ELMS

QUALIFYING: Nielsen Racing Secures Debut ELMS LMP2 Pole in Belgium

European Le Mans Series

23 Aug. 2025 • 15:18

Ferdinand Habsburg secured his first ELMS pole, and the first overall ELMS pole for Nielsen Racing with his fastest lap coming at the chequered flag. Qualifying for the 4 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps took place on a wet track, but by the time the LMP2 session got underway it was starting to dry out.

Gregoire Saucy in the no22 United Autosports Oreca set the early place but was being challenged by Habsburg in the no24 Oreca-Gibson, the Austrian going into provisional pole on his second lap only to be bettered by Matteo Cairoli in the no9 Iron Lynx Proton 30 seconds later.

This was the theme for the rest of the session with Habsburg and Cairoli swapping times until the last lap when the no24 Oreca went back into provisional pole with a 2m15.532 and Cairoli failed to improve.

At the chequered flag Ferdinand Habsburg went even quicker with a 2m14.972, 0.217s ahead of Matteo Cairoli, with championship leader Charles Milesi posting his best lap to finish the session in 3rd for VDS Panis Racing, just ahead of Theo Pourchaire in the no25 Algarve Pro Racing.

LMP2 Pro/Am: Roda Takes Third Pole of 2025 Season

The no77 Proton Competition Oreca will start the 4 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps from pole after Giorgio Roda took his third championship point for qualifying from four attempts in 2025.

The wet conditions proved to difficult but Roda was revelling in the conditions. The Italian immediately went to the top of the timing screens after his first lap, over five seconds ahead of the rest of the field, which was headed by the no3 DKR Engineering of Georgios Kolovos.

The no99 AO by TF Oreca started to challenge the lead car with PJ Hyett moving up to second with a 2m23.096 lap but Roda responded with a 2m19.636. Hyett also improved but was still 1.6 second behind.

At the chequered flag it was Roda from Hyett, with Kolovos heading row 2 with the no29 TDS Racing of Rodrigo Sales in 4th.

LMP3: CLX Motorsport Keeps 100% Record with Fourth Pole of 2025

Theo Jensen secured his second ELMS pole and the team’s fourth, with a dominant performance in the wet conditions.

The Dane set the early pace but was soon challenged for the top spot by Ian Aguilera in the no11 Eurointernational Ligier, Wyatt Brichacek in the no4 DKR Engineering Ginetta and Griffin Peebles in the no12 WTM by Rinaldi Racing Duqueine.

Peebles posted a 2m27.528 but was soon displaced by Brichacek with a 2m27.304 and then Aguilera went top with a 2m26.971.

However, with less than five minutes on the clock Jensen put in a 2m26.054, which put him nearly a second ahead of the rest of the field. Griffin Peebles responded with a 2m26.801 but at the chequered flag the no17 Ligier was 0.747 ahead of the no12 Duqueine, with Eurointernational in third and DKR Engineering in 4th.

LMGT3: Berry Revels in Wet Conditions to Claim Third Pole of Season for Iron Lynx

The no63 Iron Lynx Mercedes-AMG will head the LMGT3 field for tomorrow’s 4 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps, with Martin Berry leaving until to the very end of the session to claim his third pole of the season.

Clement Mateu in the no59 Racing Spirit of Leman Aston Martin Vantage was the early pace setter in the very wet conditions out on track. The French driver faced several challenges from the two Kessel Racing Ferraris, Takeshi Kimura in the no57 and Andrew Gilbert in the no74.Kimura took pole briefly before Mateu claimed it back on the next lap.

Duncan Cameron in the championship leading no55 Spirit of Race Ferrari also made a bid for the top spot, as did Celia Martin in the no85 Iron Dames and Antares Au in the no60 Proton Competition Porsches.

However, it was Martin Berry who bided his time in the no63 Iron Lynx Mercedes-AMG, moving briefly into second before posting a 2m37.115s at the chequered flag to leap frog his competitors. Duncan Cameron will join him on the front row as the British driver crossed the line in 2m37.703 to push Clement Mateu onto row 2, with Antares Au claiming fourth ahead of Celia Martin and Andrew Gilbert.

The 4 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps is due to get underway at 13h00 CEST tomorrow.

Results are HERE