Q & A with Peugeot's Bruno Famin

Bruno Famin - Peugeot's technical director: In June 2005, Frederic Saint Geours announced Peugeot's wish to return with a HDI FAP diesel engine.

But in 2005 and up until the end of November, the whole of the Peugeot Sport team was still developing the 307 WRC in the World Rally Championship.

On 1st October 2005 I arrived at Velizy and from a blank sheet of paper, today we present, one year and 3 months later, a complete car and its drivers.

It's an enormous feat to accomplish, especially as the project only really started on 1st January 2006 with the arrival of Paolo Catone, Claude Guillois and Guillaume Catelani.

Q. What were the mains stages?

BF: To the end of 2005 we concentrated on deciding upon the major technical issues and adapted how the technical team was made up for the new programme.

From there things moved at a faster pace with few delays. At the beginning of March we were fixed on the idea of a closed car and at the same time created the first single cylinder test engine. In April the 908 "mock-up" had its first trials in the wind tunnel.

We had decided on the shape of the body by the end of July and in September started to assemble the first engine which was started for the first time, the following day, after the 908's presentation at the Paris Motor Show. We received the body in the middle of December and as soon as we had it we started assembly to enable the first drive on 31st December. A real marathon!

Q. Have the changes to the ACO regulations made you late?

BF: No, not really, but it now means that we have to look at the performance /fuel consumption to be more in favour of fuel consumption.

Q. It was a question of using a bio-fuel - where are you with this?

BF: The tests that we carried out during the engine's presentation at Le Mans last June were inconclusive. We have therefore come up with the idea of using a biofuel from 2007 developed by our petroleum partner but which conforms to the regulations; ACO is maintaining the principle of a single fuel for all competitors for 2007.

Q. What is the programme for 908 in terms of testing and races?

BF: Some fifteen races, of which 3 simulate the 24 Hours, are planned for 2007. We are counting on doing 20 to 30,000 kilometres of tests. We will be going to Sebring but not for the racing only for the test sessions. It will be too early to partake in a race.

On the other hand, it is very interesting to see what the competition is like on such an important track (heat, traffic, rubber on the track....)

We will take part in our first race during the LMS race at Monza on the 14th and 15th April, we will then go to Valencia on the 5th and 6th May. Most importantly, these two rounds will be major tests for the 908 in order to amass as much information as possible before Le Mans.