SHERIDAN, WYOMING – October 29, 2024 – After a challenging race in Texas, Team Peugeot TotalEnergies is setting its sights on the 6 Hours of Fuji in Japan, the penultimate round of the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC). The team is determined to bounce back and secure a strong finish at the Fuji International Speedway, a track known for its unique characteristics and unpredictable weather.
"The Fuji Speedway is a diverse racetrack, with a long 1,475-meter start-finish straight and some tight corners in the infield," explains Olivier Jansonnie, Peugeot Sport Technical Director. "Achieving the right balance between top speed and aerodynamic downforce is always a challenge on this circuit, which features 16 corners—10 right-handers and 6 left-handers. Additionally, we have to consider the unpredictable weather at this time of year on Japan's main island, Honshu."
A Familiar Battleground
Team Peugeot TotalEnergies is no stranger to the 6 Hours of Fuji, having participated in the last two editions. This year marks the 11th time the race has been featured in the FIA WEC.
"In 2022, this was our second race and our first outside of Europe," recalls Olivier Jansonnie. "Despite still familiarizing ourselves with the championship, both PEUGEOT 9X8s finished the race. Last year, our Hypercars secured seventh and eighth place after a relatively smooth race. We aim to score points again this year, even with the heightened competition."
Experienced Drivers Ready for Fuji
Team Peugeot TotalEnergies has a resilient technical team and a group of drivers with experience racing in Asia, who are eager to take on the challenges of the Fuji Speedway. Drivers Loïc Duval and Stoffel Vandoorne have competed in championships like Super GT, Formula Nippon, and Super Formula, while Mikkel Jensen and Paul di Resta participated in the Asian Le Mans Series before joining the team.
Looking Ahead
The first free practice session will be held on Friday, September 13th, followed by qualifying and the Hyperpole on Saturday. The 6 Hours of Fuji is scheduled to start on Sunday, September 15th, at 11 am local time, with a large number of passionate endurance racing fans expected to gather at the foot of Mount Fuji.
Jean-Marc Finot, Stellantis Motorsport Senior VP, shared his thoughts on the upcoming race: "Having two races in quick succession allows us to maintain momentum. We are familiar with the Fuji track, although we haven't raced the new version of the 9X8 there yet. We anticipate performing well in certain sections with the updated car, but we also acknowledge that some parts of the circuit are similar to COTA. The team has been working tirelessly between the two races to build on the experience gained in Austin."
Loïc Duval, driver of the no. 94 PEUGEOT 9X8, added: "I'm keen to put the Austin weekend behind us, where I didn't even get to drive! I'm thrilled to be going to Japan, a country I love and have spent a lot of time in. I consider it the biggest race on the calendar after Le Mans. The team seems to enjoy coming here too. In terms of performance, I believe we have a good chance. It's a track we know well, which should work to our advantage."