WEC and IMSA have already kicked off their seasons, and now it’s the turn of the European Le Mans Series to open its account for 2025. New machinery is here in the form of the third generation LMP3 cars, and there’s also new LMGT3 representation thanks to TF Sport with their Corvette. But who will take the honours in Barcelona?

LMGT3 pitstops opened the hour’s frenetic action with Celia Martin extending her stint and gaining time because of it, while LMP3’s lead battle continued to be fought by WTM, Ultimate and CLX all within roughly a second of each other. The #8 Virage LMP3 suffered yet more trouble, smoking violently from the rear while travelling at a snail’s pace thanks to a puncture it had picked up on the car’s outlap. Also in for issues was the #43 LMP2 of Inter Europol with electrical issues, the car never starting back up after refueling at its pitstop. Another penalty would also go the way of the #74 Kessel Racing, who received a drive through for track limits abuse.

Meanwhile, VDS Panis’s #48 machine continued to lead comfortably at the front ahead of still the #25 Algarve Pro Racing and Duqueine’s #30. 

The hour came with drama, as at turn three JMW Motorsports’ #66 ran spun out at speed and became beached in the gravel, bringing out a two lap VSC before the Safety Car proper was brought out, though the team would get their car back in the race.

On the restart CLX’s #47 now led overall with the #3 of DKR still in hot pursuit ahead of Inter Europol, Duqueine and IDEC Sport. LMP3 was now in the hands of Ultimate’s #35 with LMGT3 still being lead by Iron Dames ahead of Iron Lynx. 

And that’s how it stayed going into the third hour, there’s still a long way to go but who will position themselves well going into the final hour?

thumbnail credit – United Autosports, CC BY-SA 2.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0, via Wikimedia Commons