Race summary car 48 – LMP2:

Starting from fifth on the grid, Silver driver Oliver Gray once again showcased the full extent of his talent. Delivering a strong start and a spectacular charge through the field, he quickly moved up to the front before handing over the wheel, after a one-hour fifteen-minute stint, to Esteban Masson. Masson fought fiercely to maintain the lead and widen the gap against tough competition. Finally, the experienced Charles Milesi capitalised perfectly on the work of his young teammates. Controlling the end of the race with composure and precision, he enabled the "Felines" of car #48 to cross the finish line as winners, with nearly six seconds to spare.

A masterful collective performance sealing a fully deserved 2025 championship title for VDS Panis Racing!

2025 Season Summary – VDS Panis Racing #48 – LMP2

Olivier Panis – Team Principal: "This title is the culmination of ten years of hard work alongside my friend and associate Stéphane Dilouya! It is the reward for a loyal and passionate team, present since our beginnings, with exceptional mechanics and engineers led masterfully by my 'gem', Florent Gouin. The investment from Marc VDS allowed us to form an extraordinary trio of drivers, and I cannot thank him enough for that. Charles Milesi has once again demonstrated his immense talent, Esteban Masson has established himself as a true endurance driver to watch, and our Silver driver Oliver Gray has impressed us all season long. I am so proud of them, grateful for their total commitment, and in awe of the harmony they have created together.

Our collaboration with TDS Racing has also been exemplary. I sincerely thank Xavier Combet and Jacques Morello for their support and the resources they provided to help us achieve this title. Together, we have built something solid, both in ELMS and at the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

Their victory at Portimão Circuit and third place overall in Pro/Am are thoroughly deserved.

Thank you to everyone, individually and collectively: you are forever in my heart, and I already look forward to new adventures by your side!"

Charles Milesi: "It was a great race and, above all, a great season with the whole team! After a 2024 season where we couldn't finish the championship as we hoped, I believe this year we had all the right tools to approach 2025 in the best possible way: well-prepared, competitive, and consistent. That's exactly what we managed to achieve, with four podiums including three victories. The chemistry with my teammates was excellent from start to finish, and if I'm not mistaken, we were the youngest trio on the grid — and probably the youngest ever to win the ELMS title, which makes this achievement even more special. I'm really happy for the entire team: the mechanics, the engineers, and of course Olivier Panis. Everyone did an exceptional job throughout the year. We stayed calm in difficult moments, and when it was time to deliver, we did. Now, the goal is to keep this great momentum going... hopefully together again next year!"

Esteban Masson: "I don't even know if I can truly express how happy I am... This season has been exceptional! Finishing with the title was our goal from the very beginning, and to make it happen today is just incredible. I'm truly happy for the entire team, who deserves this success as much as we drivers do. We all did a remarkable job: four podiums, including three wins and one second place — that's what earned us the title. A huge thank you to the whole team, to Olivier Panis, to the engineers, the mechanics, my amazing teammates, and to TDS Racing. And of course, a big thank you to Marc VDS, who supported us throughout this journey. This is a shared title, a true collective victory."

Oliver Gray: "This season has been incredible, truly outstanding. Working with Olivier Panis, Esteban, and Charles has been the best experience possible. I'm so happy that we were finally able to bring the title home for Olivier, after all his years of effort in ELMS and at Le Mans. I'm honoured to be part of the team that achieved this victory for him. I'm over the moon, absolutely thrilled! I sincerely hope we can work together again in the future. Thank you all once again."

Race summary car 29 – LMP2 Pro / Am :

Qualified the previous day in third position in the Pro/Am category, car #29 delivered a race full of control and determination. At the start, Rodrigo Sales opted for caution, losing a few positions before producing a solid and error-free stint. Thanks to his consistency, he regained lost ground and moved the car back into the leading group before handing over to Clément Novalak, following a perfectly executed pit stop by the TDS Racing mechanics. Novalak immediately imposed a strong pace and seized the lead in the category. He then handed over to Mathias Beche for the final stint. However, the #29 received a ten-second penalty after a questionable overtaking manoeuvre by Clément during his stint. Undeterred, the Swiss driver, with fierce determination, launched a superb comeback. Fifty-two minutes before the finish, he reclaimed the lead in Pro/Am and never looked back.

An outstanding performance that allowed TDS Racing to take victory at Portimão Circuit, claim the top step of the LMP2 Pro/Am podium (fifth overall), and conclude the season with a superb third place in the final standings.

2025 Season Summary – TDS Racing #29 – LMP2 Pro/Am

Xavier Combet – Team Principal: "What I take from this 2025 season is that, like a fine wine, it's been a great vintage — and team spirit has been the key to our success. There was real cohesion and unity between the two cars – the #29 and the #48 – whether among the drivers, mechanics, or every member integrated into this group. To me, that's the most important element, especially at this level of competition. Throughout the season, there were highs and lows, as always in this sport, but we managed to score many points... and make a strong impression too! We can be proud of the work accomplished, of the team's strength and consistency all season long.

Today, celebrating the #48 car's title is something exceptional, a moment to be embraced with great emotion, joy, and above all pride for this team and its three drivers who worked tirelessly, kept their faith in difficult moments, and drew strength from the highs.

Meanwhile, the #29 car in Pro/Am ends its season beautifully with a superb victory at Portimão Circuit and a fantastic third place in the championship. The dedicated staff, our three drivers Rodrigo Sales, Mathias Beche, and Clément Novalak achieved great things all year long. There were some inconsistencies, of course, but also a lot of steadiness. This third place is fully deserved, and the victory in Portugal is the perfect way to end the year.

We will fully enjoy these moments of celebration before quickly getting back to work to prepare for 2026."

Mathias Beche: "It was a rollercoaster season, marked by highs and lows. We started very well, with several podiums early on, which was really strong. The highlight of 2025 was undoubtedly the 24 Hours of Le Mans, with pole position and a magnificent second place in our category.

Later, the ELMS rounds at Imola, Spa, and Silverstone proved more challenging. That's why it was important for us to finish the season on a high note, showing our true level of performance. And we did it, by winning this final race. I'm really happy for the entire team, especially for the mechanics, and proud of the relentless work we did together all year long.

I also want to congratulate our sister car from VDS Panis Racing for their championship title, which we all celebrate together with great joy.

Thank you all for this wonderful human adventure shared within this team."

Clément Novalak: "It's fantastic to end this 2025 season with a victory. We'd been waiting for it since the start, after narrowly missing out on several occasions this year. I really appreciated the team spirit and cohesion with all the members. Even though our efforts were not always rewarded, we proved that we could fight at the front of our category. This victory at Portimão Circuit, combined with our third place in the LMP2 Pro/Am championship, is a great way to close the season. A big thank you to the entire TDS Racing team for their unwavering commitment, and huge congratulations to VDS Panis Racing for their title. We shared some amazing moments of camaraderie throughout the year. I leave with immense gratitude... and the desire to come back even stronger next year!"

Rodrigo Sales: "After an excellent 2024 season, we approached 2025 with great hopes and the ambition to achieve a winning campaign. Despite a few difficulties in Barcelona and at Le Castellet, we still finished on the podium in both races, and our positive momentum continued through the summer with a second place at Le Mans. Imola then proved particularly demanding, where we narrowly missed the podium. We almost bounced back with a win at Spa, but it slipped away in the very final moments of the race. We kept pushing and showed great potential at Silverstone despite tough conditions. The team never lost faith and kept fighting, convinced we'd reach the top step of the podium before the end of the year. Ending the season with a victory here at Portimão Circuit was a magnificent way to wrap up 2025. I'm extremely grateful to my teammates and the entire TDS Racing and VDS Panis Racing teams for their exceptional work throughout the season and for showing true courage and determination, even when the circumstances were tough."