- From 18th on the start grid, the no. 93 PEUGEOT 9X8 (Jensen/Müller/Vergne) mounted a spectacular fightback to claim third place at the 2024 8 Hours of Bahrain
- Team Peugeot TotalEnergies achieves its best result of the season and finishes sixth in the manufacturers’ championship
- Team Peugeot TotalEnergies has already switched its focus to preparing for season 13 of the FIA World Endurance Championship, which is due to get underway in Qatar on 28 February 2025
What a race! Having started at the back of the start grid after its best time in qualifying was cancelled, the no. 93 PEUGEOT 9X8 produced a stunning comeback in the race to finish on the podium of the 8 Hours of Bahrain after post-race penalties were awarded to a rival team for failing to comply with tyre quotas. A magnificent result, unfortunately confirmed a few hours after the race, which nonetheless rewards the incredible resilience shown by Team Peugeot TotalEnergies this season.
The 2024 PEUGEOT 9X8 had dominated Free Practice sessions 1 and 3 thanks to the efforts of Paul di Resta (no. 94) and Jean-Eric Vergne (no. 93), but were unfortunately unable to turn their pace into fast times in Qualifying.
Starting in 15th and 18th positions respectively on the 8 Hours of Bahrain start grid, the no. 94 and no. 93 PEUGEOT gradually moved up the standings thanks to impressive double stints from Stoffel Vandoorne and Mikkel Jensen in the blazing heat of Sakhir, where track temperatures approached 45°C as the race got underway at 2pm local time.
The drivers were able to manage tyre degradation perfectly on the long runs on the hot and highly abrasive track, meaning they could take advantage of fresh tyres in the closing stages of the race. A strategy that paid off for the no. 93 PEUGEOT 9X8, which claimed third overall. Meanwhile, with less than two hours of the race to go, the no. 94 PEUGEOT 9X8 came to halt next to the track (high voltage issue).
“We still need to investigate what went wrong,” commented Olivier Jansonnie, Peugeot Sport Technical Director. “I’m disappointed for the no. 94 car. Both our cars had a good race. We opted for the same tyre strategy as in Fuji, i.e. keeping fresh tyres for the end of the race, and it paid off again. So, well done to the entire team.”
Team Peugeot TotalEnergies ends the 2024 season with some positive momentum having secured third place in Bahrain immediately after finishing fourth overall in Fuji. The 2025 FIA World Endurance Championship gets underway on 28 February 2025 at Qatar’s Losail International Circuit.
