With five cars already entered this season and Peugeot entering next season, fans have something to look forward to. And it will get even better. Both Audi and Porsche are planning to join in the future, giving the WEC Hypercar class an exceptional field.
They might have been on display at last year’s 24 Hours of Lemans race, but it was not until last Monday when Peugeot Sport announced that seven drivers would join the French team in 2022. They will also test the car at times this season.
The team will compete next year in the newly promoted Hypercar class, which has replaced the LMP 1 category, where only five entries are in the World Endurance Championship.
Next season, there will be an LMH powertrain unit class, which will involve more racers from not only the WEC but also North America’s IMSA class.
A huge amount of talent will drive for Peugeot. They are additions Loic Duval and former F1 and Twice Formula E champion Jean-Eric Vergne, both from France; Mikkel Jenson and Kevin Magnussen, a former F1 driver, both representing Denmark; Paul DiResta and reserve driver James Rossiter from Great Britain; and finally, Gustavo Menezes from the United States, a former Alpine driver.
One of the most important individuals from the Peugeot is Olivier Jansonnie. He’s the WEC representative for the French team and also is the Technical Director. Jansonnie was looking not only for suitable drivers but also for reasonable assistance with the technical side.
“We looked at all the endurance racing championships over the past five years,” Jansonnie said. “We didn’t just take individual results into consideration. We also examined the speed, consistency, and reliability of a long list of drivers because we are looking for a line-up that meshes together well, with an eclectic mix of upcoming youngsters and experienced campaigners with proven development skills, especially in the field of hybrid power trains.”
Another Frenchman, Frederic Lequin, who was recently hired to be the CEO of the World Endurance Championship, also gave his approval, looking forward to a team that last won the 24 Hours of Lemans in 2009. “Peugeot Sport has announced an extremely strong driver line-up for its assault and the WEC, and it’s fantastic to see the marque make continued progress with its hypercar. The strength and experience in its chosen drivers are second to none, and they will certainly be a force to be reckoned with on the circuit. We wish Peugeot Sport continued success in its development program, and we can’t wait to welcome them on the grid in 2022.”
With five cars already entered this season and Peugeot entering next season, fans have something to look forward to. And it will get even better, too. Both Audi and Porsche are planning to join in the future, giving the WEC Hypercar class an exceptional field.
