Peugeot TotalEnergies driver Paul Di Resta has expressed confidence in the newly upgraded 9X8 ahead of the 2024 FIA WEC season after taking part in its test programme during the off-season.
One of the worst-kept WEC secrets in recent memory is the fact that Peugeot is bringing a heavily revised 9X8 to the grid during the 2024 season, featuring a rear wing.
Grainy spy photos and footage have been circulating online and Peugeot acknowledged them before Christmas, but no formal unveiling of the new-look 9X8 has been scheduled yet, and Peugeot as a whole has kept tight-lipped on details.
What is not yet clear, is when the car will first race. Paddock sources have suggested to DSC that Peugeot may not be ready to debut the new car in Qatar, though we await official news on that front…
Nevertheless, Di Resta, in a call with members of FIA WEC media pack earlier this week, did give some feedback on the new 9X8 from its winter running.
“We’ve run elements of the car all the way through the development. Yes, it feels very different,” he confirmed. “Yes, it gives you more feedback in the direction we want. But it’s been hard racing the car we’ve had against the competition.
“The restraints we’ve had, not just in aero, not just mechanical, all the way through, are the things we’ve addressed.
“It was a new team that designed this car, they’re putting all the data they’ve gathered to use. I’m looking forward to seeing how it fares against the others.”
Di Resta hinted at the fact that the car will sport a new aerodynamic concept during the call and was keen to relay that testing has been positive. Though he was keen to keep expectations realistic. The Peugeot team knows as well as anyone that you can’t judge a car before it’s been put to the test against the competition.
“It’s obvious that how our car worked was very different to others,” he said. “How the rules were decided way back is the direction they went with the car we used last year. You can’t underestimate the competition, it’s always going forward. I think the development Toyota came with last year at Sebring showed the difference you can make between cars.
“You try and do as much as possible, but until you see the lap times you won’t know if you have done a good job. All together you want the same thing. Aesthetically it will be a bit different, and people will be able to see one thing and have an opinion on that. But for us it’s about making the car feel good, if you give the drivers confidence that’s a big thing in endurance racing.”
In addition to competing with a new car in 2024, Di Resta will race with new teammates as part of the new-look #94 crew with Loic Duval and newly-promoted full-timer Stoffel Vandoorne. Di Resta revealed that the team only recently told the drivers of the shuffle, and appeared slightly surprised by the outcome.
“I haven’t discussed it (the driver shuffle) much with the team, it was only announced to us last week,” he said. “They gave us a list of why they came to the conclusion they did about the line-up. The main thing is we have a good relationship, they have experienced that every time we’ve worked together, so I am optimistic they’ve made the right choice.
“But, obviously it’s been hard when you’re moved around as drivers, as I thought the combination of myself, Nico and JEV was working well. But we go forward and fight on.”
Image courtesy of Stellantis/Peugeot Sport
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“It’s obvious that how our car worked was very differennt to others. How the rules were decided way back is the direction they went with the car we used last year. Throughout that they saw the weaknesses in the development and against the competition. You can’t underestimate the competition, it’s alway going forward. I think the development Toyota came with last year at Sebring showed the difference you can make between cars.
“You try and do as much as possible but until you see the lap times you won’t know if you have done a good job. All together you want the same thing. Aesthetically it will be a bit different, and people will be able to see one thing and have an opinion on that. But for us it’s about making the car feel good, if you give the drivers confident that’s a big thing in endurance racing.”
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“We’ve run elements of the car all the way through the development. Yes it feels very different. Yes it gives you more feedback in the direction we want. But it’s been hard racing the car we’ve had against the competition. The restraints we’ve had, not just in aero, not just mechanical, all the way through, are the things we’ve addressed.
“It was a new team that designed this car, they’re putting all the data they’ve gathered to use. I’m looking forward to seeing how it fares against the others.
