European Le Mans Series: Triple success for Ligier JS P325 at the 4 Hours of Imola
From July 4 to 6, the third round of the 2025 European Le Mans Series took place at the Imola Circuit in Italy. In the LMP3 category, eight Ligier JS P325s took part in the event, proudly flying the brand's colors.
At the end of the 4-hour race, the #17 CLX Motorsport Ligier JS P325 (Paul Lanchere, Adrien Closmenil, Theodor Jensen), after starting from pole position, claimed its third consecutive victory of the season. It finished ahead of two other Ligier JS P325s: the #31 Racing Spirit of Le Mans and the #11 Eurointernational. With this win, the Swiss team extended its championship lead and brought their total to 78 points.
Free Practice: Ligier JS P325s Already Up Front
The weekend began on Friday, July 4, with the first free practice session. The #68 M Racing Ligier JS P325, driven by Quentin Antonel, recorded the second-fastest time in the LMP3 category, followed closely by the #17 CLX Motorsport Ligier JS P325, with a 1:36.851 lap set by Theodor Jensen.
The following day, the second session was topped by the #88 Inter Europol Competition Ligier JS P325. Reece Gold set a 1:40.160 lap time, narrowly edging out the #17 CLX Motorsport Ligier JS P325 (Adrien Closmenil) by just 0.014 seconds. Ian Aguilera placed the #11 Eurointernational Ligier JS P325 in third, only 0.018 seconds behind the fastest time.
Qualifying: A Third Consecutive Pole for CLX Motorsport
The qualifying session was disrupted by a violent thunderstorm, preventing drivers from improving their time. Despite the conditions, Theodor Jensen managed to put in a quick lap of 1:45.844, placing CLX Motorsport's #17 Ligier JS P325 on pole for the third time this season. The Danish driver relegated the rest of the field by more than seven tenths.
The #11 Eurointernational Ligier JS P325 completed the front row thanks to a 1:46.599 lap by Ian Aguilera.
The #68 M Racing Ligier JS P325 started third.
The Race: Fast-Paced and Another Ligier JS P325 Showcase
The race started on Sunday, July 6, on a dry track despite looming skies. Paul Lanchere, behind the wheel of the #17 CLX Motorsport Ligier JS P325, held onto the lead ahead of Fabien Michal in the #11 Eurointernational Ligier JS P325. However, the leading car came under investigation for contact with the #68 M Racing Ligier JS P325 at the start and was eventually handed a drive-through penalty.
After ten laps, a Full Course Yellow was called to recover a GT car stuck in the gravel trap. A few minutes after restart, a crash involving four cars brought out the Safety Car, followed by a red flag. The race was halted to allow the track to be cleared.
When racing resumed after the first pit stops, the #35 Ultimate Ligier JS P325, driven by Louis Stern, took the lead, ahead of the #17 CLX Motorsport. After 1 hour and 45 minutes of racing, Paul Lanchere retook the lead at Turn 2.
Rain returned and intensified, causing several off-track incidents, and triggered another Full Course Yellow. On the restart, Adrien Closmenil pulled away, building a gap of over 50 seconds ahead of the #31 Racing Spirit of Le Mans Ligier JS P325.
Meanwhile, the #68 M Racing suffered a puncture. While trying to return to the pits, Quentin Antonel's tire shredded, damaging the bodywork and spreading carbon debris across the track. Race control first activated Virtual Safety Car, then the Safety Car to allow for track cleanup. The race resumed after a 20-minute interruption, with 50 minutes remaining.
Three additional Full Course Yellow periods disrupted the final part of the race. Thanks to flawless strategy and strong pace, the #17 CLX Motorsport Ligier JS P325 crossed the line with a lead of over a lap, securing a third straight victory. The #31 Racing Spirit of Le Mans and the #11 Eurointernational completed the podium.
Performance and Championship Standings
Reece Gold set the fastest lap of the race with a 1:39.767 in the #88 Inter Europol Competition Ligier JS P325.
At mid-season, Ligier teams dominated the provisional LMP3 standings. CLX Motorsport topped the standings with 78 points, holding a 45-point lead over the Inter Europol Competition (33 points). M Racing, Racing Spirit of Le Mans, and Eurointernational all tied 30 points. Ultimate ranked sixth with 26 points.
CLICK HERE for the full results and HERE to read what the LMP3 winners had to say after the race.
CLICK HERE for more information about the Ligier JS P325, the third-generation Ligier LMP3.
DISCOVER HERE the special anniversary edition Ligier JS P3X, celebrating ten years of Ligier Automotive in LMP3.
To learn more about the European Le Mans Series, CLICK HERE.
Photo credit: DPPI