What happened
Stoffel Vandoorne will stay with Peugeot for the 2026 WEC season after all. A proposed move to Genesis Magma Racing fell through at the last minute. The break had mainly to do with disagreements over commitments in Formula E.
Why the Genesis deal broke down
Vandoorne had indicated he did not want to end his career in Formula E. He does not have a permanent seat for the upcoming FE season, but was recently announced as a reserve driver at Jaguar. That caused friction with Genesis.
Team principal Cyril Abiteboul did not want drivers who combine work between WEC and Formula E, citing concerns about possible calendar conflicts in 2027 and the extra testing burden caused by the arrival of the Gen4 cars. As a result, the deal fell through after all.
Why Peugeot was suddenly looking for an extra driver
Peugeot initially stood with an almost complete line-up for 2026. Nick Cassidy and Théo Pourchaire were confirmed as replacements for Mikkel Jensen and the departing Vandoorne. Paul di Resta, Loïc Duval, Malthe Jakobsen and Jean-Éric Vergne also seemed to be fixed.
After the race in Fuji, Vergne reported that he wants to drive WEC less full-time next year. He wants to make room for his work in Formula E and for development around Peugeot's 2027 project. Stellantis gave him that space. This unexpectedly created a spot in the line-up.
New young drivers at Peugeot, but not immediately before 2026
At the rookie test on 9 November, the Peugeot 9X8 will be assigned two new drivers in addition to the previously announced Nick Cassidy. They are Mathias Beche and Briton Alex Quinn. Beche has Le Mans experience and Quinn stood out in LMP2 since 2023. However, they are not expected to drive the 9X8 immediately during the full 2026 season.
Why Vandoorne is a good fit
There is no quarrel between Vandoorne and Peugeot. Both sides suddenly needed each other. Peugeot was missing a driver. Vandoorne was without a regular spot after the failed Genesis switch.
So they decided to work together again. Vandoorne will drive for Peugeot in the 9X8 in 2026. This will be his third consecutive season with the team.
Impact on the remaining races
The late change does not change the starting line-up for the upcoming Bahrain 8 Hours. In the #94 9X8, Pourchaire still takes Vandoorne's place. The #93 will be driven by Mikkel Jensen, Paul di Resta and Jean-Éric Vergne.
Summary of the situation
- Vandoorne stays at Peugeot in 2026 after deal with Genesis goes awry.
- Genesis did not want drivers combining WEC and Formula E.
- Vergne reduced his effort, leaving Peugeot in need of an extra driver.
- New young drivers get tests, but do not immediately seem part of the full 2026 line-up.
EN 
NL 
DE