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A desire to maximise seat time for the regular drivers of its 2024-spec 9X8 Le Mans Hypercar, which is making only its second race outing prior to next month’s Le Mans 24 Hours, was cited by technical director Olivier Jansonnie as a justification for not giving reserve Malthe Jakobsen a WEC race debut. 

«We’re looking for stability in our crew, basically, trying to make sure that we maximise the driving time for the drivers going to Le Mans afterwards, that was the only thing for us,» Jansonnie said when asked by Motorsport.com to explain its approach. 

«We’ve been giving driving time in testing to Malthe, I think it was all very positive. 

«Now coming to Le Mans, preparing for the race, it was good for us to have this kind of repeat, even if it’s only with two drivers.»

Peugeot will run two drivers in each of its cars at Spa, with Vergne and Vandoorne on Formula E duty in Berlin sister Stellantis brand DS. Mikkel Jensen and Nico Muller share the #93 entry, with Paul di Resta and Loic Duval aboard #94.

Jansonnie rejected the view that not utilising Asian Le Mans Series champion Jakobsen might mean he is unprepared if called upon for Le Mans, where he is scheduled to race for Cool Racing in LMP2.

«Personally, [I think] he’s ready for almost every race,» he said. 

Photo by: Peugeot Sport

Jakobsen explained that he accepted the team’s decision. 

«Of course, I’m a racing driver and I prefer to be sitting in a race car with the steering wheel between my hands,» he said. 

«But I understand the team’s importance of keeping the team environment and the team spirit with a brand-new car and to prepare themselves as best as possible for the 24 Hours of Le Mans which is the big target for everybody in this sport and especially the team as well.

«I still feel like I’m ready, otherwise I don’t think they would have given me the opportunity to be a reserve driver because it means that if one day one of the drivers won’t be ready to drive, I would have to step in.»

Jansonnie said that Spa would be «interesting for us to experiment this kind of two drivers situation» as he anticipates there will be more scenarios in the future when clashes arise «just because simply there are more and more races».

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He believes mirroring the approach adopted since Imola by the Ganassi-run Cadillac Racing V-Series.R LMDh, which is also being followed at Spa by the #12 Jota Porsche 963 LMDh with Norman Nato racing in FE, will «make our life much easier in free practice» and allow for a more focused approach to car set-up. 

«You’re just increasing more variables you have to play with [having] three drivers, so it should be a bit easier,» he said. 

«And in the race, we will see, it really depends on the number of stints we’ll have in the race. 

«If we keep the race to six stints, it’s probably easy, if you start doing seven stints then we’ll have to scratch our heads and see how we do that with the drivers.»

Following a 4kg weight gain and 2kW reduction in maximum power in the latest Balance of Performance revealed earlier this week, Jansonnie said «We don’t expect to be at the very front» at Spa.



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Peugeot won’t replace Vergne, Vandoorne for Spa WEC amid Formula E clash

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The French manufacturer has not nominated a replacement for either Jean-Eric Vergne or Stoffel Vandoorne, who will be competing with Peugeot sister marque DS and Penske in the clashing Berlin round of the Formula E World Championship on the weekend of 11/12 May.

It means Nico Muller and Mikkel Jensen will race the #93 Peugeot as a duo and Paul di Resta and Loic Duval likewise in the #94 Hypercar class entry.

Peugeot has passed up on the opportunity to give Malthe Jakobsen, who was signed as the WEC team’s junior driver last May, a first race outing in the 9X8.

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It was not considering anyone else except the 20-year-old Dane for Spa, which meant that one of the 9X8s was always going to have two drivers in the absence of Vergne and Vandoorne.

Jean-Marc Finot, who is motorsport boss of Peugeot and all the Stellantis group brands, said at the Qatar WEC season-opener in March that he would “not be looking outside of the Peugeot family” to fill the vacant seats.

The confirmation of Peugeot’s two-driver plan came with the release of the entry list for the Spa 6 Hours on 11 May on Wednesday.

Jota Porsche driver Norman Nato and Iron Lynx Lamborghini’s Edoardo Mortara will also miss Spa as planned to fulfil their FE commitments with Andretti and Mahindra respectively.

Nato will not be replaced alongside Will Stevens and Callum Ilott in the #12 Porsche 963 LMDh as already confirmed.

#12 Hertz Team Jota Porsche 963: Will Stevens, Callum Ilott, Norman Nato

#12 Hertz Team Jota Porsche 963: Will Stevens, Callum Ilott, Norman Nato

Photo by: JEP / Motorsport Images

Long-time Lambo factory driver Andrea Caldarelli will swap over from the Iron Lynx IMSA SportsCar Championship programme in three of the endurance rounds to join Mirko Bortolotti and Daniil Kvyat in the solo WEC SC63 LMDh.

Alpine has nominated Ferdinand Habsburg for its #35 A424 in the expectation that he will have recovered from the back injuries sustained in a crash in testing last month.

Philippe Sinault, boss of the Signatech team that runs the factory Alpines, stated last weekend at the Imola WEC round that he was “expecting good news” from Habsburg this week.

But it is understood that the Austrian has yet to receive the sign-off from doctors to get back in a racing car.

Harry Tincknell is listed in the Proton Competition Porsche 963 LMDh, but is more likely to be in Laguna Seca fulfilling his obligations in the IMSA series as part of Ford’s GT Daytona Pro programme with the Mustang GT3.

Larry Holt, whose Multimatic organisation masterminds Ford’s GT3 activities, said at Imola that it is likely that this drive will take precedence for Tincknell.

Toyota Hypercar class reserve driver Ritomo Miyata will drive the #78 Auto Sport Promotion Lexus RC F GT3 in place of Kelvin van der Linde.

The South African will racing for the Abt Cupra FE squad in Berlin instead of Nico Muller in his capacity as reserve driver for the German team.

#78 Akkodis ASP Team Lexus RC F LMGT3: Arnold Robin, Timur Boguslavskiy, Kelvin Van Der Linde

#78 Akkodis ASP Team Lexus RC F LMGT3: Arnold Robin, Timur Boguslavskiy, Kelvin Van Der Linde

Photo by: JEP / Motorsport Images

Miyata will be making his second race appearance in one of Toyota sister marque Lexus’s GT3 cars after contesting the Daytona 24 Hours IMSA round with the Vasser Sullivan squad.

Iron Dames Lamborghini driver Doriane Pin will miss the Spa WEC race to begin her Formula Renault Regional Championship by Alpine campaign at Hockenheim with the same team.

She will be replaced in the Iron Lynx-run Lamborghini Huracan GT3 EVO2’s all-female line-up by Rahel Frey, who was part of the team’s WEC line-up alongside Sarah Bovy and Michelle Gatting in 2021-23.

Pin will return to the Iron Dames Lamborghini for the Le Mans 24 Hours WEC round in June before concentrating on her single-seater commitments in FRECA and F1 Academy.

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