Peugeot 9x8: A disappointing start in the endurance race

The 2023 Sebring 1000 mile race has been one of the most anticipated events of the year for racing enthusiasts. This competition marked the beginning of a new era in the world of resistance, with the introduction of the new LMDh in competition with the hypercar. The big names in the industry, such as Ferrari, Porsche, Cadillac and Vanwall, have joined the competition to take on the brands already in the running. This competition was filled with emotions, with smiles and tears.

Team Toyota brought smiles as they took the win, despite fears of losing pole position to Ferrari. The team dominated the race with a remarkable one-two, earning the admiration of racing fans. On the other hand, the Peugeot team was met with tears as the competition confirmed that their 9x8 model was not working, presaging complete failure for the team.

Peugeot was constantly more than two seconds behind the best, and also with breakdowns

Peugeot recently unveiled its new racing car, the 9x8 , which caught the eye due to its distinctive rear wingless appearance. The marque's aim was to win the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2023 , but for now that seems very unlikely. In the opening round of the 2023 WEC , Peugeot's 9x8s qualified in eighth and ninth positions, more than two seconds behind the pole position set by a Ferrari .

IN BLABLASTORE

Toyota does not accept changes, Ferrari fishes for the podium and Peugeot sinks in the 1,000 miles of Sebring

The Peugeot 9x8 has already participated in three world endurance races last year, but with discreet results. However, Peugeot planned to show its full potential in 2023. Unfortunately, during the 1000 Miles of Sebring , Peugeot's cars encountered mechanical and electrical failures, which delayed their race for hours.

Despite their best efforts, the Peugeots only finished ahead of Glickenhaus in the hypercar class . They earned just three points in a race where Ferrari, Porsche, Cadillac and Vanwall all debuted and finished ahead of them. The difference between the Peugeot's fastest race lap and the overall fastest lap, achieved by the #8 Toyota , was a considerable 2.2 seconds.

In the end, Peugeot's resistance project seems to be close to exhaustion without even having reached Le Mans. The cost of developing the car is high, and the results so far are disappointing. The mechanical and electrical breakdowns also highlighted the technical challenges Peugeot faced in designing this car.

In summary, despite high expectations for the Peugeot 9x8, results so far have been disappointing. Performance in the opening round of the 2023 WEC and the 1,000 miles of Sebring was well below what was expected, and the failures revealed technical challenges in the car's design . There is still a long way to go before Peugeot can win the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2023.