CLX Motorsport Dominates at Paul Ricard in Le Mans Cup Race
Paul Ricard, France — The second Le Mans Cup race of the season concluded with Swiss-flagged CLX Motorsport achieving a commanding 1-2 finish. The duo of Pierre-Alexandre Provost and Alvise Rodella secured victory after leading from pole position, finishing 11 seconds ahead of the competition.
Despite two safety car periods that bunched the field, both drivers maintained their composure throughout the two-hour race. Provost noted, “Starting from pole, the objective was to finish P1. It was a strong race.” This victory places them at the top of the championship standings, leading by a single point following their second-place finish in Barcelona.
Drama unfolded during the final lap when David Droux surged past competitors to solidify the 1-2 finish for CLX, recovering from a fourth-place start. This late surge was partly facilitated by the second safety car incident, which was triggered by a cockpit fire involving Bretton Racing’s #26 Ligier.
In the LMP3 Pro/Am category, ANS Motorsport claimed victory despite finishing ninth overall. Paul Trojani was overtaken by Motorsport98’s Gillian Henrion just before the race end. However, Henrion and his teammate Eric De Doncker were penalized post-race, ultimately finishing second and 12th overall.
The #28 23Events Racing Ligier, which had started from pole in Pro/Am, faced disappointment as it retired after a first-lap collision. Driver Terrence Woodward expressed frustration over repeated incidents at Turn 1.
In GT3, Code Racing Development triumphed with Rory Van Der Steur leading the charge in the #11 Aston Martin Vantage. Van Der Steur commented on the challenge of track limits but successfully executed a critical pass at Turn 1 to secure the lead.
The #51 AF Corse Ferrari overcame an early drive-through penalty to finish second, while the #17 Kessel Racing Ferrari, starting from class pole, slipped to third due to pace issues for driver Andrea Belicchi.
The race also saw Iron Dames’ Porsche finish fourth after navigating early incidents and a penalty. Vanina Ickx’s opening-lap maneuver triggered contact that caused the first safety car situation of the day.
Upcoming events include the Road to Le Mans races set for June 12 at the Circuit de la Sarthe, where teams will continue their pursuit for valuable championship points.
