Jean-Eric Vergne expressed satisfaction with the performance of himself and the Peugeot Sport team despite finishing 15th in the opening qualifying session, five places shy of the Hyperpole final cut-off.
He emphasized that they maximized their efforts, acknowledging that only a marginal improvement would have been possible even without the red flag that interrupted the session just before its end. Vergne praised the team’s work and their ability to extract the most from the car, though he admitted they fell short of the necessary pace for the Hyperpole.
The gap between the two Peugeot 9X8 2024 Le Mans Hypercars and the pole-winning Ferrari 499P LMH driven by Antonio Fuoco widened to over two seconds during the Hyperpole session, with Fuoco improving significantly.
Stoffel Vandoorne outpaced Vergne slightly, securing the 14th position with a time marginally faster than Vergne’s. Vergne hinted at ongoing concerns regarding the Balance of Performance (BoP) for the revised 9X8, implying that further adjustments might be necessary for the car’s competitiveness.
Vergne’s comments echo previous remarks from Peugeot Sport technical boss Olivier Jansonnie, who had expressed surprise at the BoP for the 9X8 at Imola, describing it as “tough.” Despite this, Jansonnie emphasized the team’s trust in the regulatory processes of the FIA and the Automobile Club de l’Ouest.
Vergne emphasized the importance of executing a flawless race strategy for the upcoming Imola 6 Hours, regardless of the current performance level, highlighting the need for perfect execution from the team and drivers in preparation for future opportunities.
The focus for Peugeot at the Imola 6 Hours will be on flawless execution and maximizing performance within the constraints of the current BoP. Vergne emphasized the team’s commitment to learning and improvement, stressing the importance of meticulous race preparation and flawless execution of strategy and performance.
Regardless of their finishing position, Vergne reiterated the team’s dedication to racing with perfection, ensuring they are ready to capitalize on future opportunities when they have the potential to contend for victory.
