Mueller to Race for Peugeot in Hypercar Next Season

Nico Mueller has signed with Peugeot and will race the manufacturer’s LMH car in the FIA World Endurance Championship next season.

The Swiss driver, whose upcoming exit from Audi was recently announced, will take on testing and development duties this year before transitioning into a full-time race seat in the hybrid-powered Peugeot 9X8.

Two-time DTM runner-up Mueller currently drives an Audi R8 LMS GT3 Evo II in the GT3-based series for Team Rosberg.

This year he also added prototype experience to his resume, competing in the WEC’s LMP2 class with Vector Sport and the Rolex 24 at Daytona with High Class Racing.

It has not been announced which of the two Peugeot 9X8s Mueller will race next year.

“I am thrilled to be part of this adventure and at the prospect of competing in the FIA WEC with Team Peugeot TotalEnergies in 2023, Mueller said.

“As a whole new chapter of its history is opening, to have joined a manufacturer with such an illustrious record at Le Mans and in endurance racing is a tremendous opportunity for me, especially given the sport’s new regulations and the close competition we can expect.

“Professionally, it’s an extremely exciting challenge and a dream for any driver. I started to take an interest in endurance racing and Le Mans in 2007, and I must say how impressed I am by Peugeot’s ability to produce very strong cars.”

Mueller’s signing restores Peugeot’s Hypercar lineup to a seven-driver roster after Kevin Magnussen suddenly left the program in March to pursue a Formula 1 return.

Magnussen’s exit saw test and development driver James Rossiter promoted to a race seat for Peugeot’s first two WEC appearances at Monza and Fuji, while the British driver is also on the entry list for the season-ending 8 Hours of Bahrain in November.

Peugeot has indicated that Mueller will turn his first laps in the 9X8 “shortly”. The manufacturer’s testing program, which is unlimited during its first calendar year of competition, will resume with its test car soon after last weekend’s WEC round at Fuji.

“Nico is a talented driver with an impressive record in several series, including the FIA WEC,” commented Peugeot’s WEC technical director Olivier Jansonnie.

“He has driven an LMP2 prototype this year and demonstrated the sort of speed and constancy that Team Peugeot TotalEnergies looks for from its drivers.

“He has a good team approach and is fully committed to trying to win Le Mans and the world championship.

“James Rossiter is our test and reserve driver, as we announced in 2021. His experience and performance make him a key part of the 9X8’s development process, both on the racetrack and in the simulator.”

Peugeot’s recruitment of Mueller for its Hypercar program continues a trend of signing drivers with recent LMP2 experience.

Jean-Eric Vergne, Paul di Resta, Mikkel Jensen, Loic Duval and Gustavo Menezes are the other members of the lineup.