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Sarrazin: Peugeot now team to beat

Stephane Sarrazin believes that Peugeot is now the team to beat in sportscar racing following the French manufacturer's victory in the rain-shortened Petit Le Mans on Saturday

It was the first time that Audi had been beaten in the 10-hour classic at Road Atlanta, and it was also the first time a French manufacturer had won an endurance event in the US.

Coming off the back of its dominant victory in June's Le Mans 24 Hours, Sarrazin believes Peugeot has turned a corner in its rivalry with Audi, and puts this down to the arrival of the team's sporting director Olivier Quesnel at the start of the year.

"I think we have improved a lot," he said. "Since Olivier [Quesnel] arrived in this team, we have improved a lot.

"Now the mechanics are more sure, more confident, now they have won Le Mans. It is a completely different team now, and they are working even harder. But we won. Now with Audi, we have shown definitely that we can beat them."

Sarrazin, who along with co-driver Franck Montagny, recovered a deficit of two laps after a difficult start to the race, added that he believed the result was just reward after missing out on victory in Sebring and Le Mans. Though he admitted the race had ended under different circumstances, after being washed out with just four hours and 52 minutes completed.

"I'm happy, but is very good to cross the line as a winner," he said. "It feels like a bit of an anti-climax. But we finished second at Sebring, and Le Mans we did first and second but our car had a problem, so I am very happy to be finish first with Franck.

"Franck and me are big friends and we were happy with the set-up. We can improve because we push each other."

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