Michelin Le Mans Cup, Mugello: Podium finishes for Bretton Racing and Nielsen Racing
On Friday 27 and Saturday 28 September 2024, the Ligier JS P320s contested the fifth round of the 2024 Michelin Le Mans Cup at the Mugello circuit, a first for the championship.
At the end of the 110-minute race, the #62 Bretton Racing Ligier JS P320 (Ben Stone / Theodor Jensen) finished second, followed by the #7 Nielsen Racing Ligier JS P320 (Anthony Wells / Wayne Boyd).
- The race weekend kicked off on Friday September 27 with two free practice sessions. In the first session, the #66 Rinaldi Racing Ligier JS P320 finished second on the timesheet with a lap of 1:43.510 set by Wyatt Brichacek. The Bretton Racing Ligier JS P320 #62 was third with a lap of 1:43.724 by Theodor Jensen.
- The session was interrupted by two red flags and a Full Course Yellow to secure cars that had run off the track.
- A few hours later, the second free practice session took place in the pouring rain.
- As in FP1, the #66 Rinaldi Racing Ligier JS P320 finished second with a lap of 2:05.403 (Wyatt Brichacek), just 1.058s behind the leader.
- Rik Koen in the #34 Inter Europol Competition Ligier JS P320 was third fastest, followed by the two Team Virage Ligier JS P320s in fourth and fifth.
Qualifying disrupted by two red flags
- Saturday September 28 saw qualifying and the race.
- The qualifying session was interrupted by two red flags. First, there was a collision between the #67 Haegeli by T2 Racing car and the #77 Team Thor Ligier JS P320, and then the #28 MV2S Racing Ligier JS P320 collided with the barriers at Turn 9.
- The #26 Bretton Ligier JS P320 set the reference time before the first neutralization with Jamie Falvey, in 1:46.328.
- The session resumed with 10 minutes remaining. Jens Moller, at the wheel of the #20 High Class Racing Ligier JS P320, was the new provisional poleman, before Jamie Falvey set another fastest time of 1:43.962.
- The red flag was shown a second time after the MV2S Racing #28 Ligier driven by Terence Woodward hit the barriers at Turn 9. The car had to be evacuated. With only five minutes remaining, qualifying restarted one last time.
- Shahan Sarkissian, driving the CD Sport Ligier JS P320 #2, took second place on the grid with a lap of 1:43.280.
- Bretton Racing's #26 Ligier JS P320 will start from the second row for Saturday afternoon's race, with Jamie Falvey again improving to 1:43.708. In the hands of Ben Stone, the team's other car was fourth.
Double podium for Ligier teams with Bretton Racing and Nielsen Racing
- The start of the fifth round of the Michelin Le Mans Cup at the Mugello circuit was calm and without a hitch.
- The CD Sport Ligier JS P320 #2, driven by Shahan Sarkissian, maintained its second place behind the leading car.
- The first Full Course Yellow was brought in later in the race to clear the #29 MV2S Racing Ligier JS P320, which had come to a standstill at the pitlane entrance. After three minutes, the green flag was waved again, but only for a short time. The #59 Team Virage Ligier JS P320 caused a second Full Course Yellow after spinning off the track at Turn 13.
- On the restart and after the pit stops, the #62 Bretton Racing Ligier JS P320 driven by Theodor Jensen was third, just behind the #26 CD Sport Ligier JS P320. After only a few laps, Theodor Jensen managed to grab second place.
- After the third neutralization by Full Course Yellow, the #62 Bretton Racing Ligier JS P320 dropped back to seventh and the #7 Nielsen Racing Ligier JS P320 managed to take third place.
- At the chequered flag, the #62 Bretton Racing Ligier JS P320 (Ben Stone/Theodor Jensen) moved up the field to second, five seconds ahead of the #7 Nielsen Racing Ligier JS P320 driven by Anthony Wells and Wayne Boyd.
- The 2024 title will be decided next month at the Portimão finale. #97 Cool Racing Ligier JS P320 (Adrien Chila/ David Droux) is second, just 5.5 points behind the leaders. The #20 High Class Racing Ligier JS P320 is third on 46 points and the #62 Bretton Racing Ligier JS P320 is fourth on 43 points.
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