Financial crisis closes Peugeot-team
The team of the newly crowned Danish Touringcar Cup Champion, Team Peugeot Køge Sport, has announced their decision to close their doors. 2008 was the most successful year for the team, the DTC Cup was won by Robert Schlünssen and the Peugeot Spider Cup was also won by Ronny Wechselberger and Mike Mathiesen. But the financial crisis has put an end to future development of the team, with the closure as an immediate consequence.
The motorsport division of the Peugeot dealership in Køge, is the second team to leave the upcoming 2009 Danish Touringcar Championship, both Team Peugeot Køge Sport and ARTS were racing the Peugeot 407. The third Peugeot 407 team, Team Go Racing, has also put their cars up for sale, leaving Michael Carlsen to fight for the Peugeot honours.
Today Team Peugeot Køge Sport launched a press statement, quoting: “Due to an expected challenging year in the automotive industry, and not least due to the current financial crisis, team principal Leif Grambo has decided to reduce his direct input in racing and put the teams cars up for sale.”
“After winning the DTC Cup, a continuation in the DTC series with the team’s ambitions of reaching winning results would demand investments in both equipment and employees.”
“The view to get these investments covered by sponsors and through activities in the automotive industry, does not seem realistic under the current economic conditions. So it is a natural consequence to close down the team, and wait for better times in both the economy and the automotive industry.”
DTC Cup Champion Robert Schlünssen finished seventh in the overall Danish Touringcar Championship, and won the DTC privateer cup. He has yet to announce his plans for the 2009 season.
Apart from the DTC Cup, Robert participated in the Spa 24 hour-race of the FIA GT series, driving a Phoenix Carsport Racing Chevrolet Corvette C6R GT1. Team principal Leif Grambro will continue his involvement in the Danish Peugeot Spider Cup.
