Following a promising Free Practice 3, where the PEUGEOT 9X8 #94 set the fourth-fastest time in wet conditions, changing weather led to the cancellation of qualifying at Fuji Speedway on Saturday afternoon. As a result, the PEUGEOT 9X8s lined up ninth (#93) and 15th (#94) on the grid for Sunday's 6 Hours of Fuji.

With the track still damp at the start, Paul Di Resta (#93) and Loïc Duval (#94), both on medium slick tyres, immediately faced challenging conditions. In a busy opening lap, the #94 dropped to 17th while the #93 also lost several positions.

Despite the difficult start, both PEUGEOT 9X8s quickly showed strong pace. A series of decisive overtakes enabled Paul Di Resta to climb back into the top ten before the end of his stint. Running ninth, the #93's race unfortunately came to an early end due to a mechanical issue.

Meanwhile, Loïc Duval and later Théo Pourchaire continued to make progress in the #94 despite serving a five-second penalty following contact with a GT car. Thanks to consistent pace and a well-executed strategy, the PEUGEOT 9X8 #94 steadily moved up the order and closed in on the top ten as the race entered its final stages.

With less than two hours remaining, Malthe Jakobsen took over the car and continued the charge. The Dane quickly demonstrated the car's potential, climbing from 12th to seventh. Following a lengthy Safety Car period with 45 minutes remaining, Jakobsen launched a final sprint, closing on the cars ahead and ultimately securing sixth place at the chequered flag.

Having gained nine positions over the course of the race, the crew of the PEUGEOT 9X8 #94 delivered Team Peugeot TotalEnergies its strongest result of the 2026 FIA WEC season.

Beyond the result, the Japanese round marked the end of an important chapter for Team Peugeot TotalEnergies. The 6 Hours of Fuji was Stoffel Vandoorne's final race with the team. A member of the programme since the launch of the PEUGEOT 9X8, the Belgian has played a key role in the development of the car and the team's progression in the FIA WEC. Team Peugeot TotalEnergies would like to warmly thank him for his professionalism, dedication and contribution to the project, and wishes him every success in the next stage of his career.

Emmanuel Esnault, Team Principal – Team Peugeot TotalEnergies

“This race leaves us with mixed emotions. While we are naturally disappointed by the retirement of the #93 while running inside the top ten, the recovery drive of the #94 from 15th on the grid to sixth place, despite a penalty, is a real positive and a reward for the hard work of the entire team. Achieving our strongest finish of the season reflects the commitment and efforts of everyone, both trackside and back at Satory.I would also like to thank Stoffel for his commitment and valuable contribution to the PEUGEOT 9X8 programme since day one. We wish him every success in the next chapter of his career. We leave Fuji with both positives and lessons to take away. Our focus now turns to Barcelona, where we will be determined to come back even stronger."

Malthe Jakobsen (PEUGEOT 9X8 #94)

"P6 here in Japan is a good result for the team, despite the retirement of the #93. The conditions were challenging throughout the weekend, with qualifying cancelled and the track still damp at the start of the race. We also benefited from the VSC (Virtual Safety Car) and SC (Safety Car) periods, which helped us stay on the lead lap and put ourselves in a position to fight for a strong result at the finish."

Théo Pourchaire (PEUGEOT 9X8 #94)

"Starting from 15th on the grid, it would have been difficult to achieve much more than sixth place, although a top-four finish may have been possible. We made a strong recovery through the field thanks to great stints from Loïc and Malthe, while the team executed an excellent strategy throughout the race. It's encouraging to come away with our strongest result of the season."

Paul Di Resta (PEUGEOT 9X8 #93)

“We were on the back foot at the start with the damp conditions and lost a few positions in the opening laps. After that, we managed to make some good overtakes and worked our way back into the fight, but unfortunately our race ended with a mechanical issue. The car's performance wasn't quite where we needed it to be this weekend, but the team did a great job optimising everything we could and getting the most out of the package. It's a disappointing way to finish, but we'll take the positives, learn from it and come back ready to fight again in Barcelona, which will be another tough challenge.”