SHERIDAN, WYOMING – June 15, 2025 – Peugeot Sport may not have reached the podium at the recent TotalEnergies 6 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps, but the race delivered clear signals that the team is on the right track as it heads toward the legendary 24 Hours of Le Mans.
Although the PEUGEOT 9X8 #93 finished 11th and the #94 had to retire, both cars demonstrated strong qualifying pace and battled fiercely within the top five before misfortunes struck. Despite the outcome, the race highlighted the 9X8’s evolving competitiveness in the Hypercar category.
Pushing Performance Limits on the Track
Both PEUGEOT 9X8 cars qualified in the top 10 and delivered thrilling action early in the race. Drivers Paul di Resta (#93) and Loïc Duval (#94) traded places in a spirited opening hour, taking full advantage of the track’s dynamic conditions.
Strategic moves under a Virtual Safety Car allowed for tire changes that brought the cars into podium contention.
- The #93 car received two new medium tires, while the #94 had all four changed.
- Both drivers took bold lines at Spa’s signature corners, Les Combes and Raidillon.
- Their efforts brought them up to 3rd and 4th overall, respectively.
“I had a pretty solid double stint, gaining some positions. After the Safety Car, the Hypercars were on different tire strategies. With our two new tires, I think it was the right call—we managed to benefit from it and save tires for later. It was great to be fighting with the leaders,” said Paul Di Resta.
Strategy, Speed—and Some Setbacks
After two and a half hours, new drivers took the wheel: Jean-Eric Vergne in the #93 and Malthe Jakobsen in the #94. Mid-race strategy saw #94 capitalize on a Safety Car window, while #93 stayed out and briefly led the race. However, the split strategy didn’t fully pay off.
While the #93 slipped outside the top 10 despite strong efforts by Vergne and Mikkel Jensen, Jakobsen's charge in the #94 ended abruptly after contact.
“Unfortunately, we were forced to retire while having a strong race. At the Safety Car restart, I was defending 5th place from the #20 BMW. In Turn 5, we had slight contact and a piece of my left rear suspension broke. I limped back to the pits, but there was nothing more we could do. I’m really sorry for the team, who deserved a podium this weekend,” Jakobsen said.
Duval also reflected on the team’s mixed day: “I had a good start but my first stint was frustrating because I kept catching GTs at the worst places for overtaking. In my second, shorter stint, I felt the tires degrading. Finally, in my last stint, we had good pace on the new tires. I think it was the right strategy. It’s a shame we got a five-second penalty. In any case, it felt good to be battling at the front.”
A Strong Foundation for Le Mans
Despite the setbacks, Peugeot Sport’s technical leadership is optimistic. The car's strong performance throughout qualifying and early race stages bodes well for the upcoming 24 Hours of Le Mans.
“It’s a very disappointing result, as we had the pace to do much better, which we showed in qualifying and early in the race. We decided to split the strategies of the two cars midway through the race to cover all options, but we weren’t able to capitalize on the Safety Car opportunity with the #93. The #94 was better placed, but it was caught up in a race incident. A suspension part broke after the contact with another car. The positive: we had good pace in qualifying and during the race, a potential we’ll try to convert at Le Mans,” explained Olivier Jansonnie, Technical Director of Peugeot Sport.
All Eyes on Le Mans
With the prestigious 24 Hours of Le Mans just around the corner (June 14–15), Team Peugeot TotalEnergies remains focused and determined. The Spa performance may not have delivered trophies, but it offered valuable insights and proved that the PEUGEOT 9X8 has the speed to contend at the highest level.
Learn more at www.peugeot-sport.com