One hundred years after two Peugeot 174S models lined up for the brand's first 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1926, the French manufacturer returns to La Sarthe this week chasing more than nostalgia. Team Peugeot TotalEnergies wants its centenary edition to be the one where recent progress finally turns into a result.
Peugeot's history at the race is rich but uneven — 44 entries, and three wins separated by decades: the breakthrough of 1992, the famous 905 one-two-three of 1993, and the 908 HDi FAP's one-two in 2009. The current 9X8 has yet to add to that tally, but the team believes it is closer than the bare results suggest.
"Le Mans remains the greatest motorsport event in the world, because of its intensity, its demands and its uniqueness," said team principal Emmanuel Esnault. He framed the campaign as a build on recent form rather than a gamble on a single result, with the team's stated aim to build on the progress made at Imola and Spa-Francorchamps in both qualifying and race conditions.
That progress was on show at the official test day, where both 9X8s ran trouble-free. Stoffel Vandoorne set the quicker of the two Peugeot times in car #93 with a 3:27.208, with Loic Duval close behind in #94. "The overall assessment of the day is rather positive," Esnault said. "We completed our test programme, covered more than 2,000 km without any issues, and gathered a significant amount of useful data."
The drivers echoed the cautious optimism. "It was a very busy day and we managed to complete our full testing programme, which is positive," said Paul Di Resta, who shares #93 with Vandoorne and Nick Cassidy. Theo Pourchaire, part of the #94 crew alongside Duval and Malthe Jakobsen, was satisfied with his own preparation. "We ticked off quite a lot of boxes and didn't experience any major issues," Pourchaire said. "Overall, I'm satisfied I was able to build confidence and we did a solid job."
Jakobsen, returning for another crack at the race, said the extra year of experience has helped. "I am looking forward to returning to Le Mans, and I feel better prepared this year for this unique race," he said.
The reality of the 18-car Hypercar field is that Peugeot remains an outsider against Toyota, Ferrari, Cadillac, Porsche and a resurgent Aston Martin, which topped the test-day timesheets. Peugeot has been careful to manage expectations, describing its approach as one of determination and humility and setting the goal of establishing itself consistently at the front rather than promising a fairytale win.
To mark the centenary, both cars will carry a special badge, and the marque is staging fan activations across race weekend, including a parade of 20 historic competition and road cars. A hundred years on, the ambition is simple enough: make the anniversary count where it matters, on the track.
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