24 Hours of Le Mans: Peugeot could have hoped for better
The two 9x8, No. 93 and No. 94, ranked 10th and 11th in the qualifying sessions, missed out on the Hyperpole, which is reserved for the top eight in each category. The Stellantis Motorsport boss and two drivers testified before the start of free practice 2.
Peugeot seems to be doing better, but not well enough yet to challenge other manufacturers (especially Ferrari). After the qualifying tests, the two cars from the Sochaux Lion managed to secure only the 10th and 11th positions. It was somewhat disappointing, considering that numerous interruptions had made the situation uncertain.
« It is of course a pleasure to race here at Le Mans, with Peugeot. But in order to aim for the Hyperpole, we should have found one more second. I could have found it when my tires were fresh. But the red flags prevented us from doing so,” said Mikkel Jensen, driver of No. 93. « We still learned a lot here, as the circuit is very unique. We will have more driving time to properly prepare for the race.
Loïc Duval: « cars further away from the times managed to win »
The observation was the same on the sister car, No. 94. Loïc Duval took the wheel and had a very challenging session. Like his Danish counterpart Jensen, the French driver believes that there was still rhythm to be exploited.
« I was very frustrated because we were capable of doing better. I completed my first lap without any assistance whatsoever. And I could never improve it thereafter, as it was impossible to do another clean lap with all the interruptions and yellow flags. But still, the performance is not too bad and we are not light years away: cars further down the timesheets have managed to win before. We knew anyway that we wouldn’t be fighting for pole position. »
This Peugeot 9X8 always offers great moments of discovery for its drivers and the gaps have gradually decreased (taking everything into account).
Of lucidity
Before the drivers, it is the CEO of Stellantis Motorsport himself who addressed the media. Jean-Marc Finot was of course happy to see the Peugeot project arrive at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, especially for its centenary.
Of course, after disappointing qualifications, there is still a lot of work to do. « The pace is one thing, but in addition to that, we will have to manage various hazards, whether climatic or mechanical. We still lack rear traction coming out of corners. This could penalize us. And a little more top speed would be welcome. »
But there is good news to announce: « no need to change the aerodynamics and we have a very stable pace. Tire wear is controlled and consistent. This is a good omen for the race. »
