Will the 908 Oreca have its say?

This season, the Oreca Matmut team is entering, alongside its Oreca 01 AIM, a Peugeot 908 HDi FAP in all respects similar to the three official ones. With a 100% French crew made up of Loïc duval, Nicolas lapierre and Olivier Panis, Hugues de Chaunac's team has the weapons to play at the forefront, or even to play for victory.

This week, during the qualifying sessions, the Var lioness proved that she had nothing to envy of those entered by Peugeot Sport. Fourth on the starting grid, it was not able to move up the hierarchy due to problems encountered on Wednesday evening, but nonetheless ahead of the three Audi R15 pluses.

But if, during the race, the Peugeot Oreca were to get ahead of the Vélizy officials, could an instruction from the Peugeot Sport management reach the ears of Hugues de Chaunac? A question that many observers are asking?

“If we get there, it will already be very good news and there will be no problem managing the “problem”. declares Olivier Quesnel in the official program of the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Are we going to start by making sure there isn't an Audi in front of everyone? »

A very evasive answer. But the boss of Peugeot-Sport has repeated it many times: the goal is to make the Lion brand triumph, the model entered by Oreca is also part of Peugeot Sport's racing strategy. Hugues de Chaunac, for his part, seems delighted with the relations between the two parties.

Everything therefore suggests that the 908 Mondrian has the same chances of victory as its sisters entered by the factory. Perhaps the race will tell us more?

Find the cross interview between Olivier Quesnel and Hugues de Chaunac in the official program of the 24 Hours of Le Mans 2010.