WEC – Lone Star Le Mans: Team Peugeot TotalEnergies returns to action in Texas

After a promising result in São Paulo (Brazil) and a refreshing summer break, Team Peugeot TotalEnergies is raring to go again as the 2024 FIA WEC resumes at the Circuit of The Americas next to Austin, Texas (USA).

The French outfit is set to make its début at the six-hour race, known as the Lone Star Le Mans and which returned to the FIA WEC race calendar in 2020. The 2024 version of the PEUGEOT 9X8 has already had the chance to familiarise itself with the Texan racetrack, along with its championship rivals, at a test session organised by Michelin in late July.

The team was able to try out the circuit alongside its fellow competitors, thus providing good preparation for the race. COTA is a unique track. It is very bumpy, has some big elevation changes, and there are both very fast and much slower sections. The test session, as well as the period of preparation, enabled the team both to fine-tune its race strategies and get to grips with the Circuit of The Americas. The data analysis work and simulations focused on the series of fast, sweeping turns and slower, technical corners. Testing also provided an opportunity to adjust the system settings precisely, considering the specific features of the track. Each setting was studied to enable the team to get the most out of this demanding circuit.

Team Peugeot TotalEnergies will be looking to build on the momentum gathered since the 24 Hours of Le Mans, where both 2024 versions of the PEUGEOT 9X8 showed exceptional reliability by completing the world’s most famous endurance race without any technical hitches. Three weeks later, at Brazil’s Interlagos circuit, Team Peugeot TotalEnergies recorded its best result of the season with eighth place for the no. 93 PEUGEOT 9X8.

Following a welcome summer break, Team Peugeot TotalEnergies is eager to contest its first Endurance race in North America, where the brand has often done well in the past, with the Peugeot 908 HDI FAP claiming race victories at the 12 Hours of Sebring and at Petit Le Mans (Road Atlanta).

The first free practice session at the 2024 Lone Star Le Mans is due to be held on Friday 30 August, with qualifying taking place a day later. Round six of the 2024 season will get underway on Sunday 1 September at 1pm local time (8pm CET).

Mikkel Jensen (no. 93 PEUGEOT 9X8)
“Austin is a great racetrack. It remains very bumpy, despite being resurfaced several times, as it was built on unstable, loose ground. It’s a unique track. It’ll be a real challenge to find the right set-up for the many bumpy sections. São Paulo was a positive result for the team, so I hope that we’ll be able to kick on from that in the second part of the season.”

Paul di Resta (no. 94 PEUGEOT 9X8)
“We tested in Austin at the end of July and the session went well. It’s a really demanding and very bumpy circuit with some fast-sweeping turns and other slower corners. It’ll be tricky to find the right balance. But we’ve had a chance to recharge the batteries, and we can’t wait to go racing again.”