After more than 30 years of working together, Peugeot Sport and Sparco, an Italian racing apparel manufacturer, have decided to renew their cooperation. It's all thanks to Peugeot's recent efforts in the World Endurance Championship, which features the famous 24 Hours of Le Mans.
The new Peugeot 9X8 prototype debuted in the World Endurance Championship (WEC) at Monza, Italy, and finished the first race—with Loc Duval, Gustavo Menezes, and James Rossiter in the driver's seat.
The drivers and the crew are outfitted in protective overalls, gloves, and shoes by Sparco, the official apparel partner for the racing team. All of the automobiles had Sparco safety belts installed. They keep you safe and make your life easier with cutting-edge technology that matches the forward-looking style of Peugeot Sport.
The design of the new protective garment took into account both functionality and attractiveness. These are made to match the vibrant hues and unique style of the Peugeot 9X8 and its characteristic protective equipment, the "claws."
Technically advanced protective apparel is made from multiple layers of flame-resistant materials, such as the honeycomb-structured Hocotex fabric. This provides good fire protection and guarantees high levels of breathability and lightweight. Riders are provided with the convenience of maximum comfort thanks to the strategically placed panels of super-stretch fabric. Patented HTX technology is used in the driver's gloves to improve grip, flexibility, and breathability while decreasing vibrations in the car.
Sparco has outfitted not only the six drivers but also the Peugeot technicians and pit crew, who are responsible for the rapid and safe refueling and maintenance of the cars during long-distance races, with protective suits (overalls) and gloves. Maximum protection, mobility, and breathability—are the designers' goals behind this racing wear.
Wearing a seat belt is a must for any driver. To outfit their Peugeot race cars, Sparco provides them with custom Prime H-9 EVO harnesses equipped with an aluminum clasp and adjusters to make them lighter. Because there isn't much room in the car, the team's seat belts have special attachments for side anchoring.
The Peugeot Sport rally team, which eventually won the World Championship, has worked with the Italian business Sparco since the late 1990s. Since then, Sparco has worked with Peugeot in many races, including Rallycross with the Peugeot 208 WRX, Pikes Peak with the Peugeot 208 Pikes Peak, and Le Mans with the Peugeot 908, and Dakar with the Peugeot 3008 DKR.
"When I started my career at Peugeot, Sparco was our outfitter in rallying, both for the protective jackets and for the vehicle seat belts," recalls Christian Deltombe, Peugeot Sport Team Principal. Despite having other options, we have stuck with Sparco for all these years because we know it to be the best. This helps keep our drivers safe while still getting the most out of them. Sparco outfits the drivers and their entire team. They supply us with the ideal racing attire for our shared goal to be realized. Our shared enthusiasm for this innovative endeavor is centered on this common objective. We also liked working closely with experts from Sparco to make the seat belts for the new Peugeot 9X8.
Head of Sparco Brand Niccol Bellazzini said, "We are thrilled to continue our official technical relationship with Peugeot Sport in this next exciting chapter with the Peugeot 9X8." We also built suits and specialized equipment for this vehicle, and they, too, are cutting-edge in their respective fields of design. We're thrilled they made their debut in Italy at Monza, and we're looking forward to the rest of the race.
With a focus on innovation, Sparco has become one of the most prominent manufacturers of racing apparel worldwide. The Turin-based company has been making cutting-edge products for several industries, including motorsport, leisure, clothes, and gaming, since its founding in 1977.
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