Time to go racing for Peugeot's 9X8 Hypercar

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This weekend will mark the debut of Peugeot's long-awaited Le Mans Hypercar in the World Endurance Championship, with the French manufacturer fielding two contenders in the Monza 6 Hours.

Peugeot's 9X8 Hypercar hybrid machine was initially expected to break cover at the 6 Hours of Spa back in early May, but additional testing pushed the car's debut back to this weekend's round at Italy's Temple of Speed.

"The challenge we have faced in recent months has been two-fold and has involved forming a team to then produce a car and prepare it for its competitive debut," commented Peugeot Sport technical director Olivier Jansonnie.

"However, there is no substitute for actual racing and we can’t wait to discover the potential of our hybrid-electric Hypercar which was developed in-house to demonstrate our skills in the realm of hybridisation and other areas."

The team's line-ups will feature ex-F1 drivers Paul Di Resta and Jean-Eric Vergne and Dane Mikkel Jensen onboard car #93, while Loïc Duval, Gustavo Menezes and James Rossiter will handle car #94.

After this weekend's race in Monza, Peugeot will tackle the final two rounds of the 2022 WEC that will take place in Fuji in September and in Bahrain in November.

Phillip van Osten

Motor racing was a backdrop from the outset in Phillip van Osten's life. Born in Southern California, Phillip grew up with the sights and sounds of fast cars thanks to his father, Dick van Osten, an editor and writer for Auto Speed and Sport and Motor Trend. Phillip's passion for racing grew even more when his family moved to Europe and he became acquainted with the extraordinary world of Grand Prix racing. He was an early contributor to the monthly French F1i Magazine, often providing a historic or business perspective on Formula 1's affairs. In 2012, he co-authored along with fellow journalist Pierre Van Vliet the English-language adaptation of a limited edition book devoted to the great Belgian driver Jacky Ickx. He also authored "The American Legacy in Formula 1", a book which recounts the trials and tribulations of American drivers in Grand Prix racing. Phillip is also a commentator for Belgian broadcaster Be.TV for the US Indycar series.