This June will mark 100 years since Peugeot made its debut in the 24 Hours of Le Mans, and as the French manufacturer bids to finally break its duck in the FIA World Endurance Championship with its 9X8 Hypercar, company CEO Alain Favey has warned the lion is ‘ready to roar’.
Last month, Team Peugeot TotalEnergies took the wraps off the dramatic red, white and black livery that will adorn its pair of prototypes in FIA WEC’s top-tier in 2026. The dynamic design incorporates a radical interpretation of the brand’s famous three-claw motif, while paying tribute to its GTi performance line in the year that the iconic badge returns to the carmaker’s road-going range.
“The new car looks amazing – very spectacular, very bold and a great collaboration between our design and motorsport teams,” commented Favey. “I think it is a good symbol of the ambition here at Peugeot.
“Motorsport perfectly reflects Peugeot’s values and is part of our DNA – it has been for many, many years. Back in 1926, Peugeot participated in the 24 Hours of Le Mans for the first time. One hundred years and three victories later, we will celebrate our centenary in the event. Le Mans is our home round and it’s very important for us to be strong there. It’s more than a race – it’s a legend.
“Endurance represents really everything that Peugeot is about. It’s kind of the meeting-point between heritage and cutting-edge technology, and going into 2026, we have good momentum. Our goal is to fight for victory with consistency and determination. We’re ready to roar!”
When Favey talks about momentum, he is referring to Peugeot’s strong finish to the 2025 FIA WEC campaign, with the #94 and #93 9X8 Hypercars taking the chequered flag respectively third and fourth at COTA in Texas, and the latter coming within a whisker of triumphing in the series’ milestone 100th outing at Fuji in Japan. His optimism is shared by recently-appointed Team Principal, Emmanuel Esnault.
“It has been a relentless effort by everybody at Satory over the winter to prepare for this season,” the Frenchman stressed. “We have been working on our organisation and our processes, and to maximise the performance potential of this car.
“We are confident that we are ready, and we are keen to continue the momentum we started to build at the end of 2025. We can rely upon two strong driver line-ups with a very good mix of experience and speed, and the new livery is very inspiring and an extra source of motivation.
“We’re all racing enthusiasts here, and we know the FIA World Endurance Championship is living a golden era – that’s why Peugeot is involved. It’s highly competitive, and we are just as highly determined to make this project a success.”
