Loic Duval has acknowledged that Peugeot is currently struggling with “a lack of performance” as they prepare for this week’s 24 Hours of Le Mans. He made this remark following a challenging session at the traditional Le Mans Test on Sunday, where Peugeot’s two 9×8 cars finished 19th and 21st out of 21 hypercar class vehicles.
Additionally, worries arose because both Peugeot cars were over three seconds slower than the leading #8 Toyota GR010 hybrid, which set the pace with Brendon Hartley behind the wheel. This disappointing performance trend continues for the French manufacturer in the 2025 World Endurance Championship, as the factory team has yet to place higher than ninth in the opening three rounds.
Peugeot plans to spend more time refining their cars on Wednesday and Thursday, but Duval’s outlook for the 93rd running of Le Mans remains grim. “The track conditions were very good from the start with decent grip,” said Duval, a 2013 Le Mans winner. “We followed a planned test program using various tire compounds and car setups, completing our targeted number of stints on a single tire set to prepare for endurance racing.”
He added, “The car is well balanced, but we still lack performance. It’s up to us to maximize what we have.” Meanwhile, Mikel Jensen, who shares the #93 car with Paul Di Resta and Jean-Éric Vergne, expressed more hope, noting, “The truck has been slightly modified compared to last year, allowing the car to run a bit lower, which should improve performance around the track. Engineers will study Wednesday’s data closely.”
Fan Take: This news is crucial for racing fans as it highlights the intense competition and technological challenges at one of motorsport’s most prestigious events. Peugeot’s struggle could shake up the usual dominance in endurance racing and add unpredictability to the sport, which is always exciting for spectators.
