The French Jean-Eric Vergne and Loïc Duval and the Danish Kevin Magnussen will be among the seven drivers entered by Peugeot for its return to the World Endurance Championship (WEC) in 2022, announced the manufacturer on Monday.
Scotsman Paul di Resta, Dane Mikkel Jensen and American Gustavo Menezes will also take to the track for the lion mark.
Briton James Rossiter will play the role of reserve pilot and simulator.
The two teams that will line up in the race, especially during the prestigious 24 Hours of Le Mans, have "not yet" been formed, said the head of motorsport within the Stellantis group (resulting from the marriage of manufacturers PSA and Fiat Chrysler), Jean-Marc Finot.
“You have to get to know yourself better first.
You have to see how (the pilots) interact and how it can work technically, ”he said during a virtual press conference.
A mix of experience and youth
Vergne, 30, drove in Formula 1 between 2012 and 2014 and was Formula E champion in 2017-2018 and 2018-2019 with DS Techeetah, another offshoot of PSA in motorsport.
He also has endurance experience in the intermediate category, LMP2.
Duval, 38, is a benchmark in the discipline, winner of the 24 Hours of Le Mans and world champion in 2013 with Audi.
As for Magnussen, 28, he drove in F1 since 2014 and until the end of 2020 (with the exception of 2015).
He is currently trying his hand at endurance racing in the IMSA American Championship and competed in the 24 Hours of Daytona at the end of January, his crew playing for victory until a puncture was found ten minutes from the finish.
Di Resta, 34, also went through F1 between 2011 and 2013 and endurance racing since 2018, winning at Le Mans in LMP2 in 2020. Menezes, 26, won the 24 Hours of Le Mans and the LMP2 championship in 2016. Jensen, also 26, comes from endurance racing.
7 ingredients for @Peugeot 's recipe for success. @ FIAWEC @ 24heuresdumans @ TotalRacingFR @ KevinMagnussen @ loicduval @ JeanEricVergne @ PaulDiResta @ MikkelhJensen @ followgustavo @ Rossiterracingpic.twitter.com / we3Q9B1YBy
- Peugeot Sport (@peugeotsport) February 8, 2021
The first engine built in the coming weeks
Peugeot will enter the WEC in the new “Hypercar” category for which it is currently developing its prototype “entirely built by the team (with) the manufacturer's DNA in the car”, in the words of Jean-Marc Finot.
The first engine of its future hypercar will be built "in the coming weeks" and will pass the test bench "before the end of February if all goes well," said Olivier Jansonnie, technical director of Peugeot Sport.
Aerodynamic and chassis development are "underway", for release for production "roughly summer" and hoped-for first laps "before the end of the year".
7 ingredients for @Peugeot 's recipe for success. @ FIAWEC @ 24heuresdumans @ TotalRacingFR @ KevinMagnussen @ loicduval @ JeanEricVergne @ PaulDiResta @ MikkelhJensen @ followgustavo @ Rossiterracingpic.twitter.com / we3Q9B1YBy
- Peugeot Sport (@peugeotsport) February 8, 2021
Read also
The first images of the Toyota Hypercar for the 24 Hours of Le Mans