[WEC] Peugeot exits Le Mans racing

[Acid09]

There are still five factory cars on the grid...the chance that one of the HPDs ends up on the podium is still quite marginal, especially since the battle for the lead will most likely not be as fierce as in recent years.

[alexkiller8]

to give a sort of fierce competition, the only solution is a massive bop and detuning of r18.

[porsche91722]

And so ends, one of the greatest rivalries, not only in sports car racing, but in sport generally, ever.

[Down F0rce]

Shocking. Such a shame for the LM24 and WEC. Unless Toyota do something amazing this season will be an Audi whitewash.

[Acid09]

Originally Posted by porsche91722

And so ends, one of the greatest rivalries, not only in sports car racing, but in sport generally, ever.

Yep, I'm pretty sure in 10-20 years people will look back at the past few years (and Le Mans 2011 especially) as one of the greatest things that have ever happened to sport car racing.

I think it just takes a bit of time to truly grasp how amazing this rivalry has been and I very much believe that the people at Audi are honestly sad to see them go. It was always a "frenemy" kind of situation between them.

[Nick6]

Strike 1 for WEC!

Now that the French factory team is done can we at least go back to 2 air guns a pit stop?

[Bentley03]

Originally Posted by Acid09

Yep, I'm pretty sure in 10-20 years people will look back at the past few years (and Le Mans 2011 especially) as one of the greatest things that have ever happened to sport car racing.

I think it just takes a bit of time to truly grasp how amazing this rivalry has been and I very much believe that the people at Audi are honestly sad to see them go. It was always a "frenemy" kind of situation between them.

I would concur entirely.......good post!

Hopefully, Peugeot will be back in 2014, and whilst 2012 appears to be set up for a season of Audi dominance, there is much to look forward to. Honda and Toyota, Porsche will be back, and rumours are rife with regard to other manufacturers looking seriously at ACO regs LMP1 programmes. Sad news, yes, but the future in the top class still looks very bright, as far as I'm concerned.

[Adam43]

Bugger.

[JAG]

Originally Posted by Nick6

Strike 1 for WEC!

Now that the French factory team is done can we at least go back to 2 air guns a pit stop?

Have to say it's quite disappointing to see so many revelling in such a blow for sportscar racing, makes you think they are only interested in the ALMS, personally I'd be gutted if the ALMS lost out to GA in the future.

I don't understand posts that talk about French this and French that, Audi dominated Le Mans for years, were the first to turn-up with a diesel, Peugeot have done nothing but good for the sport.

The ALMS' threat is on it's own doorstop from NASCAR and GA, I don't get the obsession with the WEC when 90% of the teams are from Europe, NA has always had the pulling power and finance to support world class sport if the interest is there.

[isynge]

Originally Posted by Bentley03

I would concur entirely.......good post!

Hopefully, Peugeot will be back in 2014, and whilst 2012 appears to be set up for a season of Audi dominance, there is much to look forward to. Honda and Toyota, Porsche will be back, and rumours are rife with regard to other manufacturers looking seriously at ACO regs LMP1 programmes. Sad news, yes, but the future in the top class still looks very bright, as far as I'm concerned.

Agree - just goes to show that we sometimes never know that we're living in a golden age - although I think everyone recognised that this June was pretty special.

Does this mean we're cast into the wilderness for 2012? Absolutely not - we've still got a fantastic package of races to look forward to, and everything's cyclical. A lot can change between now and 2014.

All that really leaves us is to reflect, and while I didn't always agree 100% with Peugeot's approach to racing, they brought a lot to the last 5 years of sportscar racing. In the light of this hats off to all at Velizy, and best of luck for the future.

[deggis]

In MWM Graham wasn't at all confident of seeing the cars in private hands...

[Acid09]

Originally Posted by JAG

Have to say it's quite disappointing to see so many revelling in such a blow for sportscar racing, makes you think they are only interested in the ALMS, personally I'd be gutted if the ALMS lost out to GA in the future.

I don't understand posts that talk about French this and French that, Audi dominated Le Mans for years, were the first to turn-up with a diesel, Peugeot have done nothing but good for the sport.

Can't agree more, it seems like some of the American fans want to see the FIA/ACO fail at all cost.

Without the "French" there wouldn't even be an ALMS or your precious PLM to begin with.... some peole...

[Deleted]

Originally Posted by Acid09

Can't agree more, it seems like some of the American fans want to see the FIA/ACO fail at all cost.

Without the "French" there wouldn't even be an ALMS or your precious PLM to begin with.... some peole...

Just like some people wish PLM to fail at all cost?

*hides*

[Fogelhund]

Originally Posted by JAG

The ALMS' threat is on it's own doorstop from NASCAR and GA, I don't get the obsession with the WEC when 90% of the teams are from Europe, NA has always had the pulling power and finance to support world class sport if the interest is there.

You've summarized it yourself. You don't get it... the business side. You didn't get that Peugeot could pull out with all the things they've done this year, nor how X can affect Y. That's cool. At the end of the day we are all fans of this sportscar genre, each with our own takes on things, based on our backgrounds. My background is understanding businesses, through the markets. It is my job to know how various events might affect the future with their competitors, the economy and various other things. It clouds how I look at Sportscars.

I've said to you this is a house of cards.. pull a few cards out, and the whole thing falls apart. Frankly, I wouldn't have guessed at this point such a thing would happen though. We can hope Toyota is a good replacement, that they don't screw this up like they did F1 and the GT ONE. We can hope that Honda will be more than just a supplier of cars to some good privateers, with little real backing or development. We can hope that Porsche actually races in 2014, and that VAG doesn't pull one of them out... We can hope someone else shows interest. At the end of the day though, all we have is hope, and nothing concrete. You look at the WEC as a company you might buy, a stock... and all that you can see, is a hope, and no support of their supply chain, in fact business practices detrimental to their supply chain.

I'm not happy Peugeot is gone. It doesn't do anything for the ALMS. It certainly makes the WEC less compelling this year...assuming there is a way for me to watch it anyway.

[Fogelhund]

Originally Posted by Acid09

Can't agree more, it seems like some of the American fans want to see the FIA/ACO fail at all cost.

Without the "French" there wouldn't even be an ALMS or your precious PLM to begin with.... some peole...

There is a difference between wishing something will fail, and pointing out the problems with something. I wish that a World Championship could be success, without detracting from the ALMS and the ELMS. I wish it wasn't built on a house of cards. It seems some can't understand that.

[Fogelhund]

johndagys John Dagys
I have it under good authority that Peugeot's effort to enter semi-works team is now dead as well. Everything apparently has been axed.

So, no privateer effort either...

[Graham Goodwin]

Originally Posted by deggis

In MWM Graham wasn't at all confident of seeing the cars in private hands...

Graham is entirely certain that it won't happen!

[CTD]

Originally Posted by Graham Goodwin

Graham is entirely certain that it won't happen!

So your saying that a manufacture will buy them!? . (clinging to every hope! )

[Mystery]

Really disappointed. I was thinking about doing my first LM24 this year but this is not good news. The P2s might hold my interest but it's certainly not as compelling now as it was yesterday.

[DistortedSmile]

Terrible news, I really wasn't expecting this to happen, hope to see them back in 2014.

[AndrewF31]

It seems from all the last bits of news coming out that Peugeot Corporate axed the project but Peugeot Sport tried to keep something alive until Corporate told them to shut the hell up. Just don't understand how they send the team to Sebring and then this.
From the driver statements it doesn't look like they were on Stand-by, but was there anything internal that was minimally official for them to believe there was a project for 2012? Or perhaps, did the Sport structure believe they'd continue and conveyed that to their members while knowing they had no official confirmation from Corporate?

Just a right mess, this is. Right when we split 2 championships into 3, we get this. Already split and this just escalates the split to a higher level.

[Gingers4Justice]

Originally Posted by Mystery

Really disappointed. I was thinking about doing my first LM24 this year but this is not good news. The P2s might hold my interest but it's certainly not as compelling now as it was yesterday.

Go go go, whatever the entry.

When you're there, the reality is that it's just as spectacular every year.

I'd be much more dissapointed about the news myself if I knew I had to watch the race on the TV.

[Acid09]

Originally Posted by AndrewF31

It seems from all the last bits of news coming out that Peugeot Corporate axed the project but Peugeot Sport tried to keep something alive until Corporate told them to shut the hell up. Just don't understand how they send the team to Sebring and then this.
From the driver statements it doesn't look like they were on Stand-by, but was there anything internal that was minimally official for them to believe there was a project for 2012? Or perhaps, did the Sport structure believe they'd continue and conveyed that to their members while knowing they had no official confirmation from Corporate?

Just a right mess, this is. Right when we split 2 championships into 3, we get this. Already split and this just escalates the split to a higher level.

They even send out the invitations for the launch event! It seems like the decision to axe 2012 in favor of 2014 was made in a very hectic fashion.

I really hope Peugeot recovers in the next 12 months because if things get worse I fear that nobody from corporate is willing to remember their promise regarding 2014... and that they´re not officially announcing it makes it worse.

Heck, if they would be absolutely sure about their intensions they could have said "Peugeot puts programme on hold until the 2014 season" or something like that... but the way it sounds now, they´re leaving the door open to do absolutely nothing in the future without having to explain themselves.

I'm just terribly sad about all this, I've been an avid supporter of their efforts for five years now... it just feels empty now. I guess I'll root for Toyota from now on, at least they have some of the French charm with Vasselon, de Chaunac etc... and Wurz is a top chap as well.

Let's just hope they'll be competitive very quickly otherwise we will have a bleak season in LMP1.

[AndrewF31]

Don't forget Acid that behind the manufacturers we have Rebellion, Strakka, Pescarolo, JRM and Oak. We were always going to have a fun race behind the Manufacturers.
P2 should also be entertaining and the GTs too.
Ya, we lost a lot of the hype but now we won't be stuck watching 3 hour races with only Audis and Peugeots on the screen. We can only Hope as Fogelhund said
And I don't mean Hope Racing because they're actually Hopeless Racing.

[tyronnezx]

Originally Posted by DistortedSmile

Terrible news, I really wasn't expecting this to happen, hope to see them back in 2014.

pretty sad news. i bet they sh*at themselves after seeing Toyota's new LMP. either way i think that ACO have seen this coming. hence the fact that the peougeot didnt appear in ACO's Lemans poser