WEC: Nico Müller feels stronger than ever before
Tough assignment An exciting season begins in Qatar for the Peugeot Total Energies team, with nine manufacturers and 19 hypercars taking part. That is a record number in the highly competitive series.
With a race duration of around ten hours on the 5.38-kilometre Lusail International Circuit, the opening race of the 2024 FIA WEC season on March 2, 2024 in Qatar is a major challenge. Not only will the race put drivers and cars to the test, but also the tires due to the weather conditions, which should not be underestimated. In the off-season, the team faced a double challenge: further developing the Peugeot 9X8 and keeping to the 2024 schedule in order to be ready in time for Imola in April.
Reliability is a key factor
Olivier Jansonnie, Technical Director of Peugeot Sport (gallery left): "We are expecting a tough race. Reliability will be a key factor, but we have the advantage of knowing that the 2023 car is a proven car that proved reliable at Fuji and Bahrain at the end of last year."
At Peugeot Sport, the team members can prepare for the new season in the simulator, with all six drivers taking turns behind the wheel.
Jean-Marc Finot, Senior Vice President Stellantis Motorsport: "The final uncertainty is the Balance of Performance (BoP) between the different cars on the grid. The Peugeot 9X8 that will be on the grid in Qatar is identical to the car that was used in the last races of the 2023 season. The BoP should therefore bring the 9X8 closer to the performance of the top contenders. We want to try and compete for the top positions."
Nico Müller starts with the number 93
Swiss Peugeot driver Nico Müller says: "Qatar promises to be an intense and exciting race. We have all worked hard over the winter and everyone in the team is very motivated. We can hardly wait to get started now. From a physical point of view, my preparation has been very good and I feel even stronger than before. The decision to change the composition of the teams was mainly about setup preferences related to the driving style of the drivers."
Insights from the past season
The aim for the #93 car, driven by Mikkel Jensen, Nico Müller and Jean-Eric Vergne, and the #94 car, driven by Paul Di Resta, Loïc Duval and Stoffel Vandoorne, will be to learn from last season and get the best out of the Peugeot 9X8 2023 before it is replaced by the 2024 version at the next race in Imola (April 21).
