Peugeot has now confirmed reports that said Jacques Villeneuve will race the French carmaker’s 908 prototype in the ’24 Heures du Mans’ (Le Mans 24 Hours) this June.
The confirmation means that the axed BMW-Sauber racer, 35, has a shot at becoming the first driver in history to collect motor racing’s ‘big four’ crowns — F1 (1997), the Indy 500 (1995), America’s premier open wheel title (CART, 1995) and Le Mans.
“Jacques has turned up and won every competition that he’s undertaken,” said Peugeot team manager Serge Saulnier, who added that it was he who approached Villeneuve, not vice-versa.
Peugeot also confirmed that, as well as contesting Le Mans itself, Marc Gene will do the ALMS series in 2007 parallel to his lightened Ferrari test role.
Saulnier added: “Marc has a key job with Ferrari. He is a brilliant stand in driver, who is very capable of replacing more senior F1 drivers.”
Le Mans will take place on 16-17 June.
GMMF1
DailyF1News.com
