LeMans24/ALMS: Peugeot Sport confirms 2010 program

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Peugeot Sport announced its long awaited plans for the 2010 season this afternoon. After winning the 24 Hours of Le Mans last year the mission for this season is clear: another win at Le Mans. For the final year of the Peugeot 908 HDi FAP the French manufacturer has improved the car once again and a series of test sessions and races are planned to accomplish that mission.

In order to be fully ready for the 78th 24 Hours of Le Mans Peugeot has chosen eleven drivers to be part of the 2010 Peugeot Sport team that is aiming for a new victory at Le Mans.

For Le Mans the three Peugeot 908 HDi FAPs will have a brand new livery and will be wearing race numbers 1, 2 and 3 for the first time. 2009 Le Mans winners Marc Gené, Alexander Wurz will share the #1 car with Anthony Davidson. For Gené and Wurz it will be their fourth Le Mans, for Davidson it will be his third Le Mans race. The Briton, who raced for Aston Martin Racing in 2009, tested a Peugeot 908 HDi FAP however back in 2008 at Paul Ricard.

The #2 car will be 100% French. Nicolas Minassian, Franck Montagny and Stéphane Sarrazin. Car #3 will be entered for Sébastien Bourdais, Simon Pagenaud and Pedro Lamy. Christian Klien, who finished sixth with Peugeot in 2009 and third in 2008, will not be racing at Le Mans for Peugeot this year. The Austrian will be the reserve driver for Team Peugeot Total, while 2009 THP Spider Cup winner Gregory Guilvert will be taking on the role as official Peugeot test driver, after impressing in a test session.

But before heading to Le Mans Peugeot will first do two other races. Next month Peugeot will race Peugeot 908 HDi FAPs in the Sebring 12 Hours. In the United States the #07 will be driven by Anthony Davidson, Marc Gené and Alexander Wurz, while the #08 will be driven by Sébastien Bourdais, Pedro Lamy and Nicolas Minassian. The team will also be testing at Sebring the weekend before the race, as well as two days after the race.
After Sebring Peugeot will fly its cars back to Europe and three cars will be entered in the Le Mans Series 1000 KM of Spa-Francorchamps, the dress-rehearsal for the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

Even though it was expected that Peugeot would start its work on the 2011 car after Le Mans and would not be entering any other rounds, the Peugeot 908 HDi FAP is still set to race in two more rounds. In September Peugeot will take part in the 1000 KM of Silverstone and - depending on confirmation by the Automobile Club de l’Ouest - Peugeot will also enter the Le Mans Intercontinental Cup race planned in Shanghai, China. In the meantime the engineers at the Peugeot Sport HQ will start working on the new car according to the 2011 regulations.

Planetlemans

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Peugeot confident in upgraded 908

Peugeot is expecting its battle with Audi to be closer at this year's Le Mans 24 Hours than it was in 2009, as its 908 enters its fourth and final season.

The French manufacturer took its first win with the diesel 908 last year, at the third attempt, while the race was the debut for Audi's R15 TDi.

Peugeot Sport technical director Bruno Famin says the car has been updated for 2010 and expects a close race.

"Last year we believed we might be fractionally behind our main rival in terms of performance, but in reality it was quite the opposite and the 908 was still one step ahead," he said.

"It is quite clear that our rivals have responded and made significant progress with a car that is still only two years old. In terms of raw performance it wouldn't surprise me if we were very fractionally behind - and that will set things up nicely for a 24-hour sprint race at Le Mans."

Peugeot has been forced to make alterations to its engine cover and front diffuser 908 to comply with the 2010 aero regulations. The Le Mans organiser, the ACO, has continued its efforts bring the performance of petrol and diesel cars closer together, so the air restrictor has been reduced from 38.3mm to 37.8mm and the maximum turbo pressure lowered from 2.75 bar to 2.59 bar, resulting in an expected decrease of 40bhp.

But the team has continued to develop the power unit and other areas of the car.

"Engine developments have continued and we have upgraded the engine," said Famin. "We have particularly focused on the reduction of frictional losses thanks to groundwork ont he lubricants, improved volumetric effeciency for inlet and exhaust and enhanced combustion.

"We have also worked on a serious weight reduction programme. The target was to make sure the car was no heavier this year, despite the various changes that have been made in terms of both reliability and the latest bodywork regulations.

"Reliability was an important consideration, even though we've had only one retirement since 2007 - we've completed 191 of a possible 192 racing hours [at Le Mans]. It was important to maintain this tradition, so we began with a major overhaul of all the elements that caused us problems in 2009: gearbox, clutch and transmission, brake wear, wheel assemblies and air-conditioning.

"Finally, we have worked closely with Michelin on a completely new range of tyres for dry, intermediate and wet conditions."

Autosport

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