Algarve Pro Racing takes the ELMS by storm!
This weekend, 17 ORECA 07s took to the legendary Spa-Francorchamps circuit to contest the penultimate round of the European Le Mans Series, a meeting which is always one of the highlights of the season. And as usual, the Ardennes toboggan kept spectators on the edge of their seats right up to the chequered flag.
At the end of a hard-fought race, Algarve Pro Racing’s #25 ORECA 07 converted its pole into victory, its second of the season, while in the Pro Am category, Cool Racing’s #37 scored its first win of the year!
As in the Le Mans Cup the day before, the start of the 4 Hours of Spa was very eventful. Manuel Maldonado, at the wheel of the #65 Panis Racing ORECA 07, missed his braking maneuver and collided with three cars in the very first corner: the #30 Duqueine Team, the #28 Idec Sport and the #22 United Autosports were seriously affected. The first safety car intervened and the Venezuelan driver was given a one-minute stop-and-go.
Despite this chaotic start and the deployment of several safety cars (5 in all), Algarve Pro Racing’s #25 ORECA 07 never gave up, outwitting all the pitfalls to hold the lead for most of the race. Engaging in a superb duel with Cool Racing, the Portuguese team finally managed to gain the upper hand and take advantage of a number of race incidents to take the lead in the championship heading into the final two races of the season.
Second overall, the #37 ORECA 07 won the Pro Am category ahead of the #83 AF Corse, which took third place on the overall podium and second in Pro Am. Racing Team Turkey finished fourth overall and third in Pro Am.
Three other ORECA 07s entered in Pro Am followed in the overall standings: the #21 of United Autosports, the #19 of Team Virage and the #20 of Algarve Pro Racing.
Despite its stormy start, Panis Racing’s #65 finished eighth overall and second in the LMP2 class, ahead of Cool Racing’s #47, tenth overall and third in the LMP2 class after being hit by United Autosports’ #22. DragonSpeed’s #81 came in between the two above-mentioned cars, in seventh place in the Pro Am class.
DKR Engineering’s ORECA 07 is eleventh overall and eighth in Pro Am.
IDEC Sport’s #28 ORECA 07, United Autosports’ #22 (which suffered a drive-through penalty following its collision with the #47) and Duqueine Team’s #30 were the last cars to finish, having seen their hopes of a good result dashed at the very first corner.
There were also three retirements: the #99 from Proton Competition due to mechanical problems, and the #24 from Nielsen Racing and #43 from Inter Europol Competition following impressive exits which fortunately had no serious consequences for the drivers.
The teams now have a date with Portimão on October 20, when all the titles will be up for grabs in the last two races of the season.