Peugeot show off hybrid 908

The Peugeot 908HY was demonstrated on Saturday evening at Silverstone hours after the organisers of the Le Mans 24 Hours announced plans to phase in hybrid technology over the next two seasons.

Hybrids will next year be able to race outside the overall classification at Le Mans and in its associated series in Europe, America and the Far East, and then be part of the races proper from 2010.

Peugeot announced that they would test and develop the hybrid through 2009 and did not rule out racing entering it in one race as part of that process.

Peugeot motorsport boss Michel Barge said: "Our priority in 2009 is to work with the HDi and if within the framework of the development process we feel we are ready to race the hybrid, then why not?"

Barge explained that the hybrid had a racing future when new rules, also announced on Saturday, force a downsizing of the engine rules for 2011.

"If there is a downsizing in terms of capacity, then this technology would be good to go with that," he said.

The Le Mans organisers, the Autombobile Club de l'Ouest, announced that they have abandoned plans to introduce new chassis rules in 2010 in favour of a new engine formula for the year after.

They revealed that the current LMP2 engine rules for 3.4-litre V8s and two-litre turbos will be adopted for 2011. The LMP2 formula will then be open only to production-based engines.

Le Mans rules boss Daniel Poissenot said: "Talking to the manufacturers we understand that we have to have engines that use less fuel, create less emissions and less noise. This is the way we have to go."

The rule changes appear to have the support of Audi and Peugeot, the manufacturers represented in LMP1 at Le Mans this year.

Audi Sport boss Dr Wolfgang Ullrich said: "Le Mans has seen what is going on with road car development, so I see this as a very positive step. We all have a responsibility to go in the direction of smaller and more efficient engines."