Updating the Peugeot 9X8’s tyre size has meant the car’s aero balance and weight distribution has had to be rethought, Peugeot Sport technical director Olivier Jansonnie told selected reporters on a pre-season media call.
“We are trying to bring together a package with the new tyres, for the 2024 spec tyres,” said the Frenchman.
“Most of the changes we’re making are just to accommodate the tyre dimensions. First, we need to move the weight distribution from the car.
“Our car was designed to run a very forward weight distribution, to probably do 31/31 tyres.
“Now we gotta move it back somehow, by substantial bounds, which means we need to have some lighter parts on the car, move some ballast over, to try to move the weight distribution. And then obviously retune the aero balance on the car.”
Peugeot originally designed the 9X8 to run 31cm tyres on both the front and rear of the car. However, Hypercars have a choice between running that, or 29cm at the front, and 34cm at the rear — which every other LMH manufacturer, plus all the LMDh manufacturers, have chosen to go with.
The 31/31 wheel choice meant that, with narrower, more sensitive rear tyres than its rivals, plus a lack of mass over the rear tyres as a result, the 9X8 has struggled with traction and grip on corner exit.
The new size, now matching Peugeot’s rivals, has meant the car has had to be significantly rethought in order to accommodate the changes.
“That’s the second biggest part of the package, is to try to get an aero balance on the car that matches the new tyre dimension,” said Jansonnie.
“Everything is actually driven by the tyre choice we are making now, which is different from the one we had way before.”
The Stellantis brand has already marked the second round of the 2024 FIA WEC season – the 6 Hours of Imola – to introduce the 2024 specification of the 9X8.
Furthermore, they are set to finalise its homologation by the end of March, after the Prologue testing and 1812 km season-opener in Qatar, for its first evolution ‘joker’ update.
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