Each season of the ELMS brings about an important question: Of those making the important step up to LMP2 competition each year, just who will prove the quickest and set themselves up for a great first season in the top class of European prototype racing. LMP2 is of course a widely used class across the world and a good first impression can lead to big things. Keeping this in mind, I decided to follow along the seven drivers making their first LMP2 starts on Sunday’s ELMS season opener. Here’s how they got on.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Griffin Peebles: United Autosports #22<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n There are two words to describe this on track sensation: Expectations exceeded. Storming through to the lead in his opening stint and showing exceptional pace against far more experienced LMP2 drivers including Jakob ‘Kuba’ Schmiechowski and Bijoy Garg. to lead by over 16 seconds at one point before handing over to Gregoire Saucy in one of the best individual stints we’ve seen in some time in LMP2. That he’s a complete rookie to the class makes it even more remarkable. United Autosports have a serious talent on their hands it seems. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Ian Aguilera: CLX Racing #37<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Like Peebles, he came up through the LMP3 pathway and further proof it works a charm in Europe. He may not have lit up the field in the same way as the Australian, but a fine opening stint saw him comfortably outpace most of LMP2 class, and help his team climb to second overall with a great move to pass Bijoy Garg being the highlight of his strong shift. Also like Peebles, I’ll be following the young Mexican closely and I’m confident of a good career being ahead of him. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Rik Koen: Rossa Racing by Virage #19 <\/p>\n\n\n\n Making the move up from LMP3 to the Rossa Racing outfit, Koen’s first taste of LMP2 action came under a brief safety car period during the second hour. However this was soon lifted, which eventually saw the 21-year-old Dutchman running in the low 1.34sec margins initially and impressively keeping United Autosport\u2019s Ollie Jarvis behind and at a steady gap for a good while, before relinquishing the position and soon the #19 car to Manuel Esposito Santo. Holding back Jarvis proved the strongest part of his relatively shorter stint compared to his teammates, but there’s some real potential in this young dutchman if he can impress again later in the season. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Jake Hughes: Algarve Pro Racing #25<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n The ex-Formula E and F2 man made not only his LMP2 but his prototype debut for Algarve Pro Racing, with an experienced pair of Tristan Vautier and Matthias Kaiser to guide him through his first weekend. Taking over the car in third position, he stayed with Bijoy Garg and Gregoire Saucy showing good pace in his first laps. He grew in pace as the stint continued, but a botched overtake on Bijoy Garg left him way out wide and in the gravel trap and the car itself with a slow puncture. He was forced to bring the 25 into the car, dropping the team to 9th in class and 19th overall, but he did climb back up to 4th after the pit stops before handing the car over to Ben Hanley.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Marlon Hernandez DKR Engineering #3<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Having risen through the Porsche Carerra Cup ranks, a strong debut season in Ultimate Cup landed Marlon a debut LMP2 campaign with DKR Engineering. Running third in the Pro\/Am category at the start of his stint he was immediately thrown into a tight, five-way battle for the lead of the sub-class, though he fell back rather soon and stayed solidly in 5th for a while. Unfortunately he later spun, dropping him to 9th in class. Despite finding himself in cleaner air, Hernandez soon struggled to outpace his competition. Learning such a car will no doubt take time, and there’ll be further opportunties to improve throughout the season. It must be said, when the other rookies performed as well as Peebles and Aguilera, it’s a rather high bar to compete with.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Jack Doohan: Nielsen Racing #24<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Doohan\u2019s torrid time at Alpine is well documented, but he\u2019s now ready to put it behind him with a new start to life in prototypes with Nielsen Racing\u2019s #24. He entered the car with just under an hour and 20 minutes to go in 6th overall, and soon climbed to 4th and matching the pace of the top 3. Thanks to the varying pit strategy Doohan found himself running in the lead and as one of the fastest drivers in the field, holding it for some time ahead of Esteban Masson. When the final round of pit stops were completed Doohan found himself in a tense fight for second with 10 minutes to go, but a suspension failure cost the Australian and the team a podium. A great effort – and debut – ruined through no fault of their own. <\/p>\n\n\n\n