Michelin Le Mans Cup: Pole position and double podium for the Ligier JS P325s at Spa-Francorchamps
The fourth round of the 2026 Michelin Le Mans Cup season took place from August 21 to 23 at Spa-Francorchamps. Thirty-one Ligier JS P325s took part in a particularly action-packed 120-minute race, punctuated by five Safety Car periods and two Full Course Yellows. After securing pole position with the #9, ANS Motorsport went on to finish third. The #12 Brutal Fish by Campos Racing Ligier JS P325 took second place, while Motorsport98 won the LMP3 PRO/AM category with the #98, ahead of the #71 Rinaldi Racing Ligier JS P325 and the #34 Inter Europol Competition Ligier JS P325.
ANS Motorsport on pole position
On Saturday, August 22, on a soaking wet track, Maxwell Dodds dominated qualifying at the wheel of the #9 ANS Motorsport Ligier JS P325 and secured pole position with a 2:13.319 lap. It was the team's second pole position of the season, with a margin of more than two seconds over the rest of the field.
Behind him, the #29 Forestier Racing by VPS Ligier JS P325 secured a spot on the front row thanks to Luciano Morano's 2:25.357 lap.
In LMP3 PRO/AM, Inter Europol Competition claimed its third pole position in four races this season with the #34 Inter Europol Competition Ligier JS P325. Alexander Bukhantsov set his fastest lap of 2:32.461 midway through the session.
A race disrupted by multiple neutralizations
The fourth round of the season got underway on Saturday, August 22. Starting from pole position, the #9 ANS Motorsport Ligier JS P325 led the field ahead of Luciano Morano in the #29 Forestier Racing by VPS Ligier JS P325.
In the LMP3 PRO/AM category, Alex Bukhantsov took the lead in the #34 Inter Europol Competition Ligier JS P325, ahead of Emil Hellberg in the #48 Allay Racing Ligier JS P325, who was making his championship debut.
The race was quickly neutralized after a GT3 car went off track. At the restart, another car ended up in the gravel trap at Turn 11, bringing out a second Safety Car. Less than a lap after the green flag returned, contact between several competitors led to another neutralization.
Racing resumed briefly before an off-track incident at Turn 7 triggered a Full Course Yellow. After 50 minutes, teams began making their pit stops under neutralized conditions. A fourth Safety Car period then followed after two LMP3 cars went off track on the Kemmel Straight.
Brutal Fish by Campos Racing and ANS Motorsport on the podium
With 39 minutes remaining, the race resumed under green-flag conditions. Arthur Rogeon, at the wheel of the #12 Brutal Fish by Campos Racing Ligier JS P325, moved up to second place, while Eric De Doncker climbed through the order to take the lead in the LMP3 PRO/AM category with the #98 Motorsport98 Ligier JS P325.
With 18 minutes to go, the #12 Brutal Fish by Campos Racing Ligier JS P325 took the lead of the race. However, Arthur Rogeon was later handed a five-second penalty for overtaking outside track limits and gaining a lasting advantage.
The #12 crossed the finish line 1.5 seconds ahead of its closest rival. Once the penalty was applied, Brutal Fish by Campos Racing was classified second in the race, ahead of the #9 ANS Motorsport Ligier JS P325 driven by Louis Iglesias and Maxwell Dodds.
Motorsport98 wins in LMP3 PRO/AM.
In the LMP3 PRO/AM category, Gillian Henrion brought the #98 Motorsport98 Ligier JS P325 home to victory. It was the team's third win in four starts this season, allowing Eric De Doncker to celebrate a home victory.
Rinaldi Racing completed the PRO/AM podium with the #71 Rinaldi Racing Ligier JS P325, ahead of the #34 Inter Europol Competition Ligier JS P325, which had started from category pole position.
The next round of the Michelin Le Mans Cup will take place on September 12 at Silverstone.
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CLICK HERE to have more information on the Ligier JS P325, the third generation of Ligier LMP3.
Photo Credit: DPPI