Peugeot is set to evolve its 9X8 Le Mans Hypercar with a major upgrade that could reshape the 2026 WEC season.
2024–25 Overhaul and Future Plans
After a second‑place finish at Fuji in 2023, the 9X8’s best result in a decade, Peugeot swapped equal‑size wheels for the narrower front and wider rear layout that rivals Toyota and Ferrari at the Imola round in April 2024. The change, made “in time for Imola,” was the first in a series of updates that have consumed all five evolution jokers available under the current lifetime of LMH and LMDh designs.
Despite that, the French manufacturer has no intention of launching an entirely new chassis; “we are not planning a new car,” said Olivier Jansonnie, motorsport boss of Stellantis. He added that homologation remains solely in the hands of the ACO and FIA, as Toyota’s 2023 GR010 HYBRID was re‑homologated as the TR010.
Regulation Shift and Evo Jokers
The 2024 introduction of a new Hypercar class regulation allows additional evolution jokers when a car shows a “demonstrated significant lack of performance.” Peugeot has already used all five jokers, prompting Jansonnie to note that “the rules have changed … to allow this kind of thing.” He reassured teams that the car is “completely in the hands of the ACO and the FIA” and that the 21st‑century homologation window will run through 2029.
Long‑Term Commitments and 2030 Outlook
Company CEO Alain Favey emphasized Peugeot’s resilience, noting “we will be part of the championship until 2029 in the knowledge that something would happen to the rules for 2030.” Jansonnie outlined two “challenging” areas for the ACO and FIA: the technological roadmap for the series and the Balance of Performance. The 2030 update will lift maximum power by 20 kW (26 bhp) from the internal‑combustion component of the hybrid powertrain.
With drivers Paul Di Resta, Stoffel Vandoorne, Nick Cassidy, Loic Duval, Malthe Jakobsen and Theo Pourchaire set to lead the charge, Peugeot’s upgraded 9X8 aims to cement its place in the sport as the next season unfolds. The hypercar’s evolution, authorised under the revised regulations, could finally turn Peugeot’s persistent performance deficit into a decisive advantage.
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