Silverstone
2023 ELMS Champions Algarve Pro Racing became the fourth different overall winner in 2026, with the Portuguese securing their first ELMS LMP2 victory in three years. Matthias Kaiser, Jake Hughes and Ben Barnicoat stood on the top step of the podium following the Goodyear 4-hours of Silverstone. Heavy rain fell at the halfway point that had all the teams reevaluating their strategy and providing a thrilling final part of the race.
The no14 TDS Racing Oreca took the LMP2 Pro/Am victory from pole position, the fifth different winners in five races and Scott Huffaker taking the chequered flag in second place overall, despite an earlier incident that saw his teammate Sami Meguetounif stop at the side of the track with a technical issue. Pole sitter Steven Thomas joined his teammates on the top step of the class podium.
The LMP3 class saw the debut ELMS victory for reigning MLMC Champions R-ace GP, with Fabien Michal, Pierre-Alexandre Provost and Hugo Schwarze finishing ahead of the championship leading no17 CLX Motorsport Ligier, closing the gap in the championship race to just 9-points ahead of the final race of the season in Portugal next month.
There was another couple of firsts in the LMGT3 class, with Abdulla Ali Al-Khelaifi becoming the first driver from Qatar to win in the ELMS and it was also the first ELMS LMGT3 victory for Mercedes-AMG. Ralf Aron handed over to Julien Hanses, who took the chequered flag in the no62 Team Qatar by Iron Lynx Mercedes-AMG, finishing less than 3 seconds ahead of Charlie Eastwood in the no33 TF Sport Corvette, moving Team Qatar by Iron Lynx into the championship lead by just 3 points ahead of TF Sport ahead of the season finale in Portimao.
After overnight rain the track was damp but with a dry racing line. However, the teams had one eye on the weather screens as rain had been forecasted for later in the afternoon.
Kuba Smiechowski led the 46-car field into Copse for the first time in the pole sitting no43 Inter Europol Competition but Theodor Jensen in the no37 CLX Motorsport Oreca was challenging the Polish driver, sweeping past at Abbey on lap one to take the lead. The Dane then started to pull away from the chasing pack as Matthias Kaiser also overtook Smiechowski in the no25 APR Oreca before the end of the lap.
The no18 IDEC Sport Oreca of Jamie Chadwick spun off at Maggots right in front of the no10 Vector Sport Oreca of Ryan Cullen, dropping both cars down the order.
In LMP2 Pro/Am the no47 CLX Oreca of Georgios Kolovos moved into the class lead ahead of Steven Thomas in the no14 TDS Racing Oreca, but Thomas fought back and regained the lead for a few corners before Kolovos made another move and this time made it stick.
Griffin Peebles was making up places from 8th on the grid in the no22 United Autosports and was soon challenging for Kaiser for second place. The Australian then got ahead at Stowe and then set off to try and close the gap to Jensen. However, in his haste, Peebles collided with the no35 Ultimate Ligier as he was trying to pass and he was given a Drive Through Penalty for causing a collision.
In LMP3 Paul Lanchere was leading in the no17 CLX Motorsport Ligier but was facing a challenge from Matt Bell in the no11 Eurointernational, the British driver getting ahead on the inside at The Loop.
Abdulla Ali Al-Khelaifi was leading in the no62 Mercedes-AMG but Blake McDonald in the no33 Corvette got ahead on the opening lap. The two cars were pulling away from the rest of the field, with McDonald opening up a four second gap in the first 30-minutes of the race. Championship leader Matt Kurzejewski was making a move up the order in the no75 Porsche, the American up to third in the first hour.
Rain started to fall at the start of the second hour of the race. Nick Yelloly had taken over the no43 Oreca from Kuba Smiechowski, but the British driver suddenly came to a halt as the rear left wheel detached. He was forced to crawl back to the pits for a new wheel, but when he rejoined it was obvious there was a more serious issue and the no43 Oreca had to go in the garage.
After a short Full Course Yellow (FCY) to recover the wheel and other debris, the race resumed however the no29 Forestier Racing by Panis Oreca of Oliver Gray went off into the gravel at Brooklands as it started to rain harder.
A Virtual Safety Car (VSC) was then deployed as the no74 Kessel Racing Ferrari of Andrew Gilbert spun into the path of the no63 Iron Lynx Mercedes-AMG of Ameerh Naran, the resulting collision causing serious damage that stranded both cars next to the track. Both drivers got out unaided, but the race had to be neutralised to recover the cars.
The VSC allowed for the teams to come in for pitstops but some decided to fit slicks. This was the wrong decision as the rain continued to fall, and they had to come back in for wets, including the race leading no37 CLX Motorsport Oreca, which dropped down the order. After the Safety Car period, which lasted for nearly 25-minutes, the race went back to green.
The no24 Nielsen Racing Oreca was now leading wit Edward Pearson at the wheel, with Jake Hughes in the no25 Algarve Pro Racing Oreca 12 seconds behind. Sami Meguetounif was leading the LMP2 Pro/Am category in the no14 TDS Racing, 2 seconds ahead of Dane Cameron in the no99 AO by TF. Alexander Jacoby was leading LMP3 in the no17 CLX Motorsport from Pierre-Alexandre Provost in the no85 R-ace GP, while Richard Lietz was leading LMGT3 in the no75 Proton Competition Porsche but was struggling for grip and was soon caught and passes by the no33 Corvette of Alec Udell.
The no25 APR Oreca was given a 10 second penalty to be added to the next pitstop for causing a collision with the no23 United Autosports McLaren earlier in the race, which Hughes duly served and got back out in 5th overall
Jacoby went off the road in the no17 Ligier and quickly rejoined, but not before he was passed by Provost in the no85 R-ace GP Duqueine for the lead.
The LMGT3 lead battle was hotting up with the no33 TF Sport Corvette coming under pressure from the no62 Mercedes-AMG with Ralf Aron at the wheel, with Estonian driver moving into the lead at Aintree corner.
Another Full Course Yellow was caused by the no18 IDEC Sport Oreca going off into the gravel at Stowe.
At the restart the no24 Nielsen Racing Oreca of Edward Pearson came under pressure from the no14 TDS Racing of Sami Meguetounif, the French driver moving into the overall lead, with the no83 AF Corse of Antonio Fuoco moving up to second overall.
Another FCY was declared at the end of the third hour when the no59 Racing Spirit of Leman went off into the gravel at Stowe in the tricky conditions. As the cars circulated the no14 Oreca slowed from the lead of the race, with Meguetounif recycling the power to get the car going again. He pitted as soon as the race went to green.
The final hour of the race saw the overall lead change several times, with the no21 United Autosports Oreca of Marino Sato getting ahead of the no7 Vector Sport before being pushed back to second by Ben Barnicoat in the no25 APR Oreca.
The LMGT3 class was led by the no57 Kessel Racing Ferrari of Mathys Jaubert, with the no62 Mercedes-AMG of Julien Hanses and the no33 TF Sport Corvette of Charlie Eastwood right behind. Jaubert ran wide at Luffield and went back to third as the two cars went past. Hanses and Eastwood then traded places for several laps, with Hanses finally getting the upperhand as the chequered flag approached. Jaubert lost another place as the no77 Proton Competition Porsche of Harry King went ahead on the last lap to claim the final podium position.
The LMP3 win went to the no85 R-ace GP as Hugo Schwarze managed his tyres in the tricky conditions and crossed the line 14 seconds ahead of the no17 CLX Motorsport Ligier and a lap ahead of the third placed no13 Inter Europol Competition Ligier.
The no14 TDS Racing Oreca secured the victory in LMP2 Pro/Am in second place overall, Scott Huffaker crossing the line 8 seconds ahead of Marino Sato in the no21 United Autosports, with the no19 Rossa Racing by Virage Oreca claiming the final podium spot in 5th overall.
Ben Barnicoat took the chequered flag 18 seconds ahead of the TDS Racing Oreca and nearly 30 seconds ahead of the second placed LMP2 car, the no28 IDEC Sport Oreca, which finished in 4th place overall. The no22 United Autosports Oreca took the final class podium spot in 6th overall at the end of the dramatic race.
All four ELMS titles are still up for grabs in the final race of the 2026 season, the 4 Hours of Portimao on Saturday 10 October.
CLICK HERE for the provisional result from the Goodyear 4 Hours of Silverstone
CLICK HERE for the provisonal championship positions after Round 5 of the 2026 European Le Mans Series.
