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Le Mans / ALMS
LE MANS: Peugeot Pulls Plug On Factory Program
BREAKING: Peugeot withdraws from factory Le Mans competition, effective immediately...
The factory Peugeot squad will not race in the FIA World Endurance Championship, nor 24 Hours of Le Mans this year. (Photo: LAT)
Two-time and defending Intercontinental Le Mans Cup champions Team Peugeot Total have pulled out of factory prototype competition with immediate effect.
The French automaker, which has dominated the international sports car scene for the past two seasons, announced its withdrawal Wednesday, the same day entry request deadlines were due for the 24 Hours of Le Mans and new FIA World Endurance Championship.
“This decision has been taken against the backdrop of the challenging economic environment in Europe coupled with a particularly busy year for the brand in terms of new vehicle launches,” an official statement read. “In this context, Peugeot prefers to concentrate its 2012 resources on its commercial performance.”
Late last year, PSA Peugeot Citroen Group was forced to lay off 6,000 workers, and had anticipated negative growth in the European car market this year due to the ongoing debt crisis facing the continent.
The future of its factory program was in doubt, despite its success on track, which accounted for 14 victories in the last 16 races, losing twice to diesel arch rival Audi at Le Mans in 2010 and 2011. Peugeot's biggest one-race accomplishment came with its Le Mans victory in 2009 with drivers David Brabham, Alex Wurz and Marc Gene.
As revealed by SPEED.com on Monday, Peugeot had been exploring options with privateer teams to keep its 908s in action this year as a potential semi-works effort. It's believed any hope of such a program has also evaporated.
Peugeot's immediate withdrawal came as a surprise to many, as a test with its 2012 car had been scheduled at Sebring for later this week ahead of a planned launch on Jan. 30.
Today's news is also likely to have serious implications on the FIA and ACO's new World Endurance Championship, the eight-round global sports car championship set to kick off at the Twelve Hours of Sebring in March.
Audi and Peugeot were to be the only full-time factory teams in LMP1, with Toyota only contesting a limited season with its new gasoline-electric hybrid. Porsche announced it will enter LMP1 with its own factory program but not until 2014.
“It’s a big disappointment for the Le Mans 24 Hours, and for the FIA World Endurance Championship starting in 2012, which was created at the request of the manufacturers, in particular Peugeot," said ACO President Jean-Claude Plassart. "There’s no doubt that the hundreds of thousands of fans who flock to Le Mans every year and the millions of viewers who follow the race on TV will regret the French make’s absence.”
Entry deadlines for WEC and Le Mans close at midnight (CET) tonight, which is believed to have spurred today's announcement from the French manufacturer.
Peugeot made its most recent return to Le Mans-style racing in 2007, winning the European Le Mans Series championship and collecting key victories at the Twelve Hours of Sebring, 24 Hours of Le Mans and Petit Le Mans during its five-year stint with two different generations of diesel-powered LMP1 coupes.
Development of a hybrid version of its 908 had been in the works since the middle of last year but had yet to make its race debut.
Stay tuned to SPEED.com for continuing developments of this story.
PHOTOS: Peugeot 908 Retrospective
John Dagys is SPEED.com’s Sportscar Racing Reporter, focusing on all major domestic and international championships. You can follow him on Twitter @johndagys or email him at
The French automaker, which has dominated the international sports car scene for the past two seasons, announced its withdrawal Wednesday, the same day entry request deadlines were due for the 24 Hours of Le Mans and new FIA World Endurance Championship.
“This decision has been taken against the backdrop of the challenging economic environment in Europe coupled with a particularly busy year for the brand in terms of new vehicle launches,” an official statement read. “In this context, Peugeot prefers to concentrate its 2012 resources on its commercial performance.”
Late last year, PSA Peugeot Citroen Group was forced to lay off 6,000 workers, and had anticipated negative growth in the European car market this year due to the ongoing debt crisis facing the continent.
The future of its factory program was in doubt, despite its success on track, which accounted for 14 victories in the last 16 races, losing twice to diesel arch rival Audi at Le Mans in 2010 and 2011. Peugeot's biggest one-race accomplishment came with its Le Mans victory in 2009 with drivers David Brabham, Alex Wurz and Marc Gene.
As revealed by SPEED.com on Monday, Peugeot had been exploring options with privateer teams to keep its 908s in action this year as a potential semi-works effort. It's believed any hope of such a program has also evaporated.
Peugeot's immediate withdrawal came as a surprise to many, as a test with its 2012 car had been scheduled at Sebring for later this week ahead of a planned launch on Jan. 30.
Today's news is also likely to have serious implications on the FIA and ACO's new World Endurance Championship, the eight-round global sports car championship set to kick off at the Twelve Hours of Sebring in March.
Audi and Peugeot were to be the only full-time factory teams in LMP1, with Toyota only contesting a limited season with its new gasoline-electric hybrid. Porsche announced it will enter LMP1 with its own factory program but not until 2014.
“It’s a big disappointment for the Le Mans 24 Hours, and for the FIA World Endurance Championship starting in 2012, which was created at the request of the manufacturers, in particular Peugeot," said ACO President Jean-Claude Plassart. "There’s no doubt that the hundreds of thousands of fans who flock to Le Mans every year and the millions of viewers who follow the race on TV will regret the French make’s absence.”
Entry deadlines for WEC and Le Mans close at midnight (CET) tonight, which is believed to have spurred today's announcement from the French manufacturer.
Peugeot made its most recent return to Le Mans-style racing in 2007, winning the European Le Mans Series championship and collecting key victories at the Twelve Hours of Sebring, 24 Hours of Le Mans and Petit Le Mans during its five-year stint with two different generations of diesel-powered LMP1 coupes.
Development of a hybrid version of its 908 had been in the works since the middle of last year but had yet to make its race debut.
Stay tuned to SPEED.com for continuing developments of this story.
PHOTOS: Peugeot 908 Retrospective
John Dagys is SPEED.com’s Sportscar Racing Reporter, focusing on all major domestic and international championships. You can follow him on Twitter @johndagys or email him at
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