Stoffel Vandoorne (Peugeot): “The car behaves more like a racing car”

Stoffel, what are the sensations behind the wheel of this new 9X8? How is it different from the previous one?

It's always difficult to know where you are during testing, but the overall feeling is better than with the old car. There are quite a few changes to the aero and tires. We are still in the phase of exploring the settings, so there are relays where things go better, others where things go less well. Testing is very important to prepare for the future, but the best way to learn is to race. The car behaves more like a racing car. The old one was good on certain occasions, like in Qatar. I hope that the best sensations will translate into the race, with the management of the tires and the traffic. For the moment, we have only driven alone on the track, we have to see with the other competitors.

Do you find the car easier to drive, more consistent?

Not necessarily easier, but the evolution impacts the performance of the car and the degradation of the tires. This brings positive sides, but also negative ones, we must find the right optimization.

Do you expect a performance gain from the first races?

I hope it will be in the game from Imola. This will undoubtedly also depend on the BoP which we do not yet know.

You drove here last year with the old configuration; what comparisons can you make, particularly in terms of lap times?

Difficult to say, the circuit varies from one day to the next. The positive thing is that the straight line speed seems much better, which is something important for Le Mans. We are trying various configurations, because the 24 Hours is not the only race on the calendar, although a good race in Sarthe means it is a successful year.

What is the atmosphere like in the team with this development which has required a significant workload?

The team did a crazy job of running the old car competitively while preparing the new one. Everyone did double relays! We showed that we were not too bad in Qatar despite the final result (running out of fuel on the last lap. Editor’s note). We have extracted the maximum potential from the old one. We are now 100% focused on the news.

On another subject, you will miss your home race, the 6 Hours of Spa, because of a conflict of dates with the Formula E in Berlin. We can imagine your disappointment…

It’s been a few years since I last raced at home. It's a shame that two FIA World Championships didn't find a solution. They've done such a good job in the past of avoiding clashes that I don't understand this year's one. I'm not the only one with this problem, as there are several of us who ride in both series. It's very unfortunate.

Comments collected by Valentin Glo

ALSO READ > Peugeot presents its new 9X8 with spoiler