Inter Europol Competition successfully defends crown at the 2026 24 Hours of Le Mans

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14 June 2026 - 0 views

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For the third time in the team’s history, Inter Europol Competition has claimed the top step on the podium at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. The #43 ORECA 07 shared by Tom Dillmann, Nicholas Yelloly and Jakub Smiechowski has clinched its second win in a row at the iconic race. The Polish outfit delivered a flawless performance to earn a stunning one-two at the main event of the FIA WEC season.

This victory also marks a historic milestone for ORECA: created in 2017, the ORECA 07 has secured its 10th consecutive win at Le Mans, preserving its undefeated status in the LMP2 category.

The 94th 24 Hours of Le Mans unfolded in two distinct phases. Strategy dominated at first, but then in-race happenings and on-track battles threw the final hours into uncertainty.

Proving more consistent than its rivals, Inter Europol Competition’s #43 ORECA 07 gave the team the edge this year to score a one-two with its sister car, the #343 ORECA 07. The podium was rounded out by Forestier Racing by Panis.

Inter Europol Competition

The Polish outfit’s first win came in 2023 and its second in 2025. Now the 2026 running of the race has destined the team for the record books. Inter Europol Competition has won three of the last four editions of the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

This year, The #43 ORECA 07 entrusted to Tom Dillmann, Nicholas Yelloly and Jakub Smiechowski has kept its trophy. The defending champion trio kept a low profile during race week before emerging on the front lines during the race this weekend. Impeccable on the track, perfect in pit lane and spared major troubles, the #43 built its victory lap by lap, securing its second win in a row at Le Mans.

The team even pulled off an outstanding one-two with its second ORECA 07, the #343 driven by Bijoy Garg, Reshad de Gérus and Nico Müller, after expertly managing traffic during the race.

Forestier Racing by Panis

A key player throughout race week, the #29 ORECA 07 fielded by Forestier Racing by Panis finished the 94th 24 Hours on the podium. Drivers Louis Rousset, Esteban Masson and Oliver Gray pushed hard all the way to the end in an attempt to turn the tide, but ultimately settled for what is still an excellent result.

Vector Sport

Like Inter Europol Competition, Vector Sport kept its head down up until the start of the race on Saturday. Then the #26 ORECA 07 of Ryan Cullen, Pietro Fittipaldi and Vladislav Lomko showed off its top speed, finishing fourth.

CLX Motorsport

With the youngest driver line-up in the race’s history, CLX Motorsport’s #37 ORECA 07 made it to the chequered flag, team manager Nicolas Lapierre’s primary goal. At just 19 years of age, Adrien Closmenil, Ian Aguilera and Théodor Jensen clinched a spot in the top 5. The three rookies truly impressed everyone with their maturity and traffic management skills.

Pro-Am

CrowdStrike Racing by APR’s #4 ORECA 07 reached the top step on the LMP2 Pro-Am podium. George Kurtz, Alexander Quinn and Laurin Heinrich added their names to the 24 Hours of Le Mans hall of fame. On the heels of clocking the pole thanks to a superb lap by the German driver in Hyperpole 2, the crew executed its marching orders to perfection and earned the win.

Finishing fourth last year, AF Corse’s #183 ORECA 07 shared by François Perrodo, Matthieu Vaxivière and Ben Barnicoat moved up two spots this time, and the top 3 was completed by AO by TF’s #99 ORECA 07 driven by 2025 LMP2 Pro-Am winners PJ Hyett, James Allen and Dane Cameron.

Algarve Pro Racing nearly succeeded in placing two cars on the podium, but the #25 ORECA 07 of Enzo Trulli, Michael Jensen and Jake Hughes crossed the finish line fourth. TDS Racing’s #14 ORECA 07 driven by Tobias Lutke, Kevin Estre and Mathias Beche ended in fifth.

Top 10

Pole-sitter IDEC SPORT Racing’s #28 ORECA 07 rounded out the top 6. Trailing the Pro-Am winner, the United Autosports team’s #22 ORECA 07 (winner in 2024) finished eighth. All three cars on the Pro-Am podium finished in the top 10.

Retirement

A contender for the overall victory, Duqueine Team’s #30 ORECA 07 threw in the towel less than four hours from the chequered flag. Doriane Pin, Julien Andlauer and Richard Verschoor gave a stunning showing, even leading the race for several hours.

Hypercar

Alpine Endurance Team secured its best result so far in the Hypercar category. Performing well particularly in the second half of the race, the #35 crossed the finish line in sixth place. Ferdinand Habsburg, Antonio Félix da Costa and Charles Milesi turned in a flawless race. Like last year, the French constructor placed both its cars in the top 10. The #36 of Jules Gounon, Frédéric Makowiecki and rookie Victor Martins finished 10th.

Genesis Magma Racing reached its main objective of making it to the chequered flag at the greatest endurance race in the world. The #19 GMR-001 shared by Mathieu Jaminet, Paul-Loup Chatin and Daniel Juncadella ended the race in 13th place. Its #17 sister car driven by Mathys Jaubert, André Lotterer and Luis Felipe Derani was forced to retire with suspension complications.

LMGT3

The most successful representative of the Ferrari 296 LMGT3 Evos built in ORECA’s workshops was the #21 Vista AF Corse. François Hériau, Simon Mann and Alessio Rovera finished fifth. Richard Mille AF Corse’s #150 took eighth and Kessel Racing’s #74 and #57 rounded out the top 10.

Due to contact made by another competitor, the #54 Vista AF Corse driven by Thomas Flohr, Francesco Castellacci and Davide Rigon was forced to retire shortly after nightfall.