Peugeot have denied having teamed up with Ferrari to accelerate the development of the Italian Formula 1 team's KERS system for the 2009 season.
Rumours circulate on the web and citing unnamed 'F1 sources', say part of the marques' new relationship will involve Peugeot running Ferrari's F1 KERS system on a test version of its Le Mans-style 908 prototype.
It is suggested that the Ferrari-Peugeot tie-in could be one way for the Italian team to handle its lagging KERS track programme in the face of the looming in-season test ban, to take effect from the Australian grand prix in March.
Auto123.com contacted Cecile Estenave of Peugeot Sport who immediately denied the story.
"Not at all. The 908 HY, our endurance hybrid car, only took the track once, it was at the 1000km of Silverstone last September. Since then, it has not covered one kilometre," the spokesperson said.
"We will not resume development of our KERS system until the ACO (organisers of the 24 Hours of Le Mans) unviels their regulations for such cars. Ferrari relies on Magneti Marelli to components for their KERS, and we also rely on Magneti Marelli for certain components of our system."
"Work done by Magneti Marelli in F1 will be used in endurance racing. But it is false to pretend that we run or we will develop Ferrari's KERS device in our sportscar," she explained.
photo:Peugeot
Rumours circulate on the web and citing unnamed 'F1 sources', say part of the marques' new relationship will involve Peugeot running Ferrari's F1 KERS system on a test version of its Le Mans-style 908 prototype.
It is suggested that the Ferrari-Peugeot tie-in could be one way for the Italian team to handle its lagging KERS track programme in the face of the looming in-season test ban, to take effect from the Australian grand prix in March.
Auto123.com contacted Cecile Estenave of Peugeot Sport who immediately denied the story.
"Not at all. The 908 HY, our endurance hybrid car, only took the track once, it was at the 1000km of Silverstone last September. Since then, it has not covered one kilometre," the spokesperson said.
"We will not resume development of our KERS system until the ACO (organisers of the 24 Hours of Le Mans) unviels their regulations for such cars. Ferrari relies on Magneti Marelli to components for their KERS, and we also rely on Magneti Marelli for certain components of our system."
"Work done by Magneti Marelli in F1 will be used in endurance racing. But it is false to pretend that we run or we will develop Ferrari's KERS device in our sportscar," she explained.
photo:Peugeot