Peugeot is now inclined to replace its present 9X8 challenger as an alternative of pursuing an all-new Le Mans Hypercar for the World Endurance Championship.
The obvious shift in Peugeot’s stance follows the introduction of a brand new clause within the 2026 technical laws, permitting struggling producers to request further evo joker upgrades past their authentic allocation. The rule states that “Further Evolutions extensions (EVO Jokers) will be granted for a demonstrated vital lack of efficiency as decided by the governing physique.”
That is notably vital for Peugeot, which is known to have used each its homologations and exhausted all 5 evo jokers obtainable beneath the 9X8’s preliminary five-year cycle by means of 2027.
Because the summer season, the French marque had been evaluating a clean-sheet prototype to exchange the 9X8, arguing the automotive was closely compromised by early LMH regulation modifications made to align the class with LMDh. A recent construct would have required approval from the FIA and the Car Membership de l’Ouest.
Nonetheless, Peugeot now says discussions with the rulemakers centre on what additional evolutions may very well be utilized to the present automotive inside the expanded regulatory framework.
All joker-based upgrades – whether or not these inside the allocation or further – should nonetheless be authorised by each governing our bodies.
“The brand new discussions we’re having now have opened up the chances for evolutions,” Peugeot technical director Oliver Jansonnie stated in Bahrain. “What isn’t clear but is the total content material of the evolution that’s obtainable. We’re discussing extra particulars now.”
Requested if these discussions have been additionally a few new automotive, Jansonnie added: “On the minute, they’re speaking about evolutions on the automobiles.”
Pressed additional on whether or not Peugeot may undertake a significant overhaul much like the 2024 replace, as an alternative of homologating an all-new chassis, he stated: “It may very well be. That’s the dialogue.”
#94 Peugeot Totalenergies Peugeot 9X8: Loic Duval, Malthe Jakobsen, Stoffel Vandoorne
Photograph by: Shameem Fahath
For many of the 2025 season, the 9X8 ran on the minimal weight and the utmost energy allowed to LMH prototypes beneath the WEC’s Stability of Efficiency system.
Nonetheless, Peugeot nonetheless ended the season second-last within the constructors’ standings, scoring simply two podiums throughout the eight rounds.
Jansonnie stated producers unable to succeed in a aggressive baseline ought to have the chance to enhance their automobiles.
“Inside a BoP method, it makes full sense that BoP is used to attempt to stability the automobiles as much as the purpose the place it’s good to have an evolution of your automotive, as a result of your automotive cannot survive with the utmost BoP – and that is the place we’re,” he stated.
“What we’re pushing for is that whenever you arrive at this sort of state of affairs, which is ours now, you are allowed to do some evolutions in your automotive.”
Toyota, BMW, Cadillac and Alpine have all introduced plans to invoke evo jokers to make vital revisions to their hypercars for the 2026 WEC season.
Nonetheless, Jansonnie argued that frontrunning producers shouldn’t be allowed further growth in a championship constructed round managed efficiency.
After profitable the 2024 producers’ title, Toyota opted towards updating its GR010 Hybrid, believing the rulemakers could be unlikely to grant evo jokers given its latest success.
“It was an important milestone to have this written that whenever you’re mainly lacking efficiency, you are allowed to do one thing. And I feel the alternative can also be crucial,” Jansonnie stated.
“While you’re not lacking any efficiency, you shouldn’t be allowed to do something. That is our perspective. That is what we’re making an attempt to defend.
“Clearly, we now have totally different opinions with the producers about this. That is utterly clear and regular. I feel we’re transferring in the appropriate route proper now to get this frequent understanding of the state of affairs.”
The unique Peugeot 9X8 in 2022
Photograph by: Masahide Kamio
Peugeot joined the WEC in mid-2022, marking its first top-class sportscar programme because the abrupt finish of the 908 mission in early 2012.
It had designed the 9X8 in accordance with the preliminary LMH laws, which mandated equal-sized tyres throughout the entrance and rear axles. Nonetheless, the foundations relating to tyre sizes and the general weight have been later modified to permit LMDh automobiles to race alongside their LMH counterparts in WEC, leaving Peugeot locked into an idea primarily based round similar 31-inch tyres.
Following early struggles within the WEC, Peugeot utterly overhauled its automotive philosophy, which relied closely on ground-effects to generate downforce, adopting the identical 29/34 inch tyre cut up as the remainder of the competitors and including a traditional rear wing.
However outdoors of some podium finishes, the replace has completed little to alleviate the group’s fortunes, prompting the group led by Jansonnie to hunt additional avenues for enchancment.
Peugeot had said earlier this 12 months that it’s dedicated to the WEC for the long-term. Ought to it fail to safe approval for main upgrades earlier than 2027, it would nonetheless profit from two evo jokers allotted to every producer for the 2028–29 seasons.
The Hypercar laws have been prolonged to 2032, with further evo jokers obtainable for the ultimate three years of the cycle. In the meantime, discussions proceed amongst producers about unifying LMH and LMDh right into a single rulebook for the highest class.
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