Peugeot lodges protest over ‘non-compliant’ Audi

[JamesBondage]

At 10.35am today, Wednesday June 10, 2009, and in compliance with Article 29.2 of the specific regulations of the 2009 Le Mans 24 Hours, Team Peugeot Total lodged a protest with the Race Director and the President of the Sporting Stewards of the Le Mans 24 Hours concerning the entrant Audi and the non-compliance of the three Audi prototypes with the ACO’s 2009 technical regulations.

It would indeed seem that two features of the Audi R15 – in the configuration in which it was shown at technical scrutineering for the 2009 Le Mans 24 Hours on June 8 – do not comply with Article 3.6.2 of the current technical regulations:

- The flap which links the two front wings.
- The appendages fixed to the inner surface of the front wings.

These appendages and this flap effectively form part of the bodywork and their sole purpose is to generate downforce. These bodywork parts are considered to be aerodynamic elements. Since they do not appear on the list of aerodynamic elements authorised by Article 3.6.2, they are consequently not permitted.

Certain aspects of the car’s non-compliance were pointed out to the ACO last March at the 12 Hours of Sebring, a round of the ALMS. “Our protest dossier was already ready at the time, but the Automobile Club de l’Ouest made assurances that it would take the necessary steps ahead of the Le Mans 24 Hours,” explains Olivier Quesnel. “I insist on the fact that our approach is constructive and not aggressive. It seeks to clarify what is an unclear situation with a view to obtaining clear, precise regulations in order to prepare for the future. All competitors need stable, firm regulations that apply to everyone, with a strong regulatory body capable of taking decisions. We intend to take this matter to its conclusion, not with the intention of weakening endurance racing but of making it stronger. Should our protest not be upheld by the sporting stewards, we will lodge an appeal with motor sport’s supreme
governing body, the FIA”.

“Now that this procedure is underway,” concludes Olivier Quesnel, “all our energy is now focused entirely on our priority objective for 2009, which is to try to win the Le Mans 24 Hours. May the racing begin.”

Sounds like Peugeot's already formulating its excuse for losing the race on Saturday/Sunday.

[mbrouder]

Frog eatin' sore losers.

[jfranci3]

Their front does significantly deviate from the 'spec' areo. It'll be hard for audi to prove they do not improve downforce.

[CalypsoRot325]

So that means audi will only win the 24hrs of LeMans by 200 laps?

[JamesBondage]

Latest development:

The off-track battle between Peugeot and Audi has continued after the free practice session last night when the Automobile Club de l’Ouest announced its decision on Peugeot’s protest in which Peugeot questioned the legality of the three Audi R15 TDI cars entered here for the Le Mans 24 Hours.

According to a press release sent out by Team Peugeot Total the team was notified of the decision by the Sporting Stewards of the ACO at 23.33 on Wednesday night, just under half an hour before the end of the session. The ACO told Peugeot it had decided ‘not to uphold the protest’.


The notification which was sent to Peugeot gives the following explanation of the ACO: “…the ACO has the discretionary power to deem whether or not the sole function of an element of bodywork is to generate downforce… …it is based on this discretionary power of appreciation, compounded by the exclusive power it has to interpret the technical regulations as laid out in Article 18, that the ACO homologates the cars which take part in the events covered by its regulations.”


Despite the ACO again confirming that the Audi R15 TDI is, from their point of view, compliant to the current set of regulations Team Peugeot Total has a different interpretation of the regulations and therefore decided to appeal the decision. The appeal was made within an hour after the team was notified of the Steward’s decision.


Audi has yet to make a formal statement about the protest, but yesterday various people at the team made it clear that Audi is sure it is working within the regulations and that this is a matter between the ACO and Peugeot.


With the annual ACO press conference set to take place later this morning and the ACO already announcing a meeting for technical directors and engineers in charge of the design of the cars in Le Mans at the end of June it seems certain that this story will be continued for some while.

[jfranci3]

Ta Dow.....

[timboogeyman]

this isn't the first time the french have given up to the germans...