New Peugeot 908 crashed at Paul Ricard

[Red Firecracker]

Seems that the new 908 has crashed during a 30 hour test at Paul Ricard with Nicolas Minassian at the wheel (unhurt), suspension failure being cited as the cause. Shades of the previous suspension failures maybe?

Here's the link;

http://www.autohebdo.fr/endurance/le-mans/breve-27...

with translation;

The daily L'Equipe revealed this morning that the driver Nicolas Minassian Marseille left the track yesterday at the Circuit Paul Ricard with the new Peugeot 908.

The French team was conducting a simulation of 30 hours for the new season of endurance. Minassian was unhurt in the accident but the hull of the car was hit, ending the practice session. According to preliminary information, it is fixing a broken suspension which would have been the cause of the overrun.

[Nick M]

Red Firecracker said:

The daily L'Equipe revealed this morning that the driver Nicolas Minassian Marseille left the track yesterday at the Circuit Paul Ricard with the new Peugeot 908.

This bit makes it sound like he borrowed it to nip down the road to go to the shops








Just me then....

[zippyprorider]

great, fingers crossed same for the race

[arfur daley]

If it has anything like Peugeot 407 ball joints fitted, they would have fallen off, cos they are ste.

[webby74]

Minor id say compared to the ae falling out of their world last june! Hope this is a sign of things to come.

[Red Firecracker]

I must admit I'm not the greatest Peugeot fan in the world, but I'm not one to wish them issues such as this in the race. Apart from the potential nastiness for the drivers (I was at the Test Day in 2008 when Gene did for the concrete wall at Porsche) it tends to rob the race of some fantastic moments. The closing hour of the 2007 race for instance was thrilling.

Also, one of the defining moments of last years race (for me) was the final pitstop for the Oreca Peugeot, where Hugues de Chaunac waived his fist at Duval to tell him to chase down the Audi leaders as Peugeot's last chance. Earlier, Olivier Quesnel had been crying on de Chaunac's shoulder as the last of the factory cars expired, now the roles were reversed.

All that being said, I do hope they don't win!

[lazyitus]

Why is there so much hate for Peugeot ? Did they do something to warrant the slating they seem to get all the time on the Le Mans forum ?

[NormanD]

lazyitus said:

Why is there so much hate for Peugeot ?
Did they do something to warrant the slating they seem to get all the time on the Le Mans forum ?

Is it because their French

Getting our own back as the ACO try to Bu**er the UK entries

[Nick M]

lazyitus said:

Why is there so much hate for Peugeot ? Did they do something to warrant the slating they seem to get all the time on the Le Mans forum ?

They have, shall we say, adopted a less sporting approach to racing than the likes of Audi, Pescarolo, etc.

There have been instances in the past where they have protested other manufacturers on technical matters, have adopted questionable tactics on track or have visibly celebrated another team's problems, all of which add up to making them the pantomime villains as far as the British contingent are concerned.

Plus they're French and hence the ACO seem to find ways of favouring them (see the safety car deployment in the first hour of last year's race).

Personally most of it is good natured banter - I'd rather see a race between teams who respect each other and win on merit.

[lazyitus]

Fair points.

[robmlufc]

They werent exactly gracious in victory in 2009

[jamiebae]

lazyitus said:

Why is there so much hate for Peugeot ? Did they do something to warrant the slating they seem to get all the time on the Le Mans forum ?

Not sure, I drove down in a Peugeot last year but was still cheering on the Audis. Shoddy pit work, general unsporting behaviour I guess. I like Ant and some of the other drivers too.

I've just got it, it's because they employed Jacques fking Villeneuve as a driver!