Peugeot 905 – 1993

Peugeots campaign in endurance racing, in which the lion brand sought new glory after achieving victory in rallying with the 205 and 405, was far from a success. In 1988, Peugeot announced a new programme, but it wasn't until two years later that the 905, designed by André de Cortanze, was presented. This car was made from carbon fibre and powered by a naturally aspirated 3.5-litre V10 engine, in accordance with the new regulations for the top category of Group C (called ‘Sport 3.5 litres’). The first version, called the ‘905 Evo 1’, competed in two races in 1990 before being rolled out in full force in 1991, driven by Mauro Baldi/Philippe Alliot and Keke Rosberg/Yannick Dalmas. At the start of the season, the first crew secured a victory at Suzuka. During the summer, Peugeot launched the variant developed for 1992, the ‘Evo 1 Bis’, driving Keke Rosberg and Yannick Dalmas to victory at Magny-Cours and Mexico City. Elsewhere, the two crews experienced a series of withdrawals, including at Le Mans, where the two 905s, despite starting at the front of the grid as the best of the 3.5-litre Sports cars, were forced to retire after only a few dozen laps.

The Evo 1 Bis, reworked in terms of bodywork and with mechanical improvements, achieved its best results in 1992: Yannick Delmas, teamed with Derek Bell, secured three victories – including the 24 Hours of Le Mans (with Mark Blundell as third driver), at which the car made its appearance in a new variant called the ‘Evo 1 Bis LM’ – and two second places, with the car finishing first in the championship. The other 905, driven by Alliot and Baldi (plus veteran Jean-Pierre Jabouille at Le Mans), claimed two wins and two third places to finish second in the championship ahead of its most tenacious rivals, the Toyotas, to whom Peugeot only conceded the 500 km of Monza.

In 1993, the championship was cancelled due to lack of interest, but the Group C cars were allowed to compete in the 24 Hours of Le Mans, an event considered to be independent. Peugeot ceased development of the next evolution, the Evo 2, and entrusted the defence of its colours to the now very reliable Evo 1 Bis, that repeated the duel in the C2 category with the Toyota TS010 and the ever more efficient Porsche 962 ‘veterans’. At the May tests, Baldi and Alliot clocked the fastest times. Peugeot entered three cars in June, which, at the end of a qualifying session disrupted by numerous accidents, shared the front row with Toyota. The race itself lasted only a few hours, after which the three 905s took the lead to finish with a fantastic one-two-three. The winner was the ‘added’ crew of Éric Hélary, Christophe Bouchut and Geoff Brabham, who finished just ahead of Thierry Boutsen, Yannick Dalmas and Teo Fabi and, somewhat further back, Alliot, Baldi and Jabouille.