Peugeot has confirmed that it is studying a return to the Le Mans 24 Hours but says it will only approve the plan if costs for the series decline.
The French manufacturer famously won Le Mans in 2009 and competed in the championship for five years. Following Audi’s exit from the sport last year, many pundits have called for Peugeot to return to the top-tier of endurance racing, now consisting only of Porsche and Toyota.
During an interview at the Geneva Motor Show with Autocar, Peugeot chief Jean-Philippe Imparato confirmed that the marque is inching closer to a return but needs one final condition met.
“We have always said we will return if three conditions are met: firstly, we as a company are making money; secondly, we have won the Dakar Rally and thirdly, the cost of competition cannot be over €200m per year.
“The first two conditions are now met, the third is not. We are studying a return, but the regulations must be easier on the budget,” Imparato confirmed.
It is understood that organizers of the LMP1 category in the World Endurance Championship believe that there needs to be at least 3 teams competing to make it viable long term. In order to reduce costs, rules about aerodynamic development could be changed.
PHOTO GALLERY
