Vergne not worried by the absence of a rear wing on the Peugeot 9X8

When revealing the first visuals of the Peugeot 9X8, the absence of a rear wing was intriguing. This stylistic and aerodynamic choice made by the French manufacturer was surprising in Endurance. But to know if this bet is the right one, you still have to pass the track test. In Italy at the 6 Hours of Monza, Jean-Éric Vergne is one of the 6 drivers at the wheel of the new creation of the French manufacturer. So obviously, he was asked about the look of his new Hypercar.

« The good thing is that a lot of people are talking about it, admits the Habs. I like the look of the car. I think a lot of people like it here too. In terms of pure aerodynamics, it's exactly the same as having a rear wing. With the BoP, there is a certain amount of downforce we can have and the engineers have provided the same amount of downforce on the floor without having a rear wing. »

ALSO READ > The BoP for the 6 Hours of Monza known

If he is going to make his return to Endurance this year, Jean-Éric Vergne had no trouble finding his bearings despite the absence of this famous rear wing. “ In terms of feeling, in the car, when I first drove it, it's exactly as if there was a rear wing, with the same level of downforce, the handling is the same, although I don't know how other Hypercars behave », Explains the French pilot.

No difference on the Peugeot 9X8 on the track for Vergne

At Monza, Jean-Éric Vergne does not think that the Peugeot 9X8 will have grip problems. “ Handling is very good when cornering at high speeds. I've never had a moment where I suddenly lost grip in a corner. So this aspect is very safe from a pilot's point of view. So it's not just a technical choice that Peugeot made. »

In Italy, Peugeot has decided to field two crews. On the one hand, we find Loïc duval, Gustavo Menezes and James Rossiter. On the other hand, Jean-Éric Vergne will be able to count on Paul di Resta and Mikkel Jensen. Two drivers he has already worked alongside during his career. “ Paul has a lot of experience, we have known each other since we ran together in Formula 1. He is the oldest on the team, so he will bring his wisdom. Mikkel is the youngest, he doesn't have the experience we have, but he learns quickly. He's there to listen to everyone on the team and he does a good job on the track. With G Drive Racing in LMP2 I was really surprised by the way he listened and his behavior, it was very good for a young driver », Underlines the Habs.

With this choice, Peugeot therefore sought to create a mix between experience and youth. A decision which seems to delight the French pilot. “ My teammates and I balance each other out and are very happy to ride together », explains Jean-Éric Vergne. If all the signals are green for the moment, it remains to be seen whether they will still be so after the first test session for the Peugeot 9X8 which begins at 15:30 p.m. in Monza.

T. Trichereau (with V. Glo)

ALSO READ > The moment of truth approaches for the Peugeot 9X8