Ligier European Series: The champions crowned at Spa-Francorchamps in an action-packed weekend!

23 - 24 September 2022 – The second-last weekend of the Ligier European Series took place on the Spa-Francorchamps circuit in the Belgian Ardennes. The spectacle lived up to this iconic circuit's reputation with superb battles on the track and a raft of twists. The #53 M Racing Ligier JS P4 and the #96 CTF Performance Ligier JS2 R emerged victorious in race 1. In race 2 the wins went to the #16 Team Virage Ligier JS P4 and the #75 RLR MSport Ligier JS2 R, which clinched the titles in their respective categories!

Free Practice: Four different teams share the fastest times

The first free practice session was interrupted a few minutes before the end when Cédric Oltramare crashed the #4 COOL Racing Ligier JS2 R. Despite the force of the impact the driver was unhurt. Pegasus Racing and CTF Performance topped the time sheets in their respective categories thanks to Dimitri Enjalbert in the #17 Ligier JS P4 (2:24.993) and Fabien Delaplace in the #96 Ligier JS2 R (2:37.817).

Another Ligier JS2 R was caught out by the Spa-Francorchamps track during free practice 2. The #29 Pegasus Racing car of Julien Schell and Christophe Weber suffered a hard impact, but the driver was not injured. The #16 Ligier JS P4 run by Team Virage and driven by Gillian Henrion set the fastest time in its category in 2:25.231. In the Ligier JS2 R category, the #11 TM Evolution car of Alain Grand and series newcomer Belgian Mathieu Detry led the GT with a best lap of 2:34.572.

For the full results of free practice 1, CLICK HERE.

For the full results of free practice 2, CLICK HERE.

 

Qualifying: Double pole position in JS P4 for Team Virage, TM Evolution and RLR MSport each score a pole in JS2 R.

The talented young Team Virage driver of the #16 Ligier JS P4, Gillian Henrion, ran his 2022 tally of double pole positions to five. The Frenchman set the fastest lap in the category in 2:22.861 in the first session. His second session was shortened by five minutes due to a penalty for not respecting a red flag during free practice, but it did not prevent him from setting the day's best time of 2:22.248.

Mathieu Detry at the wheel of the #11 Ligier JS2 R clinched pole position on home turf for the first race. The experienced Belgian GT racer (notably in the 24H SERIES) set the best time in 2:31.779. Ligier JS2 R category leader Haytham Qarajouli, in the #75 RLR MSport entry, led the way in the second qualifying session. With his time of 2:32.835, the Kuwaiti won his sixth pole position since the start of the championship in April.

For the results of qualifying 1, CLICK HERE.

For the results of qualifying 2, CLICK HERE.

 

Race 1: M Racing and CTF Performance take their first victory in a crazy race in Belgium

Ligier JS P4: Incredible win by a hair's breadth for Natan Bihel with M Racing 

In the sport-prototype category, Gillian Henrion in the #16 Team Virage Ligier JS P4 held on to the lead at the start but was then overtaken by #17 entered by Pegasus Racing with Dimitri Enjalbert at the wheel, who had fought his way back from fifth place. Gillian Henrion pulled off a daring move to retake the lead from his rival. The safety car was then deployed to remove a Ligier JS2 R. On the restart, the gaps beween #16, #17 and #23 run by Monza Garage (George King and Ronnie Valori) diminished. Behind, Natan Bihel in #53 entered by M Racing also climbed up the order. Henrion's obligatory pit stop that went on longer than usual enabled Anthony Nahra in #17 to retake first place by a comfortable margin. Bihel installed himself in second spot ready to whittle down the gap to the leader. But the safety car reappeared after #33 run by Les Deux Arbres (Jacques Nicolet and Erwin Creed) lost one of its tyres. The safety car's deployment was extended after three Ligier JS2 Rs crashed.

The battle for the win came down to a final lap shootout. The safety car came in, and the race went green. Natan Bihel in the #53 quickly got by Anthony Nahra in the #17 car. Behind, Gillian Henrion in the #16 left caution to the wind as he overtook the #3 and #23. He then got past the #17 Ligier JS P4 for second place. But the top spot on the podium eluded him. Natan Bihel, the 2021 Ligier JS2 R champion, won for the first time this season in the Ligier JS P4 category.

 

Ligier JS2 R: Maiden victory for CTF Performance's duo

In the GT category, the #11 TM Evolution Ligier JS2 R driven by Mathieu Detry, was on pole and he held onto his position. The Belgian opened up a gap over #75 in the hands of Haytham Qarajouli. After #40 entered by RLR MSport (Horst Felix Felbermayr) spun, Laurent Millara in #69 de M Racing inherited third place. COOL Racing's #4 (Cédric Oltramare) was forced to retire after the previous day's damage.

In the second half of the race when the safety car was on the track the leading car #11 with Alain Grand at the controls got bogged down in a gravel trap. Then Haytham Qarajouli had a shunt. But as the saying goes, all things come in threes. Laurent Millara was not spared when he lost control of his Ligier and ended up in the gravel trap. Although he fell down the order, he managed to rejoin the race. The #96 CTF Performance car became the fourth Ligier JS2 R to take the lead in the race and clinched victory, the second of the season for the team. The #40 finished runner-up, while the TM Evolution #25, driven by Bruno Chaudet and Freddy Menanteau, finished third for the first time this season.

For the results, CLICK HERE.

 

 

Race 2: the champions of the two categories crowned at Spa

Ligier JS P4: Gillian Henrion and Team Virage return to victory

The green flag waved at 1:05 pm. Pole position holder but defeated in race 1, Gillian Henrion in the #16 Team Virage Ligier JS P4 surged ahead and retained the lead. Behind him, Andrei Vajda (Smart Driving) in the #85 car and Natan Bihel (M Racing) in the #53 were in a duel for second place. Pegasus Racing's #17 (Anthony Nahra) went across the kerbs in the Raidillon, spun and brought out the safety car. Just after the mid-way point of the race, the drivers made their mandatory pitstop.Everyone entered the pitlane at the same time, which changed the race order. The #44 Ligier JS P4 Smart Driving (Alexandru Mirea) came out in the lead, ahead of the #33 Les Deux Arbres (Erwin Creed and Jacques Nicolet), the #53, the #3 (Simone Riccitelli), the #16 and the #85.

At the restart, the #33 attacked the lead car. Gillian Henrion attacked Natan Bihel in what became another duel between the two French drivers. The #16 passed the #53, then the #33. Gillian Henrion was back in the lead of the race. A place he would not relinquish until he crossed the finish line, with the fastest lap of the race in 2:24.899s. Natan Bihel received a stop-and-go penalty for not respecting the minimum pit stop time and dropped to fifth place. Andrei Vajda and Smart Driving finished second. The Les Deux Arbres gentleman duo of Jacques Nicolet and Erwin Creed completed the podium.

 

Ligier JS2 R: RLR MSport's Haytham Qarajouli confident in race two

In the Ligier JS2 R class, Haytham Qarajouli in #75 run by RLR MSport led the race from #25 entered by TM Evolution (Freddy Menanteau and Bruno Chaudet), followed by the #69 of M Racing (Laurent Millara). When the pit stop window opened, the #75 still led, followed by the #4. But with the GTs all pitting at once and during the safety car period, the race order changed. Laurent Millara in the #69 M Racing Ligier JS2 R was the first to leave the pits. Bruno Chaudet in the #25 was second, but Haytham Qarajouli in the #75 passed him at the restart.

Twenty minutes before the chequered flag the #75 Ligier JS2 R sliced past the #69 entered by M Racing. Just until the end, the #69 M Racing Ligier JS2 R chased the category leader in the hope of taking the win. The #4 COOL Racing car was also getting dangerously close. However, Haytham Qarajouli stayed focused and did not lose his nerve to go on for the win. Laurent Millara took the chequered flag in second place. But the 15-second penalty he was given after contact with another car relegated him to third place. Cédric Oltramare inherited second place.

 

 

For the results of race 2 , CLICK HERE.

Gillian Henrion with Team Virage and Haytham Qarajouli with RLR MSport left Spa-Francorchamps with the titles in their respective categories. A superb reward for two young drivers who were making their debuts in the series this year.

The final of the Ligier European Series will take place in the south of the Algarve on the Portimao circuit on 14-15 October.

For the provisional championship's standings, CLICK HERE.

For more information on the series, CLICK HERE.