While a lot of speculation surrounding the identity of Peugeot's Le Mans 24 Hour line-up has centred on French drivers such as Olivier Panis and Emmanuel Collard, an unheralded Spaniard may be creeping up on the rails to be the first confirmed signing.
According to the Spanish media,
Ferrari test driver Marc Gene is close to inking a deal to contest the June sportscar classic with the diesel-powered 908, but an announcement is being held up as his two 'employers' haggle over small print.
With the amount of -in-season'
F1 testing being cut from this season, Gene - as second test driver at the Scuderia behind Luca Badoer - should have more time on his hands to increase his sportscar participation, which stem from a rare one-off appearance in the ALMS last year. As a result, it is expected that Peugeot's Frederic Saint Geours will confirm the Spaniard among the first
tranche of the works team's line-up for this year's 24 Hours.
According to
as.com, Gene's inclusion has come at the behest of Peugeot's Spanish chief Daniel Rollet, who is also hoping that next season will see a 908 crewed entirely by Spanish drivers, with Pedro de la Rosa and Carlos Sainz among those rumoured as potential team-mates to the Catalan.
Peugeot's return to Le Mans was confirmed last September, although no announcements have been forthcoming regarding drivers, despite the belief that the first names would be revealed at the Paris Motor Show. The 908 will run as a closed coupe, giving the French marque a headstart on its rivals, who will have to follow suit in 2008, while also keeping a visual link to the 905 model which won at La Sarthe in 1992 and 1993. Peugeot also opted to follow Audi's lead in designing the car around a diesel-powered V12 engine, with which it now hopes to topple the German giant.
