Alfa Romeo to replace Peugeot in WEC from 2025, the new rear spoiler in question

Update: this article was obviously an April Fool's joke! Some of the information below has been made up.

Here's the news you've all been waiting for, Alfa Romeo is set to make its return to top-level competition, replacing Peugeot in the World Endurance Championship (WEC) from 2025. This change of direction, as unexpected as it is daring, has its origins in the saga of a rear spoiler that upset the plans of Peugeot and, by extension, the entire Stellantis group.

Peugeot, with its revolutionary 9X8 launched in 2023, had defied convention by opting for a design without rear wing, a first in recent WEC history. Although applauded for its innovation, this technological daring failed to bear fruit on the track, prompting the team to review its copy and introduce a new rear spoiler in 2024. The engineer behind this transformation is none other than the mastermind behind the to the success of the Alfa Romeo Giulia GTAmreminding everyone that in the arena of speed, experience and pragmatism often win out over novelty.

"When the opportunity to work on the prototype for the WEC presented itself, I knew immediately that we had a unique chance to interpret innovation Italian-style," begins Giulio, Alfa Romeo engineer. He enthusiastically recounts the creative process, marked by close collaboration between designers and engineers. "The spoiler isn't just an aesthetic addition, it's the result of countless hours of research and development, aimed at optimizing aerodynamics and on-track performance. We analyzed data, rethought materials and experimented with shapes before arriving at our final design."

He adds with a mischievous smile. "It was also a way of reminding our French friends at Peugeot that, sometimes, to move forward, you have to know how to keep a bit of tradition. The French can have their own sophisticated and innovative haute cuisine, just as Italian cuisine finds its essence in the simplicity and excellence of its ingredients.

This new fin, which has surpassed all expectations in terms of performanceserved to reveal the internal tensions within Peugeot and, more broadly, within Stellantis. Management, which had staked much on innovation and differentiation, was forced to admit that solutions tried and tested by competitors still had their say. It was against this backdrop thathe decision has been taken to hand over the reins of Stellantis' WEC involvement to Alfa Romeo, a brand with a rich sporting heritage, but absent from endurance circuits for decades.

Alfa Romeo to take over from Peugeothas already begun work on the development of its WEC prototype. Although technical details are still under wraps, early rumors suggest that the team will build on the lessons learned from Peugeot's spoiler saga, while injecting the Italian flair for design and performance that characterizes the brand.