Following the summer break, competitors in the Ligier European Series return to Spa-Francorchamps for round four of the season on 23 and 24 August. Twenty cars will battle this weekend in the Belgian Ardennes. The Iron Dames team makes its championship debut with the #85 Ligier JS2 R entered for 2023 F1 Academy champion Marta Garcia.
JS P4 Category: Team Virage in pursuit of its fifth success of 2024
Twelve JS P4s will be in action. Ben Caisley will drive solo in Nielsen Racing’s #4 car. British team P4 Racing, present at the special round of Le Mans in June, returns to the Ligier European Series with its #27 Ligier JS P4, this time driven by Jeremy Ferguson. Fellow Japanese driver Ryuichirou Ohtsuka will join Yuki Tanaka in Pegasus Racing’s #16 car.
Team Virage, with its two Ligier JS P4s, the #1 driven by Theo Micouris and Haydn Chance and the #66 driven by Jeronimo Berrio and Pedro Moreno, will target their fifth win of the season. Swiss duo Umberto and Jacopo d’Amato will share the #32 Team Virage for the second time this year. The Polish team’s #1 entry currently tops the championship with 102 points. ANS Motorsport’s #6 JS P4, driven by Iko Segret, is next, followed by RLR MSport’s #77 Ligier JS P4 and Ian Aguilera with 59 points.
JS2 R Category: Iron Dames makes its first appearance in the Ligier European Series.
Eight cars will contend in the Ligier European Series GT category.
Iron Dames, which competes in the FIA World Endurance Championship, European Le Mans Series and Michelin Le Mans Cup, will participate in the Ligier European Series for the first time. The famous team, renowned for promoting female racers, is joining forces with M Racing and will line up the #85 JS2 R for up-and-coming young driver Marta Garcia. The 24-year-old Spaniard, who began her career in karting at age 10, won the first season of the F1 Academy in 2023 with seven victories. Undoubtedly, she will be a formidable opponent for the JS2 R category competitors.
“I am thrilled to be joining the Ligier European Series with Iron Dames and M Racing at such a legendary circuit like Spa,” comments Marta Garcia. “This will be my first experience in a GT car, and I am eager to take on this new challenge, learn and adapt as quick as possible. It’s an exciting step in my career, and I’m happy to represent Iron Dames in this endeavor and grateful for the opportunity.”
For more information on the Iron Dames joining the Ligier European Series, CLICK HERE.
Louis Stern will drive solo in Pegasus Racing’s #18 JS2 R. Uruguayan Tomas Granzella will replace Cindy Gudet behind the wheel of the #53 from M Racing. The highly touted French female driver is recovering from an operation on her arm following an accident at Hockenheim in another championship.
The provisional standings in the JS2 R category are tight, with eleven points separating the top two teams. Pegasus Racing with the #18 driven by Louis Stern, who has scored 94 points, is followed by the #31 of ANS Motorsport driven by Clément Moreno, with 83 points. Pegasus Racing’s #29, driven by Julien Schell and David Caussanel, is third on 83 points as well.
The Spa Heat promises two lively races on this legendary but highly technical and challenging circuit. The on-track action kicks off on Friday, 23 August, with two free practice sessions: the first from 9 am to 9:40 am and the second from 1:15 pm to 1:55 pm. The day will end with two qualifying sessions from 3:35 pm to 3:50 pm and then from 3:55 pm to 4:10 pm.
Race one of the Spa Heat will take place on Saturday 24 August from 9:05 am to 10:05 am followed by race two from 12:50 pm to 1:50 pm. Both races will be streamed live on the series’ YouTube channel and social networks.
CLICK HERE to download the entry list.
CLICK HERE to view the Spa Heat programme
