Peugeot unveiled the new 9X8 for the 2024 World Endurance Championship yesterday, showing the addition of a long-rumoured rear wing to the car.
The original 9X8 was rear-wingless, as Peugeot discovered they could hit the downforce/drag ratio mandated by the WEC’s Hypercar regulations without a wing. However, the French manufacturer started development of the car when the only available tyre sizes in the regulations were 31-inch front and rear. When the 29/34-inch configuration was brought in, the development of the car was too far advanced to switch.
Peugeot therefore struggled with the car in its original guise, specifically with rear traction from the narrower rear tyres. With the change to the 29/34-inch tyres the other teams and manufacturers use, including Toyota, Ferrari and Porsche, this necessitated a change in weight distribution, which meant a rear wing was required in order to hit the numbers required.
See Peugeot’s technical director, Olivier Jansonnie, explain this in more detail below. The re-developed car will make its debut at the 6 Hours of Imola next month.
