With Europe on the brink of a financial crisis, PSA Peugeot Citroen Group has been forced to lay off 6,000 workers, with the French manufacturer expecting negative growth on the European car market this year.
Those setbacks have led to concerns over the future of Peugeot’s factory LMP1 program, destined for the new FIA World Endurance Championship.
Multiple sources have confirmed to SPEED.com that Peugeot has been in negotiations with existing privateer teams about fielding the official 908s as a semi-works operation in 2012, similar to its relationship with Team ORECA Matmut for the past two years.
As many as five teams, inside and outside of Europe, are believed to have been approached for the potential effort, which would require the customer team to find the necessary budget for a two-car program in the WEC and a potential third 908 at the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
This semi-works arrangement is believed to be in place of a full factory effort that has been run out of Peugeot’s Velizy, France headquarters since 2007, as part of a cost-savings effort for the popular brand.
ORECA is allegedly not one of the teams in the running, as the Hugues de Chaunac-led organization will be providing operational support to Toyota’s new factory LMP1 program this year.
Peugeot’s driver lineup is also set for a major shuffle, as it may be forced to replace as many as four of its nine drivers from the 2011 season.
Austrian Alexander Wurz has left for Toyota, while Pedro Lamy has been released, and according to a recent report by Autosport, Nic Minassian has also walked away from the squad. Two of Peugeot’s top French stars, Simon Pagenaud and Sebastien Bourdais, have landed full-season IndyCar rides, with a yet-to-be-announced round at Milwaukee likely to conflict with Le Mans.
While it may result in Pagenaud having to opt out of Le Mans, Bourdais recently told SPEED.com’s Marshall Pruett that his contract with Dragon Racing will let him compete in the twice-around-the-clock endurance classic.
But Bourdais said he wasn't offered a full-season WEC contract, leading to further questions of its program beyond Le Mans.
“Peugeot right now hasn’t confirmed everything yet, and it was difficult for me to commit to something [with Peugeot] without knowing exactly what they were going to do. It was a little tough on that,” Bourdais said.
“Initially, we discussed doing the full championship with [Peugeot]. But they couldn’t guarantee that in time, so when I looked at the schedule, at least as of today, there are only two conflicts at Silverstone and Brazil, so it leaves plenty of room for me to do some [WEC] races.
“Right now, we’re going to focus on the first three—Sebring, Spa and Le Mans—and we’ll see where that goes.”
Peugeot has tested close to a dozen drivers recently, including Marino Franchitti, Lucas Di Grassi, Bertrand Baguette, Loic Duval, Olivier Pla and 2011 reserve driver JK Vernay, who is expected to take one of the vacant race seats.
If Peugeot does not commit to a full-season effort, it could have major implications on the WEC, a new joint venture between the FIA and ACO, which will kick off at the Twelve Hours of Sebring in March. Audi and Peugeot were set to become the only two full-season factory teams in LMP1, with Toyota only slated to take part in select rounds this year.
While questions remain on the team's structure and driver lineup, what is known is that Olivier Quesnel has remained head of Peugeot Sport, having been re-elected by the board to lead the manufacturers’ endurance racing program. Quesnel, however, he has stood down from management of Citroen’s WRC program, which he had also run since 2008.
A Peugeot Sport spokesperson confirmed to SPEED.com that their 2012 program will be unveiled on Jan. 30, and that a test is scheduled at Sebring International Raceway later this week. However, no further details were given. by ( Auto Racing - LE MANS).....
