DataGrange Motorsport

The Peugeot Diesels Breeze Away Without a Challenge For its First-Ever Works Victory at Sebring.

Despite the pageantry and breath taking technology on display, the 12 Hours of Sebring did not offer diehard race fans a juicy works’ battle … the true lifeblood of sports car racing’s appeal … yet the March classic nonetheless still filled its billing as one of motor sport’s crown jewels.

The French Peugeot Diesels, defenders at both the Sarthe and Petit Le Mans, pulled away early as the 07 (Wurz) and 08 entries (Bourdais) handily shake off phantom challenges from the British Lola/Judd and Aston Martin camps. As the 08 Peugeot entry takes its turn at the point during the third hour, the race admittedly takes on the tedium inherent with a works’ dominated showcase, yet the racing world stares in shock in the fourth hour when a momentous pit road collision-blunder between the Chevrolet Corvette GT entries dooms both cars to backmarker status.

The Peugeots, fortunately racing without team orders, finally end the ritualistic pacing in the eleventh hour and the 07 entry, propelled by newcomer Anthony Davidson’s surprising speed, proves out as the swifter entry in the closing moments. The 08 entry remains poised to make one last go for the flag, yet a fatal 360 degree spin on cold tires after its final pit with 38 minutes to go dooms their effort, allowing the 07 speedster (Peugeot, A. Wurz-M. Gene-A. Davidson, 908 HDI FAP) to rush away for a fourteen second victory, the first works’ triumph for the French make at the airport circuit.

As for the sibling classes, Team Cytosport (Porsche RS Spyder) takes P2, Rizi Competizione (Ferrari 430 GT2) snares GT, Level 5 (Oreca FLM09) wins LMPC, and Alex Job Racing (Porsche 911 GT3) closes out GTC. The Porsche 911 corps, the ever stalwart backbone of global sports car racing, again put in a miserable performance as their cars continue to suffer at the hands of track misfortune and heavy handed restrictions aimed at encouraging other makes to enter the series.

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Peugeot Takes Two of Three in the Sportscar Triple Crown After Its Rainout Victory at Petit.

In the third meeting of Diesel Wars between the Audi and Peugeot works under inclement conditions, the Germans get the jump at the starting flag and take advantage of their superior handling in the wet to build a commanding lead over the swifter French entries during the early hours. The rain only intensifies within the fifth hour, prompting many shunts around the circuit, and the Peugeots give up considerable ground to the Audis by promptly pitting for grooved tires. Audi inexplicably delays its own stop and ultimately pays the price when even harder rain causes the German lead entry to spin off the circuit, and a subsequent caution condition forces both cars in for grooved wets. Both Peugeots slip past the parked Audis and promote into the race lead as the weather refuses to relent, and Race Control issues a stop condition early in the seventh hour before calling the event two hours’ later. The speedy yet ill handling diesel Peugeots (08 908 HDi FA, Franck Montagny and Stepahane Sarrazin) gleefully embrace the tremendous victory, its second out of three meetings in 2009 over the devastated Audi faction.

The Determined French Finally Topple the German Diesels and Avenge Their Heartbreaking Loss at Sebring.

Race Two of the Sportscar Triple Crown comes to life by way of Le Mans and its annual twice around the clock trial near the Sarthe.  The Diesel War again dominates the headlines as home favorite Peugeot, still staggering after its heartbreaking loss to Audi at Sebring, scrambles to find the reliability to match the Germans, winners of eight races at the venerable eight-mile circuit since 2000. Audi surprises observers in the early hours with uncharacteristic mechanical troubles and a pair of driver run offs that in turn lift rival Peugeot to a wide lead margin. The race takes a cruel turn in the sixth hour when the 8 Peugeot entry and its sentimental French driving contingent stops for a rear axle change, allowing its sister entry (9 Peugeot HDi FAP, Marc Gene-David Brabham-Alexander Wurz) to steam past into the lead.  The lead Peugeot never falters during the night, the Teutons never regain the proper race pace, and the French avenge their shattering Sebring defeat in façonnable style before a jubilant nation.