LR Motorsport claimed victory in both categories, winning in Ligier JS P4 with the #7 driven by Simone Riccitelli and Pietro Ferri, and in Ligier JS2 R with the #81 of Simone Bianco. As in Race 1, Marcus Terkildsen, at the wheel of the #88 23Events Racing Ligier JS2 R, suffered heartbreak just minutes from the finish.
A scenario similar to Race 1 unfolded for Marcus Terkildsen. The Danish driver once again held a lead of nearly 15 seconds in the JS2 R category before coming to a halt at the side of the track with four minutes remaining. LR Motorsport and its three Italian drivers went on to secure victories in both categories, paying tribute to their renowned compatriot Alessandro Zanardi.
Ligier JS P4: Simone Riccitelli and Pietro Ferri dominate Race 2.
After finishing second in Race 1 earlier in the day, the Italian duo in the #7 LR Motorsport Ligier JS P4 controlled the second race from start to finish at Circuit Paul Ricard. Starting from pole, Simone Riccitelli made a strong getaway and quickly built a gap. The double JS2 R winner at Le Castellet last year had opened up a lead of around seven seconds before handing over to Pietro Ferri, who extended the advantage further to secure the team’s fourth win of the season.
The #14 Team Virage Ligier JS P4, driven by Simon Schranz and Alex Gardner, moved into second place during the pit stops ahead of the #33 Petrogold entry of Jan Duran Olive and Scott Marsh. Despite late pressure from Marsh, Gardner held firm to secure second place.
The start of the race proved challenging for several front-runners. Tomas Pompidou in the #19 Trajectus Motorsport Ligier and Mika Abrahams in the #6 ANS Motorsport car both ran wide at the first corner. Martin Lacquemanne also struggled in the #57 M Racing entry, losing six positions on the opening lap. Later, Mika Abrahams spun following contact with Sébastien Kawpeng in the #1 Team Virage car. Delayed at the start, these contenders battled hard through the field, executing impressive overtakes but also incurring penalties. The #6 ANS Motorsport car finished eighth, while the #19 Trajectus Motorsport entry dropped to fourteenth.
The #57 M Racing Ligier JS P4, driven by August Therbo and Martin Lacquemanne, secured a strong fourth-place finish ahead of the #20 Trajectus Motorsport car of Gabriel Doyle-Parfait and Nickolas Ellis. In PRO-AM, Marius Kristiansen and Dominique Bastien took victory in the #69 Bretton Racing Ligier JS P4.
Ligier JS P4 overall podium : Alex Gardner / Simon Schranz (left), Pietro Ferri / Simone Ricitelli (#7 LR Motorsport) (middle), Jan Duran Olive / Scott Marsh (#33 Petrogold) (right)
Ligier JS P4 PRO-AM winners : Marius Kristiansen / Dominique Bastien (#69 Bretton Racing)
Simone Riccitelli, LR Motorsport, Ligier JS P4 #7, winner:
“The goal was to turn first in the first corner. Then when I did it, I thought I have to push really hard to build a gap. Luckily there were no safety cars. The car was mega. The team did an incredible job. So I was able to push really hard all the way. This season I have a good partner. He is really fast. Sometimes he is giving me hard times but we are really happy, building a strong relationship on and off the track. Now it’s a good result, a good day but we stay focused.”
Pietro Ferri, LR Motorsport, Ligier JS P4 #7, winner:
“Finally I got the car in a good position, in first. It had never happened to me. The pace was good. After two laps the feeling was good. The car was responding well, the tires as well. Everything was working as we were thinking. That was a good point to start to have a good pace and to build a gap.”
Ligier JS2 R: Another twist for Marcus Terkildsen, Simone Bianco takes victory.
The 23Events Racing mechanics, who successfully replaced the engine in the #88 Ligier JS2 R in time for Race 2, had every reason to hope their efforts would be rewarded. Starting once again from pole, Marcus Terkildsen set the pace at the front, stringing together fast laps and building a gap of around 15 seconds over his closest rival. However, as in Race 1, the #88 was forced to retire just minutes from the finish, bringing an end to an otherwise commanding performance.
Victory therefore went to Simone Bianco in the #81 LR Motorsport Ligier JS2 R. The Italian gained a position at the start and settled into the slipstream of Terkildsen. Before his mid-race pit stop, he had reduced the gap to just two seconds after a strong opening stint. Running comfortably in second place, Bianco managed his pace, but ultimately inherited the lead when the Safety Car was deployed with four minutes remaining.
Behind him, VSF Sports secured a double podium finish with its #41 and #18 entries. At the wheel of the #41, Daniel Dallakyan lost five places at the start following contact. However, the Race 1 winners fought back strongly, with Dallakyan and Antonin Bernard climbing through the field with decisive moves to finish second. The #18 Ligier JS2 R of Maxime Aparicio and Anthony Ghibaudo not only secured a podium finish overall but also won the PRO-AM classification.
The #3 LR Motorsport Ligier JS2 R of Noah Rosser and Andrea Frizza, along with the #94 Pegasus Racing entry driven by Kasparas Vingilis and Jordan Meyer, were also in the mix and finished in the top five. They were followed by the #84 Trajectus Motorsport Ligier JS2 R, driven by the Tabery father-and-son pairing, which secured a well-earned second place in the PRO-AM standings.
Ligier JS2 R overall podium : Antonin Bernard / Daniel Dallakyan (#18 VSF Sports) (left), Simone Bianco (#81 LR Motorsport) (middle), Maxime Aparicio / Anthony Ghibaudo (#41 VSF Sports) (right)
Ligier JS2 PRO-AM winners : Maxime Aparicio / Anthony Ghibaudo (#41 VSF Sports)
Simone Bianco, LR Motorsport, Ligier JS2 R #81, winner in JS2 R:
“In the start I tried to stay focused because Marcus [Terkildsen in the #88 23Events Racing Ligier JS2 R] is really fast. I tried to stay behind him and not cook the tires. But in the last part of my first stint he was really fast. I stayed calm. When I exited the pitlane, I was behind him so I tried to push to stay close. When I saw his car stopped I thought this is the time to win.”
The next round of the season will take the Ligier European Series to the iconic 24 Hours of Le Mans circuit for the Le Mans Heat, held during the Test Day on Sunday 7 June.
To view the results of Race 2, CLICK HERE.
To view the provisional classifications after the Le Castellet Heat, CLICK HERE.
Photo credit: DPPI
