Silverstone Heat, Race 1: Team Virage and LR Motorsport victorious on British soil -

The 23 entrants for the Silverstone Heat took to the grid on Saturday morning, 13 September, for the opening race of the day under sunny English skies.

At the end of the hour-long race, Brandon McCaughan and Léo Samy Robinson took the win in their first Ligier European Series race of the season, behind the wheel of the #1 Team Virage Ligier JS P4. In the JS2 R category, Simone Riccitelli secured LR Motorsport’s fourth victory of the campaign.

Ligier JS P4: A triumphant debut for Brandon McCaughan and Léo Samy Robinson

Brandon McCaughan, in the #1 Team Virage Ligier JS P4, showed his determination right from the start in the face of an attack from Pietro Ferri in the #3 LR Motorsport Ligier JS P4, negotiating the celebrated Maggots, Becketts and Chapel sequence perfectly. Further back, Romain Boeckler in the #22 Loire Valley Racing Ligier JS P4, operated by Trajectus Motorsport, showed his speed to catch up to the leaders. By lap two, the championship leader was up to third place, then second, in a battle for the lead with Brandon McCaughan (Team Virage #1). Pietro Ferri, in the #3 from LR Motorsport, received a 10-second penalty added to his mandatory pit stop for a race start infringement, dashing the team’s hopes of a podium result.

Following the mandatory pit stops, the duel resumed between Leo Samy Robinson, now at the controls of the #1 Team Virage Ligier JS P4, and Romain Boeckler in the #22 Loire Valley Racing entry. The two leaders battled wheel to wheel right to the chequered flag, with Robinson prevailing. Together with teammate Brandon McCaughan, they secured their debut victory in the Ligier European Series this season. Romain Boeckler and Loire Valley Racing finished runner-up to keep the championship lead. Iko Segret and Maxwell Dodds, in the #6 ANS Motorsport Ligier JS P4, completed the podium and remain firmly in contention for the title.

In the PRO-AM category, after a scare on the formation lap when it stopped on the track, the #33 360 Competition Ligier JS P4, driven by Christopher Preen and Kristian Brookes, finished first. Jacques Nicolet, in the #58 HP Racing by MRacing Ligier JS P4, took the honours in the AM class.

Ligier JS2 R: LR Motorsport victorious for the fourth time this season

The JS2 R category produced a thrilling start-to-finish battle among the #18 VSF Sports Ligier JS2 R, LR Motorsport’s #7 and 23Events Racing’s #57. Starting from pole position, Lukas Papin, behind the wheel of the VSF Sports Ligier JS2 R #18, maintained the lead throughout the first half of the race, fending off attacks from Simone Riccitelli in LR Motorsport’s #7 and August Therbo in 23Events Racing’s #57. Simone Riccitelli took the lead just before the mandatory pit stops.

After the pit stops, Steven Palette seized the lead in the #18 VSF Sports Ligier JS2 R, but Simone Riccitelli was immediately filling up his mirrors. An intense duel ensued between the two, but in the end Riccitelli, in LR Motorsport’s #7, prevailed, securing a fourth victory of the season. Lukas Papin and Steven Palette (VSF Sports #18) finished second ahead of August Therbo in 23Events Racing’s #57.

In the PRO-AM category, Jordan and Alain Meyer, driving Pegasus Racing’s #94, took the win. Unfortunately, Tristan Clay and Florian Teillais, competing in the AM class in the #41VSF Sports JS2 R, did not finish due to a mechanical issue.