News Summary

Peugeot has scheduled a private test for Doriane Pin at Circuit Paul Ricard on December 2, giving the French driver her first opportunity to drive the 9X8 Hypercar as the manufacturer assesses her potential within its World Endurance Championship program.

Pin joined Peugeot as a development driver earlier this year and had initially been expected to drive the 9X8 during the WEC Rookie Test in Bahrain. That opportunity disappeared after the Bahrain round was removed from the 2026 calendar and replaced by the 6 Hours of Monza, meaning the traditional rookie running will not take place as planned.

Instead, Peugeot has arranged a dedicated session at Paul Ricard. Pin will drive the 2026-specification 9X8, rather than the revised car currently being developed by the manufacturer for the 2027 WEC season.

The test comes at an important moment for Peugeot, which is already working on a major evolution of the 9X8 ahead of next season. The manufacturer began testing an updated version of its Hypercar during the summer as it looks to improve performance, efficiency and competitiveness for 2027.

Peugeot wants to assess Pin under real conditions

For Pin, the Paul Ricard outing represents more than an opportunity to experience a new type of racing car. Peugeot intends to use the session to obtain a clear picture of how the 2025 F1 Academy champion performs in a Hypercar environment.

Emmanuel Esnault, Peugeot’s WEC team principal, said the manufacturer wants the test to reproduce relevant racing conditions, particularly regarding ballast and minimum weight.

“We will run with Doriane in a real test on December 2 at Paul Ricard. We want to do it in real conditions in terms of ballast and weight according to the regulations, in order to properly assess her performance. The idea is to do a full evaluation, as we would with a driver who expects to race with us,” Esnault said.

That approach means Peugeot will not simply be giving Pin a familiarization run. The manufacturer wants to establish how she adapts to the characteristics of the 9X8 and how her performance compares with the requirements of a potential future Peugeot driver.

Pin already has endurance experience, having returned to LMP2 competition in 2026 with Duqueine after her move into single-seaters. She also has experience within Peugeot’s development structure, but the Hypercar test represents a substantially different challenge.

2027 seat not currently expected

Despite the significance of the test, Pin is not currently expected to move into a full-time Peugeot race seat for the 2027 WEC season.

The immediate target is instead a testing and development role, with a possible opportunity to become a race driver further down the line. That would follow a path similar to other young drivers who have used Peugeot’s testing program as a route toward a more prominent role.

Malthe Jakobsen and Alex Quinn are examples of drivers who impressed during tests with the 9X8. Jakobsen has since become one of Peugeot’s full-time Hypercar drivers, while Quinn was retained within the manufacturer’s testing and development structure. Peugeot’s 2026 lineup currently features Nick Cassidy, Paul di Resta, Stoffel Vandoorne, Loïc Duval, Malthe Jakobsen and Théo Pourchaire.

The manufacturer’s driver market is also expected to be active ahead of 2027. GRANDE PRÊMIO has previously reported that Peugeot could make changes to its driver lineup, with Jakobsen among the names linked with a potential move away and Jean-Éric Vergne expected to return to the race lineup after focusing on Formula E and development duties.

For Pin, however, the Paul Ricard test should be viewed primarily as an opportunity to establish herself as a credible long-term member of the program rather than as an immediate audition for a 2027 race seat.

Pin set to become third woman to drive a WEC Hypercar

The test will also give Pin a place in WEC history.

If she takes the wheel of the 9X8 as planned, the Frenchwoman will become the third woman to drive a Hypercar in the WEC, joining Jamie Chadwick and Lilou Wadoux.

Chadwick has driven the Genesis Hypercar on two occasions, while Wadoux tested Ferrari’s 499P twice at the Bahrain Rookie Test. Pin’s Paul Ricard session will therefore add another milestone to a career that has already included the 2025 F1 Academy title.

Doriane Pin will drive the Peugeot 9X8 at Paul Ricard in France (Photo: Charly López/DPPI)

AgPeugeot’s 9X8 is itself entering an important transition period. The French manufacturer is developing a revised version of the Hypercar for 2027 after several seasons in which the project struggled to consistently fight at the front of the WEC field. The latest development program is intended to address performance and efficiency while preparing the car for the next stage of the project.

Pin’s first experience of the current car will therefore provide Peugeot with useful feedback at a time when the manufacturer is simultaneously evaluating both its technical package and its future driver structure.

The WEC is currently in Austin for the Lone Star Le Mans at Circuit of the Americas, with qualifying taking place on Saturday before Sunday’s race. GRANDE PRÊMIO is following the entire event.

FAQ

1. When will Doriane Pin drive the Peugeot 9X8 for the first time?
Pin is scheduled to drive the 9X8 on December 2, 2026, during a private test at Circuit Paul Ricard in France.

2. Will Doriane Pin race for Peugeot in the 2027 WEC season?
The test is not currently expected to lead directly to a full-time 2027 race seat. Peugeot is instead evaluating Pin for a development and testing role, with the possibility of a race opportunity in the future.

3. Which version of the Peugeot 9X8 will Doriane Pin drive?
Pin will test the 2026-specification 9X8, rather than the revised Hypercar Peugeot is developing for the 2027 WEC season.