R-ace GP Concludes Dominant Michelin Le Mans Cup Season with Algarve Victory
Portimão, Portugal — R-ace GP secured the 2026 Michelin Le Mans Cup championship with a decisive victory in the season finale at the Autódromo Internacional do Algarve, as the #85 Duqueine D09-Toyota, driven by Danial Frost and Enzo Peugeot, claimed its third win of the year.
Starting from fourth on the grid, Frost took the lead at the very first corner and maintained it throughout the two-hour race, despite two Safety Car periods and five Full Course Yellow flags. Peugeot faced late pressure from Arthur Rogeon in the #12 Brutal Fish Campos Racing Ligier JS P325-Toyota, but the margin remained stable, culminating in a 7.206-second victory. This win set a new record for points scored by an outright Michelin Le Mans Cup champion.
“It’s a really good way to end the season,” said Frost. “I’m super happy for the team; they’ve done an amazing job this year.”
Rogeon and August Raber finished second, while the sister #19 Brutal Fish Campos Racing Ligier, driven by Luca Fluxá Cross and Matúš Ryba, rounded out the podium, matching the top three in the LMP3 Championship.
The race witnessed significant early drama, as pole-sitter Maxwell Dodds in the #9 ANS Motorsport Ligier spun at Turn 1, colliding with Mikaeel Pitamber’s #4 Nielsen Racing Duqueine and effectively ending both drivers’ races.
Colin Queen in the #50 23Events Racing Ligier emerged as a contender after a strong pit strategy, leading earlier before losing ground when his car eventually stalled.
In the LMP3 Pro/Am category, Rinaldi Racing achieved back-to-back 1-2 finishes, though Motorsport 98 defended its championship title. Rinaldi’s #71 Ligier, driven by Stefan Aust and Felipe Fernandez-Laser, claimed its first victory of the season after benefiting from timely Full Course Yellow timings.
“It’s a little bit emotional today for me,” said Aust, who returned from injury to secure the win. “I’m really happy that we made P1, and Felipe did an amazing job.”
Despite a strong drive from Rinaldi’s title-contending #66 Ligier, which finished second, Motorsport 98’s Gillian Henrion secured enough points by finishing fourth to clinch the championship.
In GT3, the championship battle unfolded dramatically between Racing Spirit of Leman’s #10 Aston Martin and Kessel Racing’s #21 Ferrari. After starting from the back due to disqualification, the #21 Ferrari’s Giacomo Altoè surged to the front but ultimately faced challenges that allowed the #10 Aston Martin to secure the teams’ title.
The top GT3 honors went to the #17 Kessel Racing Ferrari, driven by Lorenzo Ferdinando Innocenti and David Cleto Fumanelli, winning by 21.598 seconds over the #77 McLaren, while the #88 AF Corse Ferrari finished in third.
As the season concludes, the teams and drivers are reflecting on a highly competitive year, signaling an exciting future for the Michelin Le Mans Cup.
