2026 European Le Mans Series Champions Recognized at Season Gala
On Sunday evening, the European Le Mans Series (ELMS) celebrated its 2026 champions at an awards gala held at Portimão Arena. The event was hosted by ELMS TV pit lane reporter Steph Wentworth, alongside former ELMS champion Alex Brundle.
Champions and Special Recognitions
The gala highlighted a number of achievements across various categories. The newly introduced Career Achievement Award was presented to Eduardo Freitas, who concluded his tenure as Race Director with the ELMS, transitioning to a senior advisory role for 2027.
Griffin Peebles, an 18-year-old talent from United Autosports, earned both the Performance of the Year and the LMP2 Golden Goodyear Wingfoot Award, acknowledging his contributions to the team’s championship campaign.
In the LMP2 Pro-Am category, Malthe Jakobsen of Algarve Pro Racing claimed the Goodyear Wingfoot Award, while TF Sport’s Charlie Eastwood took the honors for the LMGT3 class.
Various teams received recognition for excellence in competitive performance, with Kessel Racing winning the overall and LMGT3 Pitstop Challenge titles, IDEC Sport taking the LMP2 award, and M Racing recognized in LMP3.
Stewart Cox, principal of Algarve Pro Racing, was named the 2026 Personality of the Year, noted for his insightful comments during the gala.
Rookie and Gentleman Driver Awards
Louis Iglesias was honored as Rookie of the Year for his notable performances with CLX Motorsport in ELMS and ANS Motorsport in the Michelin Le Mans Cup. Kessel Racing’s Takeshi Kimura received the Gentleman Driver of the Year award for his consistent efforts in the Car Guy-branded #57 Ferrari.
This event successfully celebrated the talent and achievements of the season, setting the stage for a promising future in European endurance racing.
