Petit Le Mans: Second consecutive LMP3 title for Ligier in IMSA WeatherTech

28 September – 1st October 2022 - The IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship concludes. The season finale at Road Atlanta ends with the Ligier JS P320 dominating from free practice and qualifying to the ten-hour race. Andretti Autosport stood atop the podium in the #36 alongside Jr III Racing in the #30 (second) and Sean Creech Motorsport in the #33 (third). Riley Motorsports' #74 set the fastest lap in the race. CORE Autosport wins its first LMP3 title with the #54 Ligier JS P320 ahead of 2021 champions Riley Motorsports.

The teams began preparing for the ten-hour race on Thursday, 29 September, with free practice. The Ligier JS P320 dominated all three sessions. The #54 CORE Autosport car (Jon Bennett, Colin Braun and George Kurtz) led the way in session 1 with a time of 1:15.676. The #74 Riley Motorsports car (Gar Robinson, Felipe Fraga and Kay Von Berlo) topped session two with a time of 1:15.569. The #36 Andretti Autosport Ligier (Jarrett Andretti, Gaby Chaves and Josh Burdon) set the pace in the final session at 1:16.028.

Friday was all about qualifying. Riley Motorsports captured its second pole position of the season with Kay Von Berlo behind the wheel. The young Dutchman set the fastest lap of the LMP3 field in 1:15.517.

Riley Motorsports on pole position

Saturday, 2 October. The ten-hour race on the always challenging Road Atlanta circuit got underway, with the pole-winning #74 Riley Motorsports Ligier JS P320 holding on to the lead for almost 20 laps. The LMP3 machine made its pit stop under yellow flag conditions and was overtaken by the #36 Andretti Autosport car and the #33 Sean Creech Motorsport entry (Joao Barbosa, Malthe Jakobsen and Nicolas Pino). When the race resumed, the #33 took the lead from Andretti Autosport.

Another safety car period came at the 90-minute mark of the race. The #33 Ligier JS P320 made a pit stop and handed over the lead of the category to the #36. The #74 was third, while the championship-leading #54 from CORE Autosport was fourth, but it was in the lead just before the end of hour three.

Battles rage for the podium

CORE Autosport maintained its domination and kept the competition in check for about 40 laps. But the #36 came back and snatched first place. A few minutes later, the #54 was run into while battling through the field, which brought out the yellow flag. The #54 dropped to sixth place. The #30 Jr III Racing car (Ari Balogh, Garett Grist and Nolan Siegel) and the #33 were respectively second and third.

The #36 Andretti Autosport Ligier JS P320 continued to lead the LMP3 category throughout hour four. But behind them, Riley Motorsports moved up to second. On lap 151 and the symbolic transition to the second half of the race, the #74 managed to overtake the #36. The two rivals swapped the coveted spot several times. Behind them, the #30 and #33 remained third and fourth and the #54 sixth.

Andretti Autosport dominates at half-distance

After more than 200 laps on the Road Atlanta asphalt, the #74 Riley Motorsports Ligier JS P320 spun. The #36 car then took the lead in the category for good. But nothing was decided yet for the second and third places on the podium. It was a tough battle between the #30 of Jr III Racing and the #33 of Sean Creech Motorsport. The #33 passed the #30 for second place several times, but the latter managed to regain the upper hand. During hour eight, the #33 was challenged by the #74 Riley Motorsports. The #74 was in third place for about 20 laps but eventually lost out to the #33, which regained the third step on the provisional podium.

After winning the ROAR at the start of the season, the #36 Andretti Autosport Ligier JS P320 takes its second victory in IMSA WeatherTech. Three seconds later, the #30 Jr III crossed the finish line, followed by the #33 Sean Creech Motorsport. The #74 Riley Motorsports car finished just short of the podium but left Road Atlanta with the fastest lap in the LMP3 category, set by Felipe Fraga in 1:16.348.

CORE Autosport wins the LMP3 title

Finishing fifth in the race but with five podium results (including two wins), the #54 CORE Autosport Ligier JS P320 wins the LMP3 title in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship. Following the LMP3 category's introduction to the championship in 2021, the French constructor has won its second consecutive LMP3 crown in the American series.

“Winning never gets old. It's always a pleasure, especially when the team chemistry is good and everyone is having a good time, and that's what we did this year.", said Jon Bennett, driver of the #54 CORE Autosport car.

The ROAR Before the Rolex 24 will start the 2023 season on 20 January 2023.

For complete results, CLICK HERE.

For the final championship standings, CLICK HERE.

For more information about the Ligier JS P320, CLICK HERE.