ELMS: Pole and 100% Ligier JS P325 Top 5 at the 4 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps
The fourth round of the 2025 European Le Mans Series (ELMS) took place from August 22 to 24 on the Spa-Francorchamps circuit, during the 10th edition of the 4 Hours of Spa. The #17 Ligier JS P325 of CLX Motorsport extended its qualifying streak by securing a fourth consecutive pole position. In the race, the Ligier JS P325s confirmed their competitiveness with a top five fully locked out by the French constructor. Team Virage claimed victory with the #8 ahead of the #15 of RLR M Sport and the #88 of Inter Europol Competition. The #17 also stood out with the fastest lap of the race. With two rounds remaining, the Ligier JS P325s held the top eight positions in the provisional standings, with CLX Motorsport's #17 keeping the lead.
Free Practice: Team Virage and CLX Motorsport out front
On Friday, the #8 Team Virage Ligier JS P325 set the fastest time in the opening session thanks to Rik Koen (2:11.169), ahead of RLR M Sport's #15. In the second session, Theodor Jensen put the #17 Ligier JS P325 on top (2:13.153), followed by Ian Aguilera in the #11 Eurointernational Ligier JS P325.
Qualifying: Fourth pole for CLX Motorsport
On Saturday, August 23, on a damp track, Theodor Jensen confirmed CLX Motorsport's strong form. The Danish driver took his second ELMS pole and the team's fourth, clocking a 2:26.054, nearly a second clear of the competition.
Race: Team Virage triumphed, 100% Ligier JS P325 Top 5
The start of the 10th edition of the 4 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps was given on Sunday, August 24, under bright Ardennes sunshine. From pole position, Paul Lanchère in the #17 CLX Motorsport Ligier JS P325 was delayed by several incidents in the pack but quickly regained the lead. The first Virtual Safety Car was deployed after 40 minutes when the #31 Racing Spirit of Léman Ligier JS P325 was stuck in the gravel at Les Combes. The neutralization lasted 26 minutes, first under VSC and then behind the Safety Car, before the green flag waved again.
The restart was short-lived: two simultaneous incidents required another Safety Car intervention. After 20 minutes of neutralization, the race resumed… for only four minutes. A GT3 went off track and triggered another VSC. When racing resumed, with just over two hours to go, the #11 Eurointernational Ligier JS P325, then driven by Fabian Michal, took the LMP3 lead.
Still at the wheel of the #17, Paul Lanchère quickly retook the lead but was handed a drive-through penalty for a starting infraction. The sanction was followed by another neutralization: debris littered the Kemmel straight, bringing out a Full Course Yellow. The #17 served its penalty before returning to the pits a lap later for the driver change. Theodor Jensen took over but immediately came under threat from Daniel Nogales in the #8 Team Virage Ligier JS P325, who tried a move at Les Combes. The Spaniard spun, kept second place, but lost significant ground.
Another FCY was triggered after a collision between two LMGT3s. When the track was cleared, one hour of racing remained. The #11 Eurointernational Ligier JS P325, damaged at the front after contact, lost pace. Out front, the #17 CLX Motorsport Ligier JS P325 pulled away and built nearly a one-minute lead. But drama struck: it received two further penalties, a drive-through for failing to respect the first sanction and an additional ten seconds for exceeding track limits. After serving the penalties, Adrien Closmenil, now at the wheel, rejoined in fourth and began chasing down Ian Aguilera in the #11 Eurointernational. The gap closed, but at Turn 7, the #17 went off and came to a halt in the gravel. Despite a quick recovery, Adrien Closmenil was forced to retire, triggering a third FCY.
On the restart, Rik Koen seized the lead in the #8 Team Virage Ligier JS P325 and pulled clear. After four hours, he crossed the line nearly twenty seconds ahead of Gillian Henrion in the #15 RLR M Sport car. The #88 Inter Europol Competition Ligier JS P325 completed the podium. The top five was entirely Ligier, thanks to the #25 Reiter Engineering (4th) and the #11 Eurointernational (5th). Although CLX Motorsport's #17 did not see the finish, it still set the fastest lap of the race with a 2:13.205.
Provisional Standings: Eight Ligier JS P325s in front
With two rounds still to go, the Ligier JS P325s monopolized the top eight in the provisional standings. The #17 CLX Motorsport car (79 points) led ahead of the #88 Inter Europol Competition (49 points) and the #11 Eurointernational (42 points).
Next round: September 14 at Silverstone, marking the ELMS's return to the UK.
CLICK HERE for the full race results and HERE for the winners' reactions in the LMP3 category.
CLICK HERE for more information on the Ligier JS P325, the third generation of Ligier LMP3.
DISCOVER HERE the anniversary limited edition, the Ligier JS P3X, celebrating 10 years of LMP3 with Ligier Automotive.
For more on the European Le Mans Series, CLICK HERE.
Photo credit : DPPI