After spending, between 1994 and 2000, seven seasons in Formula 1 as an engine supplier (McLaren, Jordan then Prost Grand Prix), Peugeot returned to rally, with three consecutive manufacturer titles (2001, 2002 and 2003) and two driver titles for the Finn Marcus Gronholm (2001 and 2003).

During that period, Peugeot engines could also be found in the Pescarolo Sport team's chassis from 2001 to 2003, prior to the French marque announcing its official return in 2007. Like Audi (who had won at the 24 Hours for the first time the year before), Peugeot chose turbo diesel engine technology, but with one unique feature: a particle filter to retain the particles contained in the exhaust gas. The two rivals also presented two fundamentally different aerodynamic designs. In 1999, the third place finish of its R8R determined Audi's choice for an open prototype, whereas Peugeot preferred a closed body car.

In 2007 and 2008, Peugeot's speed (two pole positions for Stéphane Sarrazin) went up against Audi's experience (the manufacturer won both the editions). In 2007, the trio Bourdais-Lamy-Sarrazin did however claim a promising second step on the podium. The following year, the fate of the race changed during the night when the Audi R10 TDI driven by Capello-Kristensen-McNish caught up and got the best of the 908 HDi FAP driven by Gené-Minassian-Villeneuve. The latter trio finished second, and the second car of Lamy-Sarrazin-Wurz finished fifth.

In 2009, Audi presented a new car at the 24 Hours, the R15 TDI, but speed helped the Peugeot 908 HDi FAP to dominate. After the third pole in a row for Stéphane Sarrazin (a performance only Jacky Ickx had achieved before him, in 1981, '82 and '83), the three factory 908 HDi FAPs finished together under the checkered flag. A winner along with Austrian driver Alex Wurz and Spaniard Marc Gené, David Brabham joined in victory his big brother Geoff, a winner 16 years earlier...with Peugeot. Finishing second, Bourdais, Lamy and Sarrazin gave the French marque a one-two, to which was added sixth place for Minassian-Lamy-Klien, delayed by a flat tire early in the race.

Yet, in 2010 none of the four Peugeots (after Pescarolo Sport in 2009, the fourth car was entrusted to the Oreca team) made it to the checkered flag, falling victims primarily to an epidemic of rod failures. Thanks to Romain Dumas, Timo Bernhard and Mike Rockenfeller, Audi clinched its ninth victory and established a new distance record at an average speed of more than 225 km/h.

In 2011, Audi and Peugeot got makeovers, with the R18 TDI (first closed body prototype since the 1999 R8C) and a car simple renamed the 908, respectively, for what turned out to be a legendary edition of the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

Even before the midnight hour of the 79th edition, Audi had already lost two of its three cars following violent yet miraculous crashes from which both Allan McNish and Mike Rockenfeller emerged unscathed. On Sunday at 7:00 a.m., a chase began between the surviving Audi driven by Fässler-Lotterer-Tréluyer and the Peugeot of Bourdais-Lamy-Pagenaud. In less than 15 minutes, the lap record changed hands three times, before ending with André Lotterer.

During the eight remaining hours of the race, the two protagonists gave their all. At 3:00 p.m., the gap under the checkered flag was only 13 seconds, in favor of the #2 Audi...followed by Simon Pagenaud and the other three Peugeots entered (Sarrazin-Montagny-Minassian, Davidson-Wurz-Gené and Lapierre-Duval-Panis). Just a few months ago, Simon Pagenaud admitted that even to this day, every morning he thinks of those 800 meters that robbed him of victory at the 24 Hours of Le Mans!

The desire for revenge was even stronger in 2012 given the inception of the World Endurance Championship (FIA WEC) the same year. Peugeot had developed a new hybrid version of its 908...but a rematch was not in the cards after Peugeot announed its retirement in February, a month and a half before the kickoff of that first season at Sebring.

Since 2016, Peugeot has continued to win in cross-country rally, with two consecutive victories at Dakar. Is it a prelude to a return to the 24 Hours of Le Mans, like in the 1990s? Time will tell...

 

Click below for previous installments in this series:

Peugeot at the 24 Hours of Le Mans (1): 1937-1939

Peugeot at the 24 Hours of Le Mans (2) - 1991-1993

 

Photo: In 2009, the Peugeot drivers celebrate on the podium the marque's third win at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, after 1992 and 1993.