FIA WEC: Peugeot to debut at Monza in July
Almost exactly one year since Peugeot TotalEnergies revealed the concept behind the 9X8, and just five months after the car's first track test, Team Peugeot TotalEnergies today unveiled its exciting new endurance racing challenger in Portimo, southern Portugal. FIA WEC Round 4, in Monza, Italy, in July 2022, will mark the debut of the pioneering four wheel drive, hybrid-electric hypercar. The countdown is on for Peugeot.
This ground-breaking Hypercar, which is instantly recognizable thanks to the absence of a rear wing, complies with the ACO and FIA's Le Mans Hypercar (LMH) category, more accessible than LMP1 but just as competitive.
PEUGEOT 9X8 is a four-wheel-drive prototype that was developed under the direction of Peugeot Sport's specialists. Its rear wheels are driven by a 2.6-litre, bi-turbo, 520kW, V6 internal-combustion engine (ICE), while a bespoke, high-performance 200kW electric motor drives the front wheels. Like the motor, the silicon carbide-based inverter was developed in association with Marelli. The car’s high-voltage, 900-volt battery was developed jointly with TotalEnergies/Saft and Michelin provides the tyres in compliance with the Hypercar class’s regulations.
Six drivers have been named to form the two crews at Italy’s 6 Hours of Monza on July 10, namely Paul Di Resta (GBR), Loïc Duval (FRA), Mikkel Jensen (DNK), Gustavo Menezes (USA/BRA), James Rossiter (GBR) and Jean-Éric Vergne (FRA). The exact composition of each trio will be confirmed in the coming weeks after the car's testing has been completed before its competitive debut. In September, the two PEUGEOT 9X8s will take part in the 6 Hours of Fuji, Japan, and in November, the 8 Hours of Bahrain.
Despite the 9X8 not appearing at Le Mans in 2022, Peugeot was keen to attend the event in order to meet its fans during the build-up to and during the race weekend itself. In association with the ACO (Automobile Club de l’Ouest), an exhibition entitled ALLURE-LE MANS dedicated to PEUGEOT’s outstanding history and success story at La Sarthe will open on May 21 at the circuit’s museum where the original version of the PEUGEOT 9X8 will be on display until September.
