United Autosports secured a long-awaited return to the top step in the European Le Mans Series, taking victory in the 4 Hours of Le Castellet after a measured and controlled drive across the full race distance.
For much of the race, the fight at the front of LMP2 remained tight, but when it mattered, United Autosports delivered. Griffin Peebles, Grégoire Saucy and Ben Hanley combined pace with clean execution, putting themselves in position for the closing stages before Hanley took over for the final stint. From there, it was about control rather than risk, bringing the car home nearly nine seconds clear of the field to secure the team’s first LMP2 win in almost three years.
Behind them, Inter Europol Competition continued their strong form, with Reshad De Gerus guiding the no34 Oreca to second place after a consistent run. IDEC Sport completed the podium in front of a home crowd, with Paul-Loup Chatin delivering a solid result in the no28 entry. As has become typical in ELMS, the margins were small, and the order only really settled in the final stages.
In LMP2 Pro/Am, the result was shaped as much by penalties as performance. The no83 AF Corse car crossed the line first but was handed a drive through penalty, dropping it down the order and opening the door for Nielsen Racing. Alex Quinn took full advantage, bringing the no27 Oreca-Gibson home for the win alongside Kriton Lentoudis and James Allen. AO by TF and Duqueine Team completed the podium, both benefiting from the late reshuffle.
The LMP3 race turned on a single moment. DKR Engineering looked set to take the win, leading comfortably before an issue with the cockpit door forced Wyatt Brichacek into the pits. It was a small problem with a big consequence, dropping the car out of contention. Inter Europol Competition capitalised immediately, with Alex Bukhantsov, Chun Ting Chou and Henry Cubides Olarte taking the class victory, while M Racing followed them home and DKR recovered to finish third.
LMGT3 delivered one of the drives of the race in the closing stages. Mathys Jaubert pushed hard in the final stint, chasing down and passing Charlie Eastwood to take control of the class. Once ahead, the no57 Kessel Racing Ferrari had the pace to break clear, eventually winning by over 17 seconds. Takeshi Kimura and Daniel Serra completed the line-up for a well-earned result. TF Sport held on for second, while GR Racing moved into third after a post-race penalty dropped the Spirit of Race Ferrari down the order.
Le Castellet once again showed how these races are often decided by small details. A penalty, a technical issue, or a well-timed stint can change everything. Across all classes, the level of competition remained high, with no clear dominance and plenty of movement through the field.
Attention now turns to Imola on 5 July, but before that, many of these teams will head to Le Mans, where the next step in the endurance ladder awaits. You can find our ELMS coverage HERE.