I've received plenty of feedback on my January 19th article, The consequences of Peugeot's withdrawal from endurance racing.
It wasn't some technical piece about pistons or carbon fibre or nuts and bolts. Rather, I explored an oft-forgotten aspect of auto racing – people.
I detailed how the French manufacturer shockingly announced the immediate stoppage of its endurance program, which means there won't be a Peugeot 908 at the 24 Hours of Le Mans nor in the inaugural World Endurance Championship.
This is devastating news for more than a hundred mechanics, technicians, engineers and other highly skilled individuals. Of course, most of them will find work somewhere else within the PSA Group (Peugeot-Citroën), but what?
These guys are over-qualified. It's like asking an elite marine corps to use pea shooters. Or a brain surgeon to treat a cold.
The technical staff working on and around race cars is extremely talented and knowledgeable. These people are used to solving complex problems in just a few days, they can handle a ton of pressure, and they achieve some pretty amazing feats like replacing a gearbox at Le Mans in under 9 minutes!
When a prestigious team such as Newman/Haas Racing shuts down in the US, a similar tragedy strikes. The difference is that PSA can relocate its employees and Newman/Haas can't.
What does tomorrow have in store? These people must all find a new gig, one that will likely prove less exciting and result in a substantial pay cut.
We often hear that auto racing creates an addiction. The thrills are so intense that everything else pales in comparison. After working for years on some of the most beautiful and advanced automobiles in the world, what do you do when the daily grind holds no more real challenges, no more stimulating experiences?
That's the sort of human tragedy that comes from a manufacturer or a race team shutting its operations.
It wasn't some technical piece about pistons or carbon fibre or nuts and bolts. Rather, I explored an oft-forgotten aspect of auto racing – people.
I detailed how the French manufacturer shockingly announced the immediate stoppage of its endurance program, which means there won't be a Peugeot 908 at the 24 Hours of Le Mans nor in the inaugural World Endurance Championship.
This is devastating news for more than a hundred mechanics, technicians, engineers and other highly skilled individuals. Of course, most of them will find work somewhere else within the PSA Group (Peugeot-Citroën), but what?
These guys are over-qualified. It's like asking an elite marine corps to use pea shooters. Or a brain surgeon to treat a cold.
The technical staff working on and around race cars is extremely talented and knowledgeable. These people are used to solving complex problems in just a few days, they can handle a ton of pressure, and they achieve some pretty amazing feats like replacing a gearbox at Le Mans in under 9 minutes!
When a prestigious team such as Newman/Haas Racing shuts down in the US, a similar tragedy strikes. The difference is that PSA can relocate its employees and Newman/Haas can't.
What does tomorrow have in store? These people must all find a new gig, one that will likely prove less exciting and result in a substantial pay cut.
We often hear that auto racing creates an addiction. The thrills are so intense that everything else pales in comparison. After working for years on some of the most beautiful and advanced automobiles in the world, what do you do when the daily grind holds no more real challenges, no more stimulating experiences?
That's the sort of human tragedy that comes from a manufacturer or a race team shutting its operations.