It is already known who will be the pilots in charge of starring in Peugeot’s return to the 24 Hours of Le Mans and the World Endurance Championship. Seven have been chosen, led by Kevin Magnussen, Jean-Éric Vergne and Loïc Duval, on a roster that also includes Paul di Resta, Mikkel Jensen, Gustavo Menezes and Jame Rossiter. A roster in which speed and experience are mixed with the clear objective of reissuing the triumphs achieved in 1992, 1993 and 2009.
The team seeded Duval, the only one of them who has previously won at Le Mans and has achieved the world endurance title. Next, fresh out of Formula 1, Magnussen, and also with F1 experience are Vergne (who has been two-time Formula E champion) and di Resta (LMP2 winner at Le Mans). The youngest, Jensen and Menezes, complete the training, with Rossiter as reserve and test pilot in the simulator.
Peugeot mixes young emerging with experienced drivers
“My father has raced at Le Mans for over 20 years,” recalls Magnussen. “I always followed the race and have been there several times. It is a dream for me to compete. I can’t imagine a better way to do it than with Peugeot, a brand that has been very successful in its sports programs in the past. QI want to win Le Mans, that’s my goal and my ambition ”.
“The quality of the relationship between everyone involved in the project is essential,” says Jean-Marc Finot, Director of Stellantis Motorsport. “Beyond their individual racing skills, the main criteria we took into account when evaluating and talking to the drivers were the ties they have with each other, their way of thinking and their ability to work together to motivate and help the driver. team advance. Because the human factor plays a very important role in endurance racing. We also wanted to make it clear that they saw their commitment to us as a priority and not just a line on their resume. “
The pilots’ evaluation process also took into account their experience in the specialty. “We studied all the endurance racing championships that have been organized over the last five years,” explains Olivier Jansonnie (WEC Technical Director at Peugeot Sport). “We didn’t just take individual results into consideration. We also examine the speed, consistency and reliability of a long roster of drivers, because we are looking for a lineup that matches well, with a Electric mix of young emerging and experienced youth with proven developmental skills, especially in the field of hybrid vehicles ”.
