G-Drive Win at Portimao – United Secure 1-2 In Championship – Short Report
The #26 G-Drive Racing squad of Roman Rusinov, Mikkel Jensen and Nyck de Vries took the race win at the 4 Hours of Portimao leading home the a fine effort from Duqueine Engineering and the two United Autosports Orecas that battled away between themselves for much the race.
It was the first ELMS race wins for both de Vries and Jensen with the veteran campaigner Rusinov scoring his first ELMS win since Barcelona in 2019.
At the flag the Duqueine Engineering Oreca came home second after leading more than once, Tristan Gommendy bringing the #30 car home that he shares with Konstantin Tereschencko and Jonathan Hirschi
The Championship winning #22 Oreca of Philip Hanson and Filipe Albuquerque’s finished third missing out on the ELMS points scoring record by a single point but doing so in a 5 race (rather than 6 race) Series!
Will Owen (who led in the opening stages), Alex Brundle and Job van Uitert finished fourth to secure second place in the Championship and a second auto entry for the 2021 Le Mans 24 Hours for the United Autosports team.
LMP3 saw United Autosports secure a dream season with the #2 Ligier JS P320 taking the race and Championship win for Wayne Boyd, Tom Gamble and Rob Wheldon, a third auto entry via the ELMS (plus another for the Le Mans 24 Hours win, now in the bag for United. This the third ELMS LMP3 title for United after wins in 2016 and 2017.
RealTeam Racing would come home second in the #8 Ligier with the #13 Inter Europol Ligier completing the podium and finishing second again in the points chase (for the third consecutive season!)
GTE meanwhile saw real drama with the #77 Proton Porsche of Christian Ried, Alessio Picariello and Michele Beretta taking the race and Championship win ahead of the Championship-challenging #74 Kessel Ferrari
The Championship goes to the Porsche squad by the most extraordinary of determinants – Both the top finishers in the points scored two wins apiece, and two second places – plus a fourth apiece too (in points – the #77 finished 6th on the road at Spa but two cars ahead were guesting and non-scoring WEC guests cars.
The Championship on count back is therefore tied – and the win goes to the team that won first – Proton, in the opening round of the Championship take the crown and the auto entry!
Kessel will have the consolation of an auto entry for Le Mans for the second place in the GTE Championship.
The #60 Iron Lynx Ferrari grabbed the final podium slot on the final lap of the race but was repassed by Duncan Cameron in the #55 Spirit of Race Ferrari as the Iron Lynx car slowed.
More to follow
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