MOTORSPORT: Peugeot commits to new Le Mans hypercar

Peugeot has committed to a surprise return to the World Endurance Championship in 2022 with a new hybrid hypercar.

The French marque’s parent company, PSA, confirmed the development in a brief statement overnight, setting out its objectives including a start in the 2022 Le Mans 24 Hours.

"Proud to announce our participation in the world’s premier endurance racing championship WEC from 2022 with a Hybrid Power Hypercar," the company said on Twitter. "Stay tuned, more to come at the beginning of 2020!"

PSA motorsport director Jean-Marc Finot said: "I am very excited at the prospect of channelling the skills and passion of my team into this project.

"It is a new challenge and I know our experts will rise to it with another demonstration of their will to win with teams financed by the [PSA] Group's brands, fuelled by their long experience of top-flight FIA championships and hunger for success."

The entry provides a shot in the arm to the WEC’s new hypercar formula, which will replace the current LMP1 regulations with lower overheads, the choice of bespoke racers or road-going hypercars, and an anticipated budget cap of about $38 million.

Before now, only Toyota and Aston Martin had committed to the 2022 season; the former opting for a bespoke racer and the latter with an entry based on the ballistic Valkyrie.

Peugeot’s return marks another chapter in its rich history at Le Mans, having won the race twice several times.

Peugeot formally pulled the pin on its Le Mans program in 2011, with its cars since confined to concepts and Gran Tursimo one-offs like the L 750R Hybrid concept pictured.