Mixed results for Peugeot at the 6 Hours of Imola
The Sochaux-based manufacturer scored points with the new version of its 9X8. But Peugeot could have hoped for a better result.
The weekend had started quite badly. In qualifying, the two French hypercars failed to rank 14th and 15th. Despite this disappointing result, the drivers of the French team hoped for good things at the start.
If one managed to escape the turmoil of the first turn, number 94 was not so lucky. Paul di Resta was involved in the accident between the Alpine, the BMW, and the Isotta Fraschini. This sent him spinning and damaged the prototype.
« It was tough. I took over at the worst moment on slicks in the rain. It was a bit crazy with cars everywhere in the gravel traps, recounted Stoffel Vandoorne, driver of the #94, at the finish. « Warming up the slick tires was complicated. We had nothing left to play for, so we tried different things to collect data for the future.
Read also: Standings after Imola
In the other car, in the rain, Jean-Éric Vergne won his duel against Cadillac #2 and passed Porsche #38 to take ninth place at the end of a thrilling race. My start of the relay on the wet track was very difficult, I thought I was going to lose the car several times in the straight line. My pace was good afterwards, I managed my rain tires well on the drying track. The team brought me into the pits at the right time to switch to slick tires, analyzed JEV.
With this result, Peugeot scored its first points of the year. But that remains much less important than the second place lost in Qatar a month ago.
