AF Corse PRO/AM win ELMS season opener in grandstand finish
- DIVEBOMB Endurance Team
- 1 day ago
- 7 min read
Written by Aaron Carroll and Benjamin Crundwell
The No.83 AF Corse PRO/AM LMP2 have won the 4 hours of Barcelona after a late safety car led to a two lap shootout where driver Matthieu Vaxivière went from fourth overall to the lead.
The European Le Mans Series (ELMS) got underway at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, with a 44 car grid consisting of LMP2s, LMP3s and LMGT3s taking the green flag at 12pm local time to start what was to be four hours of exciting racing.
Before that , each of the four classes took to the track on Saturday afternoon to set the grid for the race, as the No.30 Duqueine car took the LMP2 and overall pole position with a lap from 21-year old Reshad de Gerus.
Business resumed as normal for Giorgio Roda and the No.77 Proton crew in LMP2 PRO/AM, as the Italian driver picked up his 12th pole in his last 13 LMP2 races. The No.17 CLX (formerly Cool Racing) team took the pole in LMP3 and the No.63 Iron Lynx Mercedes took pole in the German manufacturer's first ELMS event.
The pole sitting No.30 led the field away; as the entire field got away cleanly, except the No.8 LMP3 who had to limp back to the pits on lap one, as they suffered a rear right puncture.
In LMP2 PRO/AM the No.3 DKR Engineering car had an electric start, up to fourth overall after 2 laps, the next LMP2 PRO/AM car down in 15th at the time. This start was brought to the attention of the stewards however, for overtaking off the track.
Laurents Hörr in the DKR car eventually made it up to second on the road, pulling away from the cars behind and closing down on the leader. Behind, the No.43 Inter Europol tried to fend off the No.9 Iron Lynx-Proton, but couldn't manage to keep Jonas Reed behind in the battle for third on the road.
Hörr soon took the lead with a move down the inside at turn one, but the stewards were investigating the No.3 for a start infringement. Meanwhile the No.43 Inter Europol continued falling down the order, ending up sixth.
Just over 20 minutes in, the No.9 Iron Lynx-Proton car took the LMP2 class lead from the No.30, with the DKR car five seconds up the road at that point. About 10 minutes later the No.28 IDEC Sport LMP2 had gone off at turn 10, but kept going with no major damage.
Just two laps later the No.31 would be tapped around at the same corner, but again continued on. Contact between the No.43 Inter Europol and No.24 Nielsen Racing LMP2s as they navigate LMGT3s, bodywork flying off the No.43.
With 40 minutes gone by, the No.3 leading car would receive a drive through penalty for jumping the start, and a second drive through for overtaking off the track at turn one on the first lap.
While LMP2 pit stops began, the No.23 McLaren LMGT3 had a spin at turn 12, coming back onto the track further down the order. During the pit stop, the No.9 Iron Lynx car had an issue, the team pulling the car into the garage with what seemed to be an electrical issue.
After the first stint, the No.48 VDS Panis car driven by Oliver Gray lead out of the pits, followed by the No.25 APR and No.30 Duqueine. Meanwhile there was a battle for the lead in LMP3 between the No.12 WTM and No.17 CLX cars after their first pit stops, where the No.12 tried to fend off the No.17, but eventually lost out.
Back in LMP2 PRO/AM the No.3 DKR car still led the class, despite serving both penalties. They were chased by the No.77 Proton car, driven by Roda. The No.85 Iron Dames led LMGT3 by eight seconds as they came to the end of their first stints.
After the first of four hours, track limit warnings had been coming in abundance, with the No.8 and No.31 cars already getting drive through penalties for track limits.
The No.8 Team Virage LMP3 had a spin at turn 9, to add to their earlier spin and penalty. Another puncture for them, this time on the rear left. The damage meant the team had to bring the car into the garage for extensive repairs.
The No.66 Ferrari LMGT3 had a spin off into the gravel at turn 3, causing the first virtual safety car (VSC) of the race. The marshalls managed to get the car out of the gravel trap and going again, albeit a long way off the back of the pack.
Many of the cars took the opportunity to come into the pits. The VSC worked out nicely for the LMP2s as they were due to pit regardless. The VSC then turned to a full safety car, with the No.47 CLX car leading, from the No.3 DKR car, who came back after two drive through penalties.
When we went back to green flag racing, there was plenty of battling in LMP2, with the class trying to sort through some lapped PRO/AM traffic. The No.47 led from the No.18 IDEC Sport car - an entry backed by Genesis Magma Racing - with just over two hours remaining.
With Georgios Kolovos, the bronze driver, at the wheel of the No.3 DKR Engineering car, they began to fall down the order, closer and closer to Dane Cameron in the No.99 AO Racing 'Spike the Dragon' car. All of the other LMP2 PRO/AM crews had used up their bronze drivers in the first stint, so they all chased the DKR car, now piloted by their bronze.
Cameron - reigning IMSA GTP champion - made quick work of Kolovos, to take the lead in class as the halfway mark approached.
Just before the halfway mark there was a high speed hit between the No.12 LMP3 and the No.34 Inter Europol, as the No.12 tried to enter the pit lane, only to find the LMP2 on its inside, sending the No.34 off into the gravel trap at high speed. However the No.34 of Jean-Baptiste Simmenauer got going again under it's own steam.
With an hour and forty minutes remaining, the No.59 Aston Martin had a spin at La Caixa. Although a popular place for cars to come together, Erwan Bastard spun by himself, dropping from sixth to ninth. Meanwhile, Lorcan Hanafin made an overtake for second place in LMGT3; meaning the top two was Iron Dames and Iron Lynx respectively.
Hanafin’s move for second came right after the No.48 VDS Panis Racing car overtook the No.18 IDEC Sport for second place overall, while Fittipaldi stretched his lead out to 14 seconds. The No.25 car, piloted by Lorenzo Fluxa, almost went three wide into the first turn, making a brave move on the United Autosports No.22 car.
The No.12 WTM LMP3 spun at the final corner with just over 80 minutes remaining, bringing out the second VSC of the race. Many cars across the four classes took this an opportunity to pit whilst the race is neutralised.
The No.47 CLX of Pipo Derani led the field away on the restart, with Mathys Jaubert in the No.18 IDEC Sport giving chase along with the No.48 VDS Panis and No.25 Algarve Pro Racing cars.
With one hour left to race, the No.63 Iron Lynx came into the pits for what seemed to be a routine pit stop, but went into the garage for repairs. It turned out the throttle was stuck as Hanafin brought the car in.
The No.18 IDEC Sport car went down the inside of the No.47 as Pipo Derani was held up by traffic, Jaubert led with just 50 minutes to go. Meanwhile the No.83 AF Corse in the lead of LMP2 PRO/AM and fourth overall was fighting the third placed No.48 VDS Panis, and pulled a switchback move into turn five.
The No.11 Euro International LMP3 had a mechanical failure with 45 minutes to go, stopping on the inside of turn four and bringing out the races first full course yellow (FCY).
After the green flags the No.83 AF Corse went up to second overall, past the No.47 and No.48 cars. Soon after the second placed LMP2 PRO/AM No.99 AO Racing car stopped for a mechanical failure, but Louis Deletraz was about to limp back to the pits.
No stoppage was required for 'Spike' so the race stayed green, with a battle for the overall lead raging between the No.18 IDEC Sport LMP2 leader and No.83 AF Corse LMP2 PRO/AM leader. The battle wasn't for class position but decided the overall order nonetheless.
Both cars would have to pit for a final time to top up with fuel before the end of the race, with the No.83 pitting first along with a few other LMP2s. There was also a battle for the lead in LMGT3 between the No.85 Iron Dames Porsche and the No.57 Kessel Racing Ferrari.
Meanwhile, the No.47 CLX LMP2 stopped on track for what looked to be an engine issue at turn 3. Just minutes later, the No.4 DKR Engineering LMP3 stopped on pit exit, causing a VSC with just 18 minutes remaining.
As they went back to green, none of the four classes were decided, the lead in each subject to change in the last handful of green flag laps.
Before the restart, the No.18 IDEC Sport led LMP2 and overall from the No.48 VDS Panis car. The No.83 AF Corse led LMP2 PRO/AM from fourth overall, with the No.17 CLX LMP3 leading that class. Finally the No.85 Iron Dames led LMGT3, with a two lap shootout after the safety car.
Jaubert in the No.18 streaked away from the green flag, putting a second between him and the No.48 in just the first sector. Meanwhile the No.83 AF Corse driven by Matthieu Vaxivière came from fourth and closed to gap to make a move for the lead on the final lap.
The PRO/AM car came home to win the first round of the ELMS championship overall, with the No.18 IDEC Sport winning in LMP2. The No.17 CLX car held on to win in LMP3, while the Iron Dames took victory in LMGT3.
Race Results - Top 5
1st No.83 AF Corse
2nd No.18 IDEC Sport
3rd No.48 VDS Panis
4th No.10 Vector Sport
5th No.37 CLX Racing
amazing