Prototype Cup Europe: Ligier JS P325 Makes a Strong Statement at Mugello
The new Prototype Cup Europe championship kicked off its inaugural season on March 21–22, 2026, at Mugello, opening a new chapter for European endurance racing. With five Ligier JS P325 entered by four teams—including newcomers Allay Racing and The German Motor Sports Team—the French sports prototypes immediately made their mark: pole position, two race wins, podium finishes, and fastest laps. Thanks to a strong weekend, Aust Motorsport and Maxim Dirickx tooke= the early lead in the standings. A successful start for Ligier Automotive in this new era.
A strong and refreshed Ligier lineup
For the opening round of the 2026 season, five Ligier JS P325 cars took the start, confirming the French manufacturer's strong presence in this new championship.
Two new teams joined the Ligier ecosystem: Sweden's Allay Racing, with Linus Hellberg (Ligier JS P325 #43) and Emil Hellberg (Ligier JS P325 #48), as well as The German Motor Sports Team, operated by Gebhardt Motorsport, with Valentino Catalano and Jacob Erlbacher driving the Ligier JS P325 #11.
They are joined by well-established teams such as Team Virage, with Theo Micouris and Dominique Bastien (Ligier JS P325 #74), and Aust Motorsport, fielding Maxim Dirickx (Ligier JS P325 #3), completing a highly competitive lineup.
Qualifying: pole position for Team Virage's Ligier JS P325
Right from qualifying, the Ligier JS P325 cars ran at the front.
While pole position for race one narrowly escaped the French sports prototypes, several Ligiers secured top-five positions, including Valentino Catalano's entry (GMS Team) and both Allay Racing cars driven by Linus and Emil Hellberg, consistently showing strong pace.
The response came quickly: in the second qualifying session, Theo Micouris put the Team Virage Ligier JS P325 #74 on pole for race two. The British driver, 2024 Ligier European Series Champion, delivered a benchmark lap in an extremely close session.
Race 1: Aust Motorsport made history.
The first 55-minute race saw Maxim Dirickx become the first winner in Prototype Cup Europe history.
Driving the Ligier JS P325 #3 for Aust Motorsport, the Belgian delivered a composed and controlled performance. Starting from the front row, he managed his race perfectly, working his way back into the lead after the pit stops and securing victory in convincing fashion.
“At the start it was a bit difficult, I was struggling a bit”, said Dirickx, “I stayed calm, I knew the pace was there, I made the best out of it and won so I'm really happy. It was a bit stressful, with dirty air and all [behind Clausen], but I knew I was a bit quicker so I was just waiting for the right opportunity and then just went for it and made it stick.”
Behind him, the other Ligier JS P325 entries animated the race. Emil Hellberg (#48) and Linus Hellberg (#43) were particularly aggressive early on, while Valentino Catalano and Jacob Erlbacher stayed in close contention with the leading group. They ultimately secured third place with the Ligier JS P325 #11 for GMS Team.
Allay Racing finished just off the podium with Emil Hellberg in fourth and Linus Hellberg in fifth. Theo Micouris set the fastest lap of the race in 1:42.776 in the Team Virage #74.
Race 2: Team Virage delivered.
The following day, Team Virage confirmed the pace shown in qualifying with Theo Micouris.
Starting from pole in the Ligier JS P325 #74, the British driver delivered an impressive performance. After an early battle with Maxim Dirickx, he retook the lead within the opening laps and controlled the race.
Running solo for this second race, he extended his advantage after the pit stops and took a commanding victory, giving Ligier Automotive a second win in as many races. He also set the fastest lap again, with a 1:44.266.
“It's a good feeling,” said Theo Micouris. “I think we knew we had the pace to do it, so it was about getting the job done today. It was a really good race, I love driving this track so it was good to be back here and get some nice push laps in. It was a little bit less grippy today [than Saturday], not just us, everyone, and the cold temperatures this morning really affected people. It was a little bit sketchy, but a lot of fun!”
Behind him, Emil Hellberg brought the Allay Racing Ligier JS P325 #48 home in second place, while Maxim Dirickx completed the podium for Aust Motorsport.
A very promising start to the season
With one win for Aust Motorsport, one for Team Virage, a pole position, multiple podium finishes, and fastest laps, the Ligier JS P325 made a strong debut in Prototype Cup Europe.
Aust Motorsport and Maxim Dirickx lead the standings with 41 points, ahead of Theo Micouris and Team Virage (34 points) and Emil Hellberg (33 points) in the Allay Racing Ligier JS P325.
The next round takes place July 3–5 at the Nürburgring, where the Ligier JS P325 will aim to build on this very encouraging start to the season.
CLICK HERE for more information about the Ligier JS P325, the third generation of Ligier LMP3.
DISCOVER HERE the limited-edition Ligier JS P3X, celebrating 10 years of LMP3 with Ligier Automotive.
For more information on the Prototype Cup Europe, CLICK HERE.
Photo credit: Prototype Cup Europe / Racingpixels