Dramatic end to 2024 season in Portimao

The 4 Hours of Portimao saw drama and excitement all the way from the start to the chequered flag with all of the 2024 titles going down to the wire, with two championships decided by a change on the final lap of the race.

Three Safety Car periods and three Full Course Yellows also kept the competitors on their toes, with strategies being changed at a moment’s notice.

LMP2

The LMP2 title was going to be decided by three teams – AO by TF, Inter Europol Competition and Panis Racing, with AO by TF holding the advantage of 6 points going into the final race.

The race saw several teams making a bid to take the final win of the season and it was the no37 COOL Racing Oreca that eventually came out on top, Malthe Jakobsen taking the chequered flag to secure the second win of the year for himself, the team and his teammates Lorenzo Fluxá and Ritomo Miyata.

The no14 AO by TF Oreca of Louis Delétraz finished second to secure the LMP2 title for the third time for himself, the second time for Robert Kubica and the first time for Jonny Edgar in his ELMS debut year and the AO by TF team.

The no43 Inter Europol Competition Oreca finished in 4th at the end of the four-hour race, with Tom Dillmann crossing the line 4 seconds behind the winning car. However, there was massive disappointment at the team when a 10 second pitstop penalty was issued early in the race, which the team served straight away, only for the penalty to be cancelled after it had been served. The Polish team could only contemplate what could’ve been as the win in Portugal would’ve secured the championship.

LMP2 Pro/Am

The LMP2 Pro/Am race was won by the no77 Proton Competition Oreca after Giorgio Roda secured the pole position for the fifth time in 2024 the day before.A strong battle between the title contenders – AF Corse, Richard Mille by TDS, Algarve Pro Racing and Proton Competition – took place for the entire four hours of the race.

However, it was the final few laps that had everyone on their seats. The no20 Algarve Pro Racing Oreca of Alex Quinn was leading the class by not coming in for a last-minute splash and dash for fuel unlike his rivals. The British driver was trying every trick to save fuel as the chequered flag approached as he knew that the victory in Portugal would secure the championship title.

But it wasn’t to be as Bent Viscaal in the Proton Competition Oreca caught and passed Quinn to take the win by just 0.995 seconds. The victory for Proton Competition meant the 4th placed no83 AF Corse Oreca, with Matthieu Vaxiviere at the wheel, secured the 2024 titles by just two points for Francois Perrodo, Matthieu Vaxiviere and Alessio Rovera.

LMP3

The LMP3 title race was between three cars – no11 Eurointernational, no8 Team Virage and no15 RLR MSport, with just 2-points splitting the three teams.

The race for the title was also decided on the final few laps. The no17 COOL Racing Ligier of Portuguese drivers Miguel Cristóvão and Manuel Espirito Santo made the most of their pole position to lead the race in the final laps and secure their first victory of the 2024 season.

It was the drama behind that had everyone on the edge of their seats. Adam Ali in the no11 Eurointernational Ligier was in second place and on course to take the title. The no8 Team Virage Ligier of Gillian Henrion was keeping in touch with Ali but a clash with the no88 Inter Europol Competition Ligier of Pedro Perino dropped the no8 Ligier down to 6th and out of contention.

However, Ali faced another danger as the no15 RLR MSport Ligier of Gaël Julien was coming up through the field. With less than 15-minutes on the clock Julien caught the Canadian and at T14 he swept by the no11 Ligier to take second place.At the chequered flag the no17 COOL Racing Ligier was 10 seconds ahead of the RLR MSPort Ligier, with Eurointernational securing the final podium place.

Michael Jensen, Nick Adcock and Gaël Julien celebrated their 2024 LMP3 European titles on the podium.

LMGT3

The LMGT3 title was being decided by no less than eight teams after qualifying. The no85 Iron Dames Porsche led from pole, with Sarah Bovy handing over to Rahel Frey and then Michelle Gatting.

The calculations for the title were further complication when the championship leading cars – the no57 Kessel Racing Ferrari and the no59 Racing Spirit of Leman Aston Martin hit problems early in the race and were languishing towards the back of the field in 8th and 9th places.

As the race entered the final stages the no85 Iron Dames Porsche had the no63 Iron Lynx Lamborghini of Andrea Calderelli pushing them hard.In the meantime Daniel Serra had pushed the no57 Kessel Racing Ferrari up the order to 5th, which meant they would take the championship on countback if Michelle Gatting crossed the line in first place. However Serra needed to finish in 4thplace if the Iron Lynx Lamborghini won the race.

As the race entered the final lap the Lamborghini was right behind the leading Porsche, with Calderelli looking to force a mistake from Gatting. Gatting soaked up the pressure but at T14 on the run through the final corner Caldarelli pounced and got alongside the Porsche to take the lead and take the chequered flag.

This meant the no63 Iron Lynx Lamborghini Huracan crew of Hiroshi Hamaguchi, Axcil Jefferies and Andrea Caldarelli were the first ever LMGT3 ELMS Champions by just two points, securing the second title for Iron Lynx and the first ELMS win for Lamborghini.

The 2024 European Le Mans Series has now come to an end, with the 2025 season beginning in Barcelona in April 2025.