12 October 2026 – The European Le Mans Series finale did not go as hoped for the Vendée-based team. Whilst the #85 Duqueine D09 was battling for the LMP3 title in Portimão, an incident in the pit lane dashed the hopes of victory for the trio of Provost, Schwarze and Michal. R-ace GP finished third in the LMP3 championship. Whilst a frustrating result, it was also encouraging for a debut season in the ELMS.
Free Practice
It was a shy start on Thursday morning, with 7th place in Free Practice 1. In the afternoon, performance improved: driven by Fabien Michal, the #85 car finished third in the Bronze Practice session.
This positive momentum continued the following day during Free Practice 2. The trio of Provost/Schwarze/Michal finished second in the LMP3 class.
Qualifying
In qualifying, Pierre-Alexandre Provost secured fourth place on the starting grid for the #85 car.
Race
The 4 Hours of Portimão got underway at midday on Saturday. Fabien Michal got off to a good start and set a strong pace early in the race. The #85 was battling it out in the top three.
But the race took a dramatic turn during a pit stop: moments after setting off again, Fabien Michal got hit by a rival, causing significant damage to the front of the car.
The #85 was forced to return to the pits on the very next lap. Just a few seconds later, the team’s LMP3 found itself stuck at a red light at the exit of the pit lane, due to the safety car being on the track.
This series of events caused it to lose a lap to its rivals and jeopardised the rest of the race.
Despite every effort by Pierre-Alexandre Provost and Hugo Schwarze to climb back up the order, the #85 finished last in its class.
“In terms of performance, we struggled all week to find the right set-up. Unfortunately, this showed in qualifying. The race had got off to a good start – Fabien was driving well – but that collision in the pits completely ruined our race. We fought with all our might to make a comeback, but we couldn’t do any better. There were no other incidents during the race that could have helped our strategy.” Fabien Lavergne, R-ace GP’s Sporting Director.
Third place in the ELMS LMP3 championship, just one point behind second place
Despite this difficult final race, R-ace GP finished its first season in the ELMS in third place in the LMP3 championship. A result that leaves a sense of unfinished business, as the team ended just one point behind second place.
But looking beyond this final race, the season was marked by several fine performances. On its championship debut, R-ace GP secured two pole positions, one victory and two second-place finishes. These results are a testament to the team’s commitment and competitiveness
“It’s very frustrating to miss out on second place by such a narrow margin, and it doesn’t do justice to the team’s hard work throughout the season. Nevertheless, we have nothing to be ashamed of in this first season in the ELMS. The technical team did a brilliant job and provided us with a 100 per cent reliable car.” Fabien Lavergne.
R-ace GP already looking ahead to 2027
Whilst the final race did not allow the team to finish the championship with the result they had hoped for, the team can build on the lessons learnt from this first campaign in the ELMS. The Vendée-based team consistently demonstrated its pace and ability to compete at the front of the field, whilst gaining valuable experience in a particularly competitive championship.
The aim now will be to capitalise on this experience to come back even stronger in 2027. “We have everything we need to do even better next year,” concludes Fabien Lavergne.
To rewatch the 4 Hours of Portimão , click here.
Photo credit: Jules Beaumont