Lead Peugeots will not race each other
The two leading Peugeots will not race each other in the final hours of the Le Mans 24 Hours as the French manufacturer closes in on its first victory at La Sarthe in 16 years, and its first ever with diesel power
Franck Montagny, driving the second-placed #8 Peugeot 908, revealed to AUTOSPORT that the team's cars will hold station at the front of the field rather than risk a retirement racing each other.
"We're first and second, and it looks like the #1 Audi has got some problems, so I think it's better to stay where we are," said Montagny when asked whether the #9 and #8 cars had stopped racing each other. "Yeah, for a couple of hours already.
"We've lost the battle here twice, so I think we have to be careful and be sure that we're going to win this one."
Montagny, who closed to within 80s of the leading #9 Peugeot in the early hours of Sunday morning during his previous stint admitted that he was disappointed that his own efforts are unlikely to reap a win.
"I am quite happy with my performance, but I am not really happy otherwise if we stay the way we are now," he said. "I'm super happy for the team, but not really happy for myself.
"The car is fine. Sometimes when we go to other tracks we struggle a little bit with some stuff on the car, but the car is made for this track - it's super good on this track."
Montagny also dismissed any concerns over late-race rain: "Whatever. The car is good anyway.
"During practice when it was wet it was quicker than anything else on the track, so whatever happens we'll be quick," he added.
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