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26/11/2025
Courage C60 Peugeot – 2002
Courage C60 Peugeot
After two years of using the Courage C50 and C52, the Pescarolo team acquired two examples of the new C60 in 2001, modifying them with Peugeot engines. They raced this car for three years, securing a few victories but without any significant results at Le Mans.
Completely new, the Courage C60 was designed and developed to capitalise on the return of LMP/LMP900 prototypes, somewhat overshadowed by GT1s in the mid-1990s before returning to the top class. Introduced in 2000, it was inspired by the BMW V12 LMP that won the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1999. Initially, the Courage was to be powered by a Nissan V8 twin-turbo engine, but after cancellation of the supply agreement, Judd's naturally aspirated V10 engine was used instead.
However, there was one exception: when Henri Pescarolo ended his racing career in 1999, he left Courage and chose the C50 and C52 for his own team, modifying them by replacing the original Porsche engines with Peugeot V6 engines from the 2000 season onwards.
The same happened with the C60, of which Pescarolo prepared a second version for the 24 Hours of Le Mans, thereby confirming his collaboration with Peugeot, which supplied him with engines until 2003.
From 2001 to 2003, the Courage C60 cars of the Pescarolo team carried the Peugeot emblem on the muzzle, as Peugeot was the engine supplier.© IXO Collections SAS - Tous droits réservés.
Their first car, driven by Jean-Christophe Boullion, Sébastien Bourdais and Laurent Redon, withdrew from the 12 Hours of Sebring, a race counting for both the American Le Mans Series (ALMS) and European Le Mans Series (ELMS). In the 6 Hours of Donington Park, also counting for both series, the car finished fourth. The Courage C60 from the Pescarolo team also participated in races that were part of the FIA sports car championship calendar, but its results were mixed: it dropped out in Barcelona and Monza; in July, on the French circuit of Magny-Cours, it scored its second victory of the season after Estoril in Portugal, the fourth leg of the ELMS. Shortly before that, in June, the car competed in the 24 Hours of Le Mans, where it finished thirteenth, while the Pescarolo team's second C60, driven by Emmanuel Clérico, Didier Cottaz and Boris Derichebourg, failed to finish due to an accident.
1. For 2002, designer André de Cortanze completely redesigned the bodywork, which also stands out for its cut-out headlights.
2. The roll-over bar behind the driver is integrated into the bodywork, rather than protruding from it as before.© IXO Collections SAS - Tous droits réservés.
While the team won in Barcelona and at the Racing Festival in Spa in 2002, their performance at Le Mans was no better than the previous year: Boullion and Bourdais, this time supported by Frank Lagorce, finished tenth in car no. 17, while car no. 18, driven by Stéphane Ortelli, Eric Hélary and Ukyo Katayama, was forced to retire due to engine failure.
1. For the 24 Hours of Le Mans, the C60 is equipped with a higher rear spoiler.
2. The Courage C60 features push-rod suspension and an aluminium and carbon fibre body.
3. The engine supplied by Peugeot and derived from the production V6 60° 3-litre ES9 was developed at Magny-Cours by Sodemo, increasing the displacement to 3.2 litres and equipping it with two turbochargers and an in-house developed injection system.© IXO Collections SAS - Tous droits réservés.
The 2003 season brought two successes: Estoril and the Nogaro race in France. At Le Mans, both Courage Peugeots ended the race jointly finishing eighth and ninth just behind the first ‘official’ Courage. From 2004 onwards, Peugeot stopped supplying engines to Pescarolo in order to focus on its own cars, the future 908s. The C60 continued to evolve: it was powered by Judd engines and no longer registered under the Courage brand, but as a Pescarolo C60.
A. Pictured here is the 2001 Courage C60 driven by Frenchman Jean-Christophe Boullion during qualifying for the 24 Hours of Le Mans.© IXO Collections SAS - Tous droits réservés.
B. Before the C60, Pescarolo used other Courage models. This is the C52, also equipped with a Peugeot engine, which finished fourth in the 2000 Le Mans 24 Hours. © IXO Collections SAS - Tous droits réservés.
C. The 2003 season was the last for the Courage C60 Peugeot, as seen here from above during preliminary tests in early May at the Le Mans circuit.© IXO Collections SAS - Tous droits réservés.
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