Peugeot “does not go to Monza to be a spectator” on the debut WEC 9X8

According to Olivier Jansoni, technical director of the 9X8 program at Peugeot Sport, the first departure of the new car to the WEC on July 10 will be more than an “additional test”.

“We are not going to Monza to be spectators,” Jansoni said during the launch of the car on Friday in Portimao, where The debut of the 9X8 in Monza has been confirmed.

“Whatever happens, we will play hard to try to win; probably won’t, but at least tried.

“We will try as hard as we can to participate in the races, and the race means being competitive.

“How long in the race, we don’t know, but we’ll try for sure.”

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Jansoni stressed that Peugeot will debut in Italy with “humility” when it first meets with Toyota, Glickenhaus and Alpine.

“Obviously we are really modest, but we will make every effort to achieve the best results in sports,” he said.

“It is clear that the car, whatever happens to the mileage we left on the track from now to Monza, we will not be at the level of maturity of our competitors.”

Jansonnie has revealed that the 9X8 test car has not yet completed a six-hour race simulation – the duration of a regular WEC event.

He explained that the intention is to hold for the first time a full six-hour run in race conditions during testing planned by Peugeot Sport to Monza.

“In the next test, we will probably do a proper six hours,” he said.

Le Mans simulators will take place in the winter, when Peugeot Sport first prepares to participate in the French enduro in June next year.

The first 9X8 passed 10,000 km in 25 days of testing in Aragon, Paul Ricard, Magny-Cours, Barcelona and on the Algarve track near Portimao.

Jansonnie will not disclose the test program scheduled for the 9X8 until his debut in the race.

If Peugeot wants to test in Monza, it will have to do so in the coming weeks because WEC rules do not allow it to run on the track on a championship schedule 30 days before the event.

Peugeot is now creating two race cars for Monza.

James Rositer, a test and backup pilot for the WEC program, has been confirmed as a replacement for returning to Formula One Haas Kevin Magnussen in the 9X8, at least Monza and then Fuji in September.

It has not yet been determined how the six drivers will stand in a row on two cars in Monza, Fuji and Bahrain in November.

Peugeot posted the names of three drivers on each car door at launch, but explained that it was supposed to give each of the signs a presence on the car when showing its final 2022 livery.