Peugeot leaves Fuji very disappointed
Contrary to the 6 Hours of Monza, which resulted in a podium finish, the 6 Hours of Fuji were a real ordeal for Peugeot. The Lion brand could only outperform Cadillac, Proton, and Vanwall due to the issues they encountered.
The Peugeot 9X8 had everything to pique the curiosity of endurance enthusiasts. The concept of the new Sochaux Hypercar, without a rear wing and fully utilizing ground effect, had to also deal with tire degradation drastically different from that of its opponents.
In this case, the rear tires being the same size as the front tires, tire wear management proved to be a nightmare. There was no way to compete against Toyota, Porsche, and even Ferrari, which was not particularly performing well.
Car number 94 finished ahead of the sister car. And according to Stoffel Vandoorne, who was making his debut in the French prototype, the Peugeot is sorely lacking in performance.
« I think we did a pretty good job overall. Unfortunately, we lacked a bit of performance to fight at the front and repeat the podium of Monza. We gave it our all, we didn’t make any mistakes. I was comfortable in the car, which is positive. I did a good double stint, which was very important for me, so I am satisfied with my preparation for this race. »
No better on the N°93
On the other side of the garage, the miners were not any happier. From the beginning of the race, while Toyota, Porsche, and Ferrari were pulling away, the Lionesses had to battle with the two Stuttgart privates, Jota (No. 38) and Proton (No. 99). The resistance was heroic, but it was only due to the problems of others that they were not overtaken.
Jean-Eric Vergne, driver of the #93, couldn’t find a ounce of rhythm throughout the weekend on his machine. And the Bahrain 8 Hours, which will conclude the 2023 championship, should allow him to finish in style.
« It was a quite frustrating race as we didn’t achieve the expected performance, especially with our car, the #93. We need to understand why we lacked so much pace during the race, as well as during the practice sessions earlier in the week. We still have a lot of work to do in order to improve our performance for the last race of the season. »
The 9X8 is a car capable of holding its own in long races, such as the 24 Hours. But the change in concept, which has been whispered about in the paddock for several months, could be welcome, with competition set to increase in 2024.
