The #94 Peugeot TotalEnergies 9X8 has had a tough series of practices over the course of race week, culminating in both of the Peugeots missing out on Hyperpole during Wednesday night’s Qualifying session.
Malthe Jakobsen set the fastest lap time of the week for his #94 squad in Hypercar Qualifying with a 3:25.660, but the team was a good while off the pace of the leading BMWs. It is safe to say it has not been the race week Peugeot were hoping for.
“I think it’s pretty clear, looking at all the practices and the qualifying [result], that yeah, we’re at the wrong end of the field at the moment. It’s going to be hard, I think, to find anything crazy extra out of the package that we have at the moment.”
Jakobsen is quick to look at the bright side of things, however, and compartmentalise the difficulty he has been facing behind the wheel.
“You have to look at it positively, luckily now when we don’t have to go out in the hyperpole session, at least all the team can focus on the right preparation and try to put together the best possible package for the last practice tonight and get ready for Saturday morning.”
Last time out, Peugeot was in a much better standing at this point in the weekend, with competitive laps logged in practice and Jakobsen putting the #94 on pole for the race, and the #93 in the mix as well, down in P9, but only 0.5 seconds off of pole. This week’s results are a big departure from the narrative of Spa leading into the race.
“It’s a big contrast and change when you compare this to the experience we had at Spa, doing pole, like everything was blue skies, perfect, like a tailwind behind us the whole weekend. Everything was great until the race, of course, and then to the mood that surrounds the team now.”
“It’s more difficult as a team. I think if it was easy, a lot more people would do it.”
When every briefing, interview, press conference, and casual conversation is based on the difficult results, the mood within any weaker team would suffer greatly under the scrutiny. Jakobsen raised this point, calling it an important indicator of the quality of a team.
“The most difficult thing is always when people around you see maybe friends and family, or Danish spectators, media as well, and all of these people ask ‘what happened in qualifying?’ ‘What’s the reason why you’re so slow?’ ‘Why did you not make it to Hyperpole?’ And so on.
“You keep getting reminded of all the bad things, even though you try personally to forget about it and look forward, bring up a good mentality. Trying to stay positive and motivated.
“When things are going not quite as planned, you shouldn’t give up. Everyone has to keep pushing and keep trying their best. This is also what shows what’s a good team and what’s a worse team if you don’t stick together and overcome.”
Jakobsen does not find it difficult to find peace of mind when facing disappointing results, a quality he has developed over the course of his young career that is essential to his mindset in such a competitive environment.
“From my personal perspective, I don’t have a big problem clearing my mind going to bed to sleep, and I’m not too worried about what happened yesterday, and let’s say, of course, it’s a disappointing feeling, it’s not great. But in the end, it’s not like my life is stopping here.”
“I would say, for sure, as a kid, I was not a good loser. When I did karting, I was always getting very frustrated if it was not turning out in my favour. Over time, I think when you have a lot of defeats, and you face difficulties, that’s also where you get stronger, and you learn how to deal with those situations.”
Being disappointed in where one’s performance is does not have to be a negative thing, as Jakobsen explained, especially in the racing world, when there can only be one winner in a field of so many. That feeling stems from a deep want, all signs of a drive to improve and succeed.
“I think it’s important that you need to have this feeling. I think it’s a positive thing to be and also express [disappointment]. Of course, you don’t want to do it in a mean way, but it’s okay to show that this was not good enough. We have to up our game.
“Because that shows that the sport means something to you, that you have motivation, and that it’s not something we just do for fun, it’s actually a passion. It’s something that you, let’s say, sacrifice most of your life to be able to be a part of, to get these opportunities to race in an iconic race as Le Mans.”
The young driver took the time to point out that he is in a position to achieve greatness for himself and his team as a driver in the top class of one of the world’s foremost racing series. Driving at this level is an immense privilege, and even more so, a professional responsibility.
“People think it’s great all the time to be a driver, and to be a part of the team. Probably 99% of all the fans who are here today are dreaming of being in the position I’m in at the moment. I can guarantee, luckily, 99% of the days I spend as a racing driver, it’s fantastic, but also unfortunately, sometimes you have to put up with some periods which are not great or exactly how you want it to be.”
“But those things, you just have to be mature enough and professional enough as well, to overcome them. If you’re strong enough, greater things will happen later.”
Jakobsen, as is his natural state, is positive about what Saturday’s big show can bring for him and his team.
“There’s still a new day tomorrow, a new race on Saturday.”
Images © Peugeot/DPPI
