SHERIDAN, WYOMING – July 18, 2025 – The 93rd edition of the legendary 24 Hours of Le Mans brought mixed emotions for Team Peugeot TotalEnergies, who crossed the finish line with both their Hypercars but fell short of their competitive expectations after a promising start to the season.
A Determined Effort Amid Challenging Circumstances
Despite meticulous preparation and high hopes, the Peugeot 9X8 #94 and #93 finished 12th and 17th respectively in this grueling endurance race. Although #94 set a new Hypercar distance record with an impressive 384 laps (5,232 km), the final standings did not reflect the team’s relentless efforts on and off the track.
The team had shown strong performances in earlier World Endurance Championship rounds in Qatar, Imola, and Spa-Francorchamps, but the unique regulations and competitive dynamics at Le Mans posed unexpected hurdles.
Strategic Racing Against the Odds
Team Peugeot TotalEnergies faced an uphill battle from the outset. Their Test Day performance revealed a lack of competitive pace, and qualifying yielded only 17th and 18th places, keeping them out of the prestigious Hyperpole session. Despite this, the team remained focused and crafted a smart, dual-pronged race strategy:
- Seize opportunities during race incidents.
- Extend stints with triple tire usage to reduce pit stops, even if it meant slower lap times.
This approach allowed the #94 to briefly break into the top ten and even lead during pit stop cycles. However, a spin following contact with another Hypercar disrupted its momentum. Drivers Loïc Duval, Malthe Jakobsen, and Stoffel Vandoorne fought hard, ultimately securing 12th place.
Battling Adversity in the Heat of the Race
For the #93, the challenge began early. Forced to pit after avoiding a stranded GT3 car at the Porsche Curves, the car required significant repairs. A later steering issue cost them valuable time despite the crew’s swift response. Paul Di Resta, Mikkel Jensen, and Jean-Eric Vergne pushed through these setbacks to finish 17th.
Jean-Eric Vergne summed up the spirit of perseverance: “A really tough Le Mans for us. The #93 hit the tire wall at the Porsche Curves while avoiding a GT3 car. The team did an amazing job replacing the bodywork, but we lost a lap. Later, I had a steering issue during the night. Again, the crew did a great job, but we lost three or four more laps. We gave it everything we had. It’s too soon to draw conclusions. The positive takeaway is that both cars finished, and it’s always a pleasure to drive on this circuit.”
Pride in Teamwork and Professionalism
Despite the challenges, the team’s leadership highlighted the professionalism and commitment shown throughout the event.
Jean-Marc Finot, Senior VP of Stellantis Motorsport, stated: “We knew, given the regulations, that we would be at a disadvantage in terms of pace for this race. We saw it clearly in qualifying – no one was surprised. So we developed a strategy to account for that: energy saving, longer stints, and fewer overall stops. It worked with the #94, which was battling the front-row-starting Cadillac after six hours. I’m very proud of the team, which delivered a flawless and professional performance, with the same precision and commitment as if we were fighting for the podium.”
Technical Director Olivier Jansonnie echoed this sentiment: “Team Peugeot TotalEnergies delivered an impressive performance with very few mistakes, unlike some of our rivals who were frequently penalized. To achieve a respectable result here, we needed to be perfect. We were nearly perfect – from the engineers to the mechanics to the drivers. Kudos to everyone. The most important thing is to maintain this level of commitment – it will pay off when conditions improve.”
Looking Ahead with Confidence
The drivers also reflected on the positives despite the result. Malthe Jakobsen emphasized, “We finished P12. Maybe not the result we had hoped for, but we can still be satisfied. The car made it to the finish – we only had to refuel and change tires. Everyone did a fantastic job over the past 10 days here at Le Mans, and the pit stops were flawless. We just need more pace to be in contention for a better result.”
Loïc Duval added, “We finished 12th. It’s about where we expected to be this weekend after the Test Day. We knew it would be tough due to the regulations, but we optimized everything with the #94 and managed to battle with cars that were faster on paper.”
With the 6 Hours of São Paulo on July 13 marking the next stop in the FIA WEC season, Team Peugeot TotalEnergies remains motivated and determined to fight on.
Learn more about Peugeot Sport at www.peugeot-sport.com