Without the advanced 9X8, Peugeot “expects a difficult race” in Qatar

We will still have to wait a little longer to see the famous Peugeot 9X8 equipped with a rear spoiler. A few weeks ago, the French team confirmed that the “2.0” version of its Hypercar will not debut for WEC kick-off, over the 1812km of Qatar (February 29 – March 2). The latter should be introduced for the second round of the season, at Imola. The Lion firm will therefore have to make do with the first generation of the 9X8, used since July 2022 and which has never really proven itself on the track (one podium in ten starts).

A few days before the Prologue of WEC (February 24-25), Peugeot Sport is preparing for a major challenge on the Losail circuit, a newcomer to the 2024 calendar, renowned for being very demanding on tires and difficult for mechanics. “We expect a difficult race, confirms Olivier Jansonnie, Technical Director of Peugeot Sport. Reliability will be decisive, but the advantage is that with the Peugeot 9X8 2023, we know we can count on a proven car which showed its solidity in Fuji and Bahrain at the end of last year. »

“It will therefore be necessary to provide a clear performance, without errors whether on the side of the drivers, reliability or strategy to take advantage of the circumstances, adds the French engineer. To do this, we will have new tools at our disposal to try to further optimize what we do on the track. In any case, we are determined to make the best copy possible. »

Peugeot is counting on the BoP to get closer to the best

A transition race, therefore, for Peugeot Sport in Qatar: the French manufacturer will try to rely on its achievements to compete with other Hypercars, and to get back into working order with two modified crews in 2024. Stoffel Vandoorne will experience his debut as a regular driver in the 9X8 n°94 with Loïc duval and Paul di Resta, while Nico Müller moves to the wheel of the #93 with Mikkel Jensen and Jean-Éric Vergne.

Besides the Losail route, the other unknown concerns the BOP for the 1812km of Qatar. “There will be a new balancing of the balance of performance before this first meeting, explains Jean-Marc Finot, vice-president of Stellantis Motorsport. The Peugeot 9×8 that we will field in Qatar will be identical in all respects to the one that ran in the last races of 2023. The BoP will therefore have to reposition it as close as possible to the performance of the best competitors. So, the idea is to try to fight for good places. »

ALSO READ > General rehearsal for theAlpine A424 before the baptism of fire in Qatar