ELMS Mugello: Iron Lynx-Proton Secures First LMP2 Victory at 4 Hours of Mugello

The LMGT3 category saw the #57 Kessel Racing Ferrari, piloted by Takeshi Kimura, Esteban Masson, and Daniel Serra, win their second consecutive race, narrowly defeating the #97 Grid Motorsport Aston Martin. This result gives Kessel Racing a slim two-point lead in the championship standings, setting up a thrilling finale in Portugal.

The 4 Hours of Mugello, held under clear blue skies and warm conditions, saw intense battles across all categories as the European Le Mans Series delivered a thrilling penultimate race of the season. The 43-car grid launched into action without incident as the race began, setting the stage for a day filled with lead changes, strategic pit stops, and dramatic crashes.

In LMP2, Clement Novalak in the #34 Inter Europol Competition Oreca stole the early spotlight. Starting from 4th, he skillfully passed Panis Racing’s Manuel Maldonado and then the leading #9 Iron Lynx-Proton of Jonas Ried, claiming the top spot by lap 6. Novalak would go on to build a solid five-second lead over Ried. Behind them, Manuel Maldonado kept the pressure on, securing a close third for much of the race.

The LMP2 Pro/Am category saw John Falb’s #24 Nielsen Racing Oreca jump ahead of its competitors at the start, only to face a setback when Colin Noble, taking over from Falb, suffered a puncture that dropped the car down the standings. The LMP2 Pro/Am win ultimately went to the #29 Richard Mille by TDS Oreca, followed by Algarve Pro Racing and Proton Competition.

In the LMP3 class, Miguel Cristovao started strong in the #17 COOL Racing Ligier, defending his pole position early. However, his luck ran out after contact with the #43 Inter Europol Competition Ligier, sending Cristovao off-track. Later, a collision with the #8 Team Virage Ligier further set back COOL Racing’s day, leaving the #8 Team Virage Ligier, driven by Gillian Henrion, to claim the class victory.

Meanwhile, the LMGT3 category saw action-packed duels, with Sarah Bovy initially leading in the #85 Iron Dames Porsche before being forced into an emergency pitstop due to fuel issues during a Safety Car period. This allowed the #57 Kessel Racing Ferrari, driven by Daniel Serra, to storm to the front in the final minutes, securing victory ahead of the #97 Grid Motorsport by TF Aston Martin.

The 4-hour endurance race was interrupted by several incidents, most notably when the #60 Proton Competition Porsche, driven by Claudio Schiavoni, hit the barriers on the start-finish straight after contact with the Iron Dames Porsche. Schiavoni fortunately walked away unscathed from the badly damaged car. The race was red-flagged for a lengthy cleanup before it resumed under green flag conditions.

As the clock wound down, the #9 Iron Lynx-Proton Oreca, piloted by Maceo Capietto, fended off challenges to secure the overall victory. The #25 Algarve Pro Racing and #34 Inter Europol Competition completed the podium, with Capietto’s performance putting Iron Lynx-Proton in strong contention for the championship title.

With the 2024 ELMS season nearing its conclusion, the championship battles in all categories remain wide open. In the LMP2 class, the #14 AO by TF leads the standings, while in the LMP2 Pro/Am category, the #83 AF Corse still holds the top spot, though Richard Mille by TDS and Algarve Pro Racing are close behind.

In LMGT3, nine cars remain mathematically capable of winning the title in the final round, ensuring a nail-biting conclusion to the season at Portimão.

As the ELMS heads into its final race, the 4 Hours of Portimão on October 19th, all eyes will be on the top contenders in each class as they vie for the coveted championship titles.

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