[WEC] Peugeot Sport returning to WEC

[joeb]

Originally Posted by KlBD

For all the talk about the winged 9x8's aero concept vs the wingless 9x8, we are most likely underrating the importance of the change in tire size and the knock-on effects this had on the rest of the car design. This is not just a 9x8 with a wing and less underbody tunnels, the aero balance, weight balance, suspension geometry, etc. all had to change to accommodate the new features. And while the team tested over the winter with this car, and the drivers had positive comments on its drivability, the problem Peugeot Sport are encountering now are:

a) How to extract the last, most critical bit of performance from the 2024 9x8

b) Figuring out how the new car reacts to circuit features, and how setup problems must be solved

By going to such a different new car, they basically started from zero on points a and b, and the two are related. Especially, on most circuits, they probably have not gotten a handle on how to best utilize the tires, which I think will remain one of the most important parts of the Hypercar battle in the coming years. I mean, you already see more teams opt for the strategy to save new tires for the end of a race, and it certainly paid off for Peugeot in Fuji.

Great points about the tires. It seems learning how your car behaves the the tires on each individual track is hugely important to performance of the car.