Peugeot Reveals Adjusted Driver Lineups

Peugeot has revealed its precise driver lineups for the upcoming FIA World Endurance Championship season for its pair of 9X8 Le Mans Hypercars.

The French manufacturer confirmed the promotion of test and reserve driver Malthe Jakobsen last July in the wake of Nico Mueller’s departure to Porsche, but deferred a decision on how it would arrange its crews until after the 2024 season ended.

Now it has announced that Jakobsen will join Loic Duval and Stoffel Vandoorne aboard the No. 94 car, effectively replacing Paul di Resta.

In turn, di Resta moves back over to the No. 93 car together with Jean-Eric Vergne and Mikkel Jensen in a reprisal of that car’s 2023 lineup.

“We have built our line-ups based on a precise balance between experience and dynamism,” said Peugeot Sport technical boss Olivier Jansonnie.

“Mikkel Jensen, Jean-Eric Vergne, and Paul di Resta, in car No. 93, bring strong cohesion, proven expertise, and great consistency, while Loic Duval, Stoffel Vandoorne, and Malthe Jakobsen, in car No. 94, combine the strategic vision of seasoned drivers with the energy and boldness of a promising young talent.”

Theo Pourchaire, the 2023 Formula 2 champion, has stepped into Jakobsen’s old role as test and reserve driver, and made his endurance test debut for Peugeot during a test last month at Paul Ricard.

That followed his first experience of the 9X8 in the rookie test in Bahrain in November.

“I learn lap after lap, and the team, along with the other drivers, helps me a lot to understand things and adapt quickly,” Pourchaire told the Peugeot website after the test.

“Everything went super well; I get along with everyone, and it feels like I’ve been part of the team for a long time. Everything feels very natural.

“It’s great for me to gain experience like this before the season begins. When I go to the simulator, I’ll be able to correlate my feelings with the ones I experienced on the track, helping the team improve the car even further.”