As January 4 approaches, teams Peugeot , Red Bull and Total are ticking off the boxes on their checklist, and the unveiling of the Peugeot 2008 DKR in new bodywork is one of them. After seven months in black, the weapon of the French engineers changes and acquires a more original look combining blue, red and white, which confirms that it will soon enter the race.
"It looks much more aggressive now", rejoices Cyril Despres , who is not used to the impact of color schemes on such a large area of the bodywork. On the other hand, Stéphane Peterhansel immediately points out what advantage the new design will bring to the crew: " The fact that the cabin is surrounded by white is very important in terms of heat protection. I've raced a car with a black top and I can say it really makes a difference."
The thousands of kilometers driven by the Peugeot 2008 DKR in the last months in Morocco have given the entire team involved in the daring project a proper boost. "The test results show that we have chosen the right technical concept," confirms Bruno Famin , director of the Peugeot Sport division. The car doesn't have much experience yet, so it's necessary to be careful. "We embark on this adventure with great ambitions, but also with great humility. By starting our sports program with the toughest race of all, we will no doubt encounter a number of obstacles and challenges. We must therefore proceed from one stage to another. This first year, our main goal is to drive as far as possible with as many cars as possible."
Carlos Sainz , who is an expert in vehicle tuning and has driven almost every type of car, confirms the correctness of the technical concept: "The team has developed a very unique innovative car that promises to be very versatile and able to adapt to all types of terrain that can be encountered . The concept works well. Test drives have shown it to be a very quick machine, although as with any racing car in its first year it is difficult to be 100% sure of its reliability.”
48 days before the start, the program is properly loaded: on November 20, service trucks loaded with all the necessary equipment and spare parts will be loaded onto a ship that will take them to Argentina . The three race cars will then need to be assembled and flown to the location in mid-December, but before that they still have a final test in Morocco in early December. The crews will also have to undergo intensive training focused on the mechanics of the cars to prepare for any emergency intervention they may encounter at the January race, as they will have to do without the help of technicians on site. With such a busy schedule, the members of the Peugeot‑Total team had some exciting moments.
Source: Peugeot
