“The reason [for producing an LMH project] was the freedom of design. It was mandatory for us to have a car that incorporated the Peugeot design code, a car that is easily recognisable as a Peugeot” Jean-Merc Finot, CEO of Peugeot Sport and the wider Stellantis group created on the merger of parent company PSA and Fiat Chrysler in early 2021. ”
“Michelin made it very clear that their new generation 14 & 15″ tyres would work with a 50:50 weight distribution,” Oliver Jansonnie, the technical director of the all-new 9X8 program, said, “With a weight distribution like that, you move your aero balance forward, and you can remove your rear wing. The whole thing was making sense. No rear wing, a forward aero and weight distribution and the wide front tyres work together.”
“We also have to show that the car is stable in side winds and is not going to take off when there is some yaw in the car,” points out Jansonnie. “Every manufacturer has to demonstrate by simulation that his car is stable. That is what pushed us in the direction of increasing the size of the fin.”
“Conceptually, so far, so good, If the question is if we have had any issues with the concept, the answer is no. That doesn’t mean there aren’t any issues; we’re just saying that we haven’t found any yet.”
The Peugeot 9X8 is due to race next month at the next Monza round of the WEC on the 10th of July.
Images: Peugeot Motorsport.