ELMS and Le Mans Cup Updates Ahead of Portugal Finale
The European Le Mans Series (ELMS) is set for a pivotal showdown this weekend in Portugal, where title races will culminate in both the LMP2 and LMGT3 categories.
LMP2 Field Update
The LMP2 field has been trimmed to 12 entries following the withdrawal of the #37 CLX Pure Rxcing ORECA due to an injury sustained by driver Aliaksandr Malykin at the GT World Challenge finale in Barcelona. In contrast, DKR Engineering has made a strategic driver change, enlisting 2016 Le Mans winner Neel Jani to partner with Georgios Kolovos and Laurents Horr.
Title Contenders: Eastwood’s Double Ambition
Corvette factory driver Charlie Eastwood aims for dual LMGT3 championships with TF Sport. Currently sitting third in both the ELMS and WEC standings, Eastwood’s campaign commences this weekend. He and teammates Hiroshi Koizumi and Rui Andrade trail the championship-leading Ferrari by 14 points. After a promising first practice session, Eastwood remarked, “The car seems to be pretty good here… if we keep our heads down, it could be a strong weekend.”
Le Mans Cup Dynamics
The Michelin Le Mans Cup storylines feature several significant developments. Team THOR’s Audunn Gudmundsson returns for a one-off race in the #49 High Class Racing Ligier, aiming to capitalize on past successes at the circuit. Meanwhile, Aston Martin customer team Blackthorn has made a comeback, fielding an EVO-spec Vantage in GT3 with drivers Alex Martin and Charles Bateman.
Championship battles are heating up, with both the LMP3 and GT3 titles on the line. In LMP3, Rinaldi Racing’s Felipe Fernandez-Laser and Stefan Aust lead the standings on 75 points, followed closely by teammate Steve Parrow. GT3 sees the AF Corse Ferrari of Alessandro Cozzi and Eliseo Donno holding a 16-point advantage despite yet to secure a win this season.
DKR’s Progress with Ginetta P3
Freddie Tomlinson from DKR Engineering expressed optimism for the Le Mans Cup finale, citing steady improvements in their Ginetta model. “It’s been a tricky season… but we’ve made advancements every weekend,” he said regarding their performance against the dominant Ligier and Duqueine entries.
As the season concludes, teams are keen to finish strong in the ELMS and Le Mans Cup, as they prepare for the 2026 season ahead.
