Aston Martin F1 reserve Stoffel Vandoorne has secured a full-time FIA WEC seat with Peugeot Sport for the 2024 season.
Stoffel Vandoorne, current reserve driver for Peugeot Sport was named Team Peugeot TotalEnergies official driver for the FIA World Endurance Championship (FIA WEC) 2024 season. The 31-year-old Belgian driver will be at the wheel of a PEUGEOT 9X8.
2022 FIA Formula E World Champion, he made his debut in Endurance racing in 2019 in the LMP1 class with SMP Racing, then in 2021 with JOTA in the LMP2 class. Stoffel Vandoorne, also DS Penske official driver, part of Stellantis Motorsport group in which Team Peugeot also belongs, already knows his future teammates and technical staff thanks to previous track tests and simulator sessions within the team.
He has also become acquainted with the PEUGEOT 9X8 that he will drive in a few months’ time in FIA WEC and with which he recently finished the 6 Hours of Fuji with last weekend, replacing Nico Müller who was injured. In officialising Stoffel Vandoorne, its current reserve driver, Team Peugeot TotalEnergies chooses consistency and stability with only one goal in mind: fight for the victory against the fierce and strong competition of the Hypercar class next season with no less than ten manufacturers entered.
He will start as official driver at the first FIA WEC race that will take place in Qatar on the 2nd of March 2024 and will continue through the 7 rounds of the season that will peak at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, the 15th and 16th June 2024.
Jean-Marc Finot – Senior VP Stellantis Motorsport : “We are proud to name Stoffel Vandoorne as Team Peugeot TotalEnergies official driver. As he showed in Fuji, his team spirit, his performance, and his consistency are in line with the ones of his teammates. Of course, we already know Stoffel very well, as driver for DS Penske in Formula E; he is part of the Stellantis Motorport drivers’ family. His ability to adapt and to be get into rhythm right away shows that both series are complementary, the FIA WEC and FIA Formula E and the advantage of having drivers that participate in both championships.”
Stoffel Vandoorne : “I’m really happy to join the team as official driver for the 2024 season. I have always appreciated the FIA WEC and am familiar with it as I raced in 2019 and 2021. My goal was clearly to come back to this championship and even more now with the Hypercar class, with so many manufacturers. Having the opportunity to fight for the victory and at the 24 Hours of Le Mans is fantastic and I think it’s a dream for a lot of drivers. I’m really glad to be part of this team and excited to start with PEUGEOT.”
[Note: The story is as per press release]