Peugeot 905

Lore & Background

In November 1988 Peugeot Talbot Sport, established under the control of Jean Todt at Vélizy-Villacoublay, in the suburbs of Paris, announced the launch of the 905 project to compete in the 1991 World Sportscar Championship using the new rules which the 1991 season would introduce. Technically advanced, the 905 used a carbon fiber chassis engineered by Dassault and a light alloy SA35-A1 3499 cc naturally aspirated V10 engine that was similar to F1 engines of the time. The 905 was built at Vélizy-Villacoublay and was officially unveiled in February 1990, with Jean-Pierre Jabouille driving. The car made its racing debut in the final two races of the 1990 season with Jabouille and Keke Rosberg sharing the wheel. Although the car was slower than the contemporary Group C Sports Prototypes, it was notably quicker than the other 3.5 litre Sports-Prototypes which raced in that season. The 905 began its first full season in the World Sportscar Championship in 1991. Although the car was now quicker than the 1990 version, and indeed the heavily penalised Group C cars that were allowed to race, in the early part of the season the 905 suffered some performance and reliability problems but, more crucially for Peugeot, the car was a lot slower than the standard-setting Jaguar XJR-14. The car's first win came at Magny-Cours. Unfortunately, at the 1991 24 Hours of Le Mans, both cars entered did not last past the four-hour mark. To counter Jaguar in the remaining races of the championship the 905 was heavily revised, primarily in aerodynamics. Carrying over only the cockpit of the previous car, the evolutionary 905B was created. With the more notable changes consisting of a two-tier rear wing and an optional full-width front wing, including a more powerful SA35-A2 engine, the 905B made its race debut at the Nürburgring round of the 1991 series. These advancements allowed the team to finish the year winning at Magny-Cours and Mexico with back-to-back 1-2 wins, thus completing the season in second place overall. The 905B became one of only two factory efforts involved in the 1992 World Sportscar Championship season alongside Toyota, who were competing in their first season under the 3.5-litre regulations using the TS010. This meant that only the 1992 24 Hours of Le Mans showed a strong competition among t

In Their Own Story

The roar of the turbocharged V6 echoes through the night as the #1 Peugeot 905 blasts past the Porsche Curves. Rain slicks the tarmac at Mulsanne Straight, turning the world into a blur of headlights and spray. Inside the cockpit, Yannick Dalmas grips the wheel, his eyes fixed on the horizon where the next corner awaits. The engine hums with a high-pitched whine, a sound that has become synonymous with victory. As he crosses the line for another lap record, the crowd's cheer is muffled by the storm, but the car knows its purpose: to endure, to conquer, and to bring glory back to France.

Reader's Guide

The Peugeot 905 is a sports-prototype racing car built by Peugeot's racing department, Peugeot Talbot Sport. It was initially unveiled in February 1990 and developed for the 1991 set of rules. The car won the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1992 with the team of Derek Warwick, Yannick Dalmas, and Mark Blundell, and in 1993 with the team of Geoff Brabham, Christophe Bouchut, and Éric Hélary in the 905B. It also won both the driver’s and the team’s title at the World Sportscar Championship in the 1992 season.

Did You Know?

• The Peugeot 905 won the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1992 with Derek Warwick, Yannick Dalmas, and Mark Blundell.
• The 1993 Le Mans win was achieved by Geoff Brabham, Christophe Bouchut, and Éric Hélary in the 905B.
• The car used a naturally aspirated V10 engine, not a turbocharged V6.
• The 905 was developed for the 1991 World Sportscar Championship rules, not specifically to conquer Le Mans.
• The 1992 Le Mans win ended a French drought since 1974, not 1953, as Matra had won in 1972-1974.