Ultimate Cup Series: Second consecutive win and double podium for Team Virage Ligier JS P320s at Dijon
2 June 2021 - This weekend, the Ultimate Cup Series set up its paddock at the Dijon-Prenois circuit in France. And for the second time in a row, the #88 Team Virage Ligier JS P320 took pole position and won overall. Its sister car the #77 came third.
The weekend started on Friday 11 June with three qualifying sessions. The #88 Team Virage Ligier JS P320, driven by Miguel Cristovao, Mathis Poulet and Julian Wagg, which won the inaugural round at Le Castellet in May, topped the first and third sessions thanks to a best lap of 1:13.131s (Miguel Cristovao, 1st session) and 1:11.53s (Mathis Poulet, 3rd session). With a 0.039s gap to its rival, the #88 came second in the second qualifying session. Combined, these three times enabled the #88 to take its second consecutive pole position for the three-hour race.
The start was given at 2.50pm on Saturday 12 June. While the #88 Team Virage Ligier JS P320 started from first place, its sister car the #77 driven by Pontus Fredericsson and Thomas Padovani was fourth on the grid. Mirage Racing's #13 with Emilien Carde and Philippe Cimadomo started third.
After one hour of racing, the #13 Mirage Racing Ligier JS P320 was leading the LMP3 class. It was closely followed by the #77 of Team Virage. Its sister car, the #88, had dropped to fourth place in the standings but regained the lead from lap 63 to 88. Two hours after the start, the LMP3 cars were leading the overall standings with the #77 Team Virage in first place, followed by the #13 Mirage Racing and then the #88.
Everything played out in the last hour before the chequered flag came out. The #88 Ligier JS P320 of Team Virage managed to catch up with its rivals and dominated the race again 30 minutes before the end. Even the exit of the safety car with fifteen minutes to go did not stop the team from taking their second consecutive victory of the season, five seconds ahead of their nearest rival. Julian Wagg set the fastest lap of the race in 1:13.448s. The #77 car finished third, with the #13 Mirage Racing car finishing just off the podium.
For its third meeting, the Ultimate Cup Series will return to the Paul Ricard circuit in France from 16 to 18 July.
Photo credit: Stéphane Poulard