This week sees the second round of the 2024 World Endurance Championship (WEC) being run at Autodromo Internazionale Enzo e Dino Ferrari – more commonly referred to as ‘Imola’ – in the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy. It will be the first time that a WEC round is held at this circuit, largely because Monza, the usual venue is undergoing renovations.
The 4.909-km Imola circuit which was opened in 1953 is, however, no stranger to World Championship endurance racing as it has hosted rounds 3 times before. But times and the machines have changed since the last race in 1984 under the previous series. There are now hypercars from a growing number of carmakers which are aiming to beat reigning champion, TOYOTA GAZOO Racing.
Improved racing car for 2024
Among them is Team Peugeot TotalEnergies’ PEUGEOT which is looking to bounce back after the chaotic season-opening race in Qatar. The team has two units of the improved 2024 version of the Peugeot 9X8 for the 6 Hours of Imola. The new hypercar has been under development for a year and completed some 8,000 kms of track testing.
It has been substantially reworked underneath the bodywork with the new ‘’Lion Head’ livery. The core DNA is retained, with a more streamlined, dynamic silhouette topped off by a new rear wing. Additional endurance work on the test bench has also helped to increase the reliability of certain mechanical components such as the powertrain.
New track to all competitors
“I think that the car is ready for Imola,” continued Olivier Jansonnie, Technical Director of Peugeot Sport. “However, it’s a track that has not previously been used in the FIA WEC and one that we don’t know very well. We haven’t done any testing at the track, but that was also true in Qatar and we were fast there, so I’m not too worried about that.”
He admitted that, unlike the 9X8 2023, where the team had time to improve the set-up and get the most out of the car, there is still a lot to learn about the 9X8 2024. “We know the car is inherently quicker, even though it’s still difficult to get an accurate picture because we don’t know with what weight and power it will be competing. We’re sure that we have made up ground on our rivals, we just don’t know how much as yet. But we’ll be able to tell after the first few races,” said Jansonnie.
Preparing for Le Mans
Many of the drivers know the track as they also compete in other championships that have been run at Imola. In fact, Paul di Resta, who will drive the #94 PEUGEOT 9X8, was on it quite recently. “Imola is a narrow circuit, quite bumpy with big rumble strips. It’s very different to Qatar. With all the Hypercars and the GT3s, it’s going to be very busy on track. Tyres will also be a big factor, especially if the weather turns. In terms of preparation, it’s never easy to come into the second round of a championship with a new car. We’ll learn about and make progress with this PEUGEOT 9X8 2024 gradually, keeping our sights set on Le Mans, which is our main objective, ” he said.
