VDS Panis Racing Clinches 2025 ELMS LMP2 Championship at Portimão
In a commanding performance, VDS Panis Racing secured the 2025 European Le Mans Series (ELMS) LMP2 Championship during the season finale at Portimão. The trio of Charles Milesi, Esteban Masson, and Oliver Gray dominated the race, finishing 5.5 seconds ahead of their nearest rivals after taking the lead just 25 minutes in.
Gray’s aggressive start set the tone, as the team capitalized on a consistent middle stint from Masson, followed by a controlled final segment from Milesi. Masson remarked, “The team has been faultless all year… we had to do the job, and we did.” Milesi echoed the sentiment, highlighting the team’s focus on executing their strategy effectively amid intense competition.
The runner-up position went to the #43 Inter Europol entry, marking a fifth consecutive second-place finish for Tom Dillmann, Kuba Smiechowski, and Nick Yelloly. The #18 IDEC Sport team completed the podium, sealing third place in both the race and championship standings.
LMP2 Pro/Am and LMGT3 Highlights
In LMP2 Pro/Am, TDS Racing’s ORECA clinched the class win despite a 10-second penalty. However, AO by TF’s trio of PJ Hyett, Dane Cameron, and Louis Deletraz secured the championship with a second-place finish, capitalizing on Algarve Pro Racing’s misfortunes that saw them drop to eighth after leading in the standings.
The LMGT3 class witnessed TF Sport’s #82 Corvette triumph from pole, thanks to strong performances from Hiroshi Koizumi, Rui Andrade, and Charlie Eastwood. This victory ensured their Drivers’ and Teams’ Championship titles were clinched, with Jessica Dane of Corvette Racing praising the team’s execution under pressure.
The Iron Dames Porsche, featuring Celia Martin, Michelle Gatting, and Sarah Bovy, finished third in LMGT3.
LMP3 Dominance
In LMP3, CLX Motorsport achieved yet another victory, their fifth in six races, further solidifying their position atop the standings with drivers Adrien Closmenil, Theodor Jensen, and Paul Lanchere. Team Virage followed in second, while DKR Engineering earned its first ELMS podium with a strong performance from their Ginetta.
As the 2025 ELMS season concludes, VDS Panis Racing is set to return to the Le Mans 24 Hours, bolstered by this championship win.
