Peugeot will join forces with existing LMP1 outfit Rebellion Racing for its forthcoming hypercar project in the FIA World Endurance Championship.
The announcement follows the news last month that Peugeot will return to the top flight of sportscar racing in 2022 with a hybrid-powered contender with which it will bid for a fourth victory in the Le Mans 24 Hours.
Rebellion’s current LMP1 programme will be merged into Peugeot Sport’s operation based in Satory near Paris, where the 908 HDi FAP programme was operated from 2007 until the French marque’s withdrawal from sportscar racing in early 2012.
No mention was made of Rebellion’s existing chassis partner Oreca, which had previously been linked to a role in a potential Peugeot hypercar programme.
PSA motorsport boss Jean-Marc Finot commented: “The programme will kick off in 2022 and we are extremely happy to be teaming up with one of endurance racing’s big names.
“Rebellion Racing’s experience of the FIA WEC will be a big asset as we put together the strongest possible team for our programme, and this was corroborated by the team’s recent victory in Shanghai.
“The roles will be divided as a function of our respective competencies but we will form a single entity working out of Versailles-Satory.”
The news follows Rebellion’s first on-the-road outright victory in the WEC last month in Shanghai with its Oreca-built R-13.
With Peugeot’s hypercar contender not expected to race until the 2022/23 season, it raises the prospect of the R-13 continuing beyond the conclusion of the current 2019/20 campaign as a grandfathered LMP1 against new machinery from Toyota and Aston Martin.
Rebellion owner Alexandre Pesci commented: “I believe that the passion of our two companies speaks for us as a common and simple language.
“Together, we are going to build a car and team to compete in what promises to be a fiercely-contested championship as we seek to begin a successful record together.”
#1 Rebellion Racing Rebellion R-13 – Gibson: Bruno Senna, Gustavo Menezes, Norman Nato
Photo by: JEP / Motorsport Images
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