As reported by Sportscar365, Théo Pourchaire has confirmed that he will leave Team Peugeot TotalEnergies’ FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) Hypercar programme following the 2026 season finale at Monza, as he prepares to focus on his new Formula E commitments with Opel.
The 2023 FIA Formula 2 champion will join the Opel GSE Formula E Team for the 2026/27 season, partnering experienced New Zealander Mitch Evans as the German manufacturer enters the championship at the beginning of the GEN4 era.
Although Pourchaire will not continue with Peugeot in 2027, the Frenchman remains open to returning to endurance racing in the future. He also expressed his desire to compete at the 24 Hours of Le Mans again, potentially combining Formula E and WEC commitments later in his career.
His departure forms part of a wider restructuring of Peugeot’s Hypercar line-up, with Stoffel Vandoorne and Malthe Jakobsen also leaving the manufacturer ahead of the 2027 season.
Pourchaire hopes to return to WEC and Le Mans in the future
Pourchaire will prioritise Formula E in 2027, but he has not ruled out returning to the WEC after completing his first full season with Peugeot. The Frenchman remains particularly interested in contesting the 24 Hours of Le Mans, where he hopes to represent a French manufacturer again.
Despite stepping away from endurance racing for the immediate future, Pourchaire made clear that he still wants to compete in the championship.
“I would like to continue in the World Endurance Championship one day, we’ll see if it happens,” he said.
The 23-year-old also expressed his appreciation for the opportunity to represent Peugeot in international endurance racing, particularly at Le Mans. He hopes his departure will not mark the end of his relationship with the French manufacturer.
“I would be super happy to continue with Peugeot as well one day because racing with the French manufacturer in the 24 Hours of Le Mans, for me that’s something that I cannot really miss (out on).”
Pourchaire believes he could eventually combine commitments in both championships, although he will concentrate on establishing himself in Formula E next season.
“It would be cool to race again in Le Mans at least because that’s the highlight of the year, but I could combine both (FE and WEC) I think.”
Pourchaire prepares for another career transition with Opel
Pourchaire has experienced several changes in racing disciplines since winning the Formula 2 championship with ART Grand Prix in 2023. Despite his success in the junior single-seater categories, he could not secure a Formula 1 race seat and subsequently explored opportunities elsewhere.
The Frenchman initially moved into IndyCar with Arrow McLaren during 2024, but his programme ended prematurely. His time in the American championship also included controversy following an incident involving Agustín Canapino, after which Pourchaire received abusive messages online.
He subsequently turned towards endurance racing, joining Algarve Pro Racing in the European Le Mans Series’ LMP2 category before progressing into Peugeot’s Hypercar programme.
Pourchaire made his WEC debut with Peugeot at the 2025 Bahrain finale before taking up a full-time race seat for 2026. He joined Loïc Duval and Jakobsen in the #94 Peugeot 9X8, gaining experience against established manufacturers and endurance racing competitors.
His upcoming Formula E move represents another significant transition. However, Pourchaire has already completed several outings in electric machinery, including the Miami Rookie Free Practice session and Madrid Rookie Test, as he prepares for Opel’s debut campaign.
Pourchaire reflects positively on challenging Peugeot campaign
Although Pourchaire has gained valuable experience throughout 2026, Peugeot has struggled to consistently challenge the leading Hypercar manufacturers.
The #94 crew has endured a difficult campaign, with Pourchaire, Duval and Jakobsen securing a best result of sixth at Fuji. The trio delivered that performance during a challenging Japanese race, providing encouragement after several disappointing results earlier in the season.
The Peugeot crew’s sixth-place finish at Fuji represented the manufacturer’s strongest result of the campaign ahead of Monza, although it remained some distance from the leading competitors.
Despite those difficulties, Pourchaire believes his first full season as an official manufacturer driver has contributed significantly to his development. He highlighted the experience of working with Peugeot’s engineers and his teammates as particularly valuable.
“I think I learned a lot because it was my first proper year in a professional racing driver role with a manufacturer as an official driver so I learned a lot working with the engineers, working with my teammates and I think it was positive even if the results were difficult,” he explained.
Pourchaire believes WEC experience demonstrated his potential
Pourchaire also believes his performances throughout the 2026 campaign demonstrated his ability to compete at the highest level of endurance racing.
Although Peugeot has struggled to deliver consistently competitive results, the Frenchman remains satisfied with his individual progress and the contribution he made to the team’s programme.
“I think it was positive for myself because I proved that I was able to be really quick within the team, pushed the limits and showed I belong to those places with manufacturers in those categories.”
His experiences in Hypercar have also provided a different challenge from those he encountered in single-seater racing. The Peugeot 9X8 requires drivers to manage complex systems, work closely with teammates and adapt their approach to longer races and changing conditions.
Pourchaire believes his ability to adjust to different machinery has become an important strength throughout his career, particularly given the number of championships he has competed in since leaving Formula 2.
“It’s also a quality that I have to be able to adapt myself very well to each car every time.”
The Frenchman also credited his previous experience and continued simulator work in Formula 1 with helping him adjust to unfamiliar machinery.
“It’s something that can be difficult for some racing drivers but, because I change often and I do a lot of simulator work in Formula 1, I am able to adapt quickly.”
Peugeot prepares for significant 2027 driver reshuffle
Pourchaire’s departure means three members of Peugeot’s six-driver line-up at the beginning of 2026 will not return to the manufacturer’s WEC programme next season.
Vandoorne became the first to leave, concluding his Peugeot association following the 6 Hours of Fuji. The Belgian has been linked with a return to Formula E with Jaguar, although the team has yet to formally confirm his race seat.
Peugeot subsequently promoted Alex Quinn to replace Vandoorne for the final two WEC rounds at Barcelona and Monza, providing the British driver with early Hypercar experience ahead of his full-time 2027 campaign.
More recently, Peugeot confirmed Jakobsen’s departure following the Monza finale, ending his four-year association with the manufacturer. The Danish driver has attracted links to McLaren’s upcoming Hypercar programme, although the British manufacturer has not announced his signing.
Peugeot has already begun establishing its replacement line-up, confirming Robert Shwartzman for 2027 and promoting Quinn to a full-time race seat following his development work with the manufacturer.
Jean-Éric Vergne also intends to return to Peugeot’s WEC programme in 2027 after stepping away from his race seat this season to concentrate on Stellantis’ Formula E development.
Pourchaire turns attention towards Formula E debut
Pourchaire will conclude his Peugeot WEC campaign at the 6 Hours of Monza on Sunday, 8 November, before turning his attention towards his first full season in Formula E.
His move to Opel will coincide with the introduction of the GEN4 regulations, which will bring substantial changes to the championship’s technical specifications. The German manufacturer’s arrival also provides Pourchaire with an opportunity to help establish a new team alongside Evans, one of Formula E’s most experienced competitors.
The Frenchman will bring experience from Formula 2, IndyCar and endurance racing into the championship, while his previous outings in electric machinery should provide a useful foundation for the transition.
Meanwhile, Peugeot will continue preparing for 2027 with a revised driver line-up and an extensively developed version of its 9X8 Hypercar. The manufacturer hopes the changes will help address the performance limitations that have affected its 2026 campaign.
For Pourchaire, however, the immediate priority lies with Opel and the challenge of adapting to Formula E. Although he will leave Peugeot’s WEC programme after Monza, his continued ambition to compete at Le Mans leaves open the possibility of another endurance racing chapter in the future.
