Peugeot postpones the debut of its revised 9X8 to Imola

Peugeot has confirmed that its 2024 version of the 9X8 Le Mans Hypercar, with substantial revisions, will not compete until the second round of the World Endurance Championship in Imola, scheduled for April this year. The French team will participate in the season opener in Qatar this March with the model they used in last season's finale in Bahrain.

Olivier Jansonnie, technical director of Peugeot Sport, explained that the decision to carry out a radical overhaul of the innovative 9X8, including changing the tires from equal size on both axles to narrower front and wider rear tires, ruled out the possibility of a debut in Qatar on March 2. “We knew from the beginning that we could not achieve the homologation of the revised car in February," said Jansonnie. According to him, this change is crucial to ensure a significant improvement in vehicle performance against intense competition.

Peugeot's switch from the 31/31 tire set to the 29/34, similar to those used by Toyota and Ferrari in their LMHs, was announced during last year's WEC finale in Bahrain. However, Peugeot had already tested a modified version of the current 9X8 with the new configuration in the summer. The Peugeot Sport factory team aims to complete the new homologation by the end of March, which will allow them to compete with the evolved version of the vehicle in Imola on April 11. Jansonnie stated that they are working to be ready for Imola and dismissed any further delays that could postpone the debut until the third round at Spa in May.

The results of the initial tests of the revised car have been encouraging. Jansonnie detailed that the modifications to the 2024 version of the 9X8 are substantial. “First, we needed to modify the weight distribution of the car," he said. The original configuration of the car was designed for a forward weight distribution, adapted to the 31/31 tires. Now, they have had to move it backward and make adjustments in the aerodynamics and in the balance of the vehicle.

Although not officially confirmed, it is speculated that the revision includes the addition of a conventional rear wing, based on spy photos of the car testing at Paul Ricard. Jansonnie reserved details on other updates under the 'evo joker' rules, which allow only five changes in the name of performance over the entire life cycle of the car. It is understood that there is also a significant upgrade to Peugeot’s 2.6-liter twin-turbo V6, although the exact details remain a secret.
The use of 'jokers' in the evolution of the 9X8 B-spec remains a topic of speculation, given the limitation of changes allowed by the regulations. Peugeot's strategy seems to focus on key adjustments for a competitive edge, keeping the precise details of their improvements under wraps. With these revisions, Peugeot seeks not only to remain competitive but also to stand out in an increasingly contested field. The 2024 WEC season promises to be an exciting stage, where technical innovations and team strategies will play a crucial role in the quest for victory.