Peugeot Sport revealed its extensively revamped and more traditional Hypercar 9X8 in its quest for success at the 24 Hours of Le Mans race. Previously, the company had pinned its hopes on an unconventional no-wing philosophy for the 2023 9X8 model. However, the 2024 car has abandoned this approach in favor of a more contemporary solution.
An anomaly in the World Endurance and Le Mans regulations allows for increased downforce through larger venturi tunnels under the car. This is permitted as long as there is a balanced 50-50 mass distribution between the front and rear, and the use of 10-inch tires of equal size at both ends, instead of a more conventional setup. Peugeot tried to exploit this loophole to gain extra speed.
Unfortunately, this strategy proved unsuccessful as the car struggled to compete against its more conventional competitors. Although it showed competitiveness during the night at Le Mans last year and occasionally in other races, Peugeot has only managed a third-place finish since its return to the WEC in 2022. The team realized that its unconventional no-wing approach relied too heavily on the series’ Balance of Performance rules to be competitive at the front.
As expected, Peugeot has now abandoned its no-wing design and introduced the significantly revised and longer 2024 9X8 model. The car features a new striking livery, noticeably longer overall length, and is equipped with 9.5 and 12-inch wide tires. It also adopts a more conventional rear weight balance and incorporates a conventional rear wing to increase rear downforce.
Olivier Jansonnie, team boss, admitted that the decision to change the car was mainly motivated by the desire to rely less on the Balance of Performance rules, over which the team has no control. The new 9X8 2024 model underwent almost complete revisions, with approximately 95% of the car being modified. Jansonnie explained: “We made changes to 95% of the car, but one of our main challenges was to keep the overall appearance and simply add a rear wing. So, it may look quite similar, but we have implemented a significantly different aerodynamic concept.”
Although the new 9X8 2024 retains the original monocoque and safety structures, Peugeot made revisions to the car’s 2.6-liter V6 twin-turbo engine and seven-speed gearbox to improve reliability. Teams are allowed to make five performance updates over the lifespan of a Le Mans Hypercar, known as “evo jokers.” However, Peugeot did not disclose how many of these updates were used in the 2024 version of the 9X8.
Peugeot made a comeback to the world of endurance racing in 2022 with the innovative 9X8, which had no wings. Although it initially showed promise, it encountered issues during the 2023 24 Hours of Le Mans race. In a heartbreaking twist, it lost second place in the season-opening race of 2024 in Qatar last month. However, Peugeot’s wingless wonder failed to keep up with the performance of champions Toyota, Le Mans winners Ferrari, Cadillac, and even the initially problematic Porsches. In the upcoming 2024 season, Peugeot will also face tough competition from French rivals such as Alpine, BMW, Lamborghini, and others.
The Peugeot 9X8 is not the only car to have faced disappointment at Le Mans. A notable example is the acrobatic Mercedes GTRs, which became famous for being out of contention. Nissan also had a disastrous attempt to reinvent the wheel with their front-wheel drive cars, which proved to be quite useless. The pre-race of Lola for the Ford GT40 in 1960 was also a disaster. However, unlike Mercedes and Nissan, Lola persevered and the successor to their car dominated the race.
Peugeot showed similar determination by persisting and returning with a new plan. Despite the failure of their wingless wonder, the French manufacturer is now aiming for their fourth victory at Le Mans and more success in the World Endurance Championship. This time, they are relying on a wing and a prayer. Sometimes, these strategies work! We eagerly await the Le Mans race on June 15-16!
© 2024
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