Loïc Duval, official Peugeot driver, understands Porsche’s position of not debuting its LMDh prototype in the pre-homologation phase at the 8 Hours of Bahrain given the tight schedule at this stage of the car’s development.
FIA and ACO wanted to anticipate the arrival of the LMDh to the WEC and waiting for the convergence that will take place in 2023, they opened the door for any prototype under this specification to debut before the end of this season. The goal was see a prototype in the pre-approval phase sharing track with the LMH and for a moment Porsche picked up the gauntlet.
The option to see the debut of the Porsche 963 was on the table for weeks, always waiting for the evolution of the brand’s test program. In the end, youeverything came to nothing and the 8 Hours of Bahrain will not be the scene of the premiere of any prototype. All the LMDh that will compete in 2023 will have their first official appointment in the first round of the IMSA, in a race as iconic as the 24 Hours of Daytona.
“I don’t know if they aren’t ready or if they are, but maybe they haven’t wanted to shoot in Bahrain if they can’t fight to win the race”
At this point in the equation, Loïc Duval validates Porsche’s decision of not being present at the 8 Hours of Bahrain. The current official Peugeot driver in the queen class of the WEC, present in the Audi project -sister brand of Porsche- between 2012 and 2017, understands the resolution of the mark of Stuttgart after knowing first-hand the difficulties that Peugeot had to overcome to make its 9X8 debut.
In this sense, andhe Penske-managed Porsche factory team has beefed up its testing before the homologation of the 963, so the first direct duel between the LMDh of the Stuttgart firm and the Peugeot 9X8 driven by Loïc Duval will take place if there is nothing strange in the 1,000 Miles of Sebring, the first appointment of the 2023 season of the WEC.
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Duval’s words
Duval has assured that he is not surprised by Porsche’s decision: “I don’t know where they are in terms of development, but this decision shows that it is not so simple. Peugeot has been away from the top endurance category since 2011 and they are back from scratch. They have been out since 2017but they stayed in the WEC with the GT cars.”
«They started testing at the same time as us, but we are already in the WEC and they are not. Shows the complexity of putting it all together. I don’t know if they’re not ready or they are, but maybe they didn’t want to shoot in Bahrain if they can’t fight to win the race. This could be another perspective, only they will know it »added the French pilot.
Say Resta matches
Paul DiRestaalso a Peugeot driver, has a very similar opinion to that of his partner: «We all know what happens in the fonfo and how difficult it is. It only takes one little thing to not be ready and this can happen to a manufacturer or the supplier that collaborates with them. Whether it’s a question of reliability or simply because they want more preparation, I can’t answer for them.”
“I think that every time you can race is important to prepare your people and when you assess how ready you have to be for the next year, I think it’s a big step. It is not something that you can simulate so well in a test in Aragón or in the circuit that is. Even so, they will have their reasons »added the Briton.