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Afert being away for almost 4 days(I lost power Sunday afternoon, and just got it back this morning), I have to get this off of my chest. I have to say that Peugeot losing all three championships was the biggest choke I've seen in motorsports in quite a while. Le Mans '08 ranks up there, but then again, everyone knew that the Audis were the superior car in the wet, and much of the race was held in the rain, and the Pugs had the suspected mechanical problems that even some of their highers ups(namely one M. Famin) predicted.
The Peugeot guys had both titles in their grasp, and only had to basically finish the race to get at least one. But guess what-Audi finally applied the pressure, and Peugeot snapped and collapsed-just like Le Mans.
I don't believe that Peugeot is yet prepared to really take on Audi in high pressure/big race situlations-granted, Peugeot didn't expect to win at Sebring, and are/were going into PLM with a similar mind set. But if Peugeot thought that the Joest guys were tough, the Champion guys in the ALMS-and the LMP2 teams, for that matter-are a different ballgame. Peugeot just doesn't seem to learn from their mistakes, and alwayss seem to believe that performance can always make up for other flaws. And that approch will always cost them in the big races.
We have to face facts-for the first time since LM '07(or, some can/will say Spa '08)Audi was fully on the Pugs' pace, and was able to challenge them in a heads up fight-and the better prepared/drilled team won.
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