After four hours of racing, the trio of Milesi/Masson/Gray (#48 – vdS Panis Racing) secured a brilliant 2nd place in LMP2. Meanwhile, the crew of Sales / Novalak / Beche (#29 – TDS Racing) stood out by clinching 3rd place on the podium in the LMP2 Pro / Am category. A strong start to the season and valuable points scored for both cars.

An Intense Week to Launch the Hostilities

On Monday and Tuesday, the traditional Prologue gave teams the opportunity to fine-tune their setups across six test sessions. By the final session, the #48 topped the overall timesheets, while the #29 finished fourth in its class.

Following official photo sessions, scrutineering, and several briefings, the six drivers were back on track Friday and Saturday morning for free practice.

The arrival of Marc Van Der Straten to the team was an emotionally charged moment: his involvement, kindness, and unwavering support left a deep impression on all team members.

In qualifying, Bronze driver Rodrigo Sales fulfilled his role by setting the 3rd fastest time in LMP2 Pro / Am with the #29. In LMP2, Charles Milesi took the wheel of the #48 and qualified the car in 6th position.

A Prestigious Visitor Before the Start

Just before heading to the grid, the drivers had the pleasure of welcoming a very special guest to the garage: double Moto2 World Champion Johann Zarco, who attended at the invitation of Mathias Beche. Thrilled by the atmosphere, he followed the entire race from within the heart of the team, alongside the engineers.

Race Highlights – Car #29 (LMP2 Pro / Am)

Rodrigo Sales started the race from 3rd in class. Showing great aggression, he gained a position in the very first corner, cleverly avoiding incidents ahead. Under pressure, he dropped two places but maintained a strong pace throughout his 66-minute stint.

Clément Novalak then took over the wheel, just as a Virtual Safety Car followed by a full Safety Car disrupted the race and the strategy. Running in 4th place, he clocked consistent lap times as he settled into a solid rhythm.

With 1h30 to go, Mathias Beche got behind the wheel. A second neutralization came quickly. Running in 3rd, Mathias kept up the pace and showed great speed once the green flag was waved. With 20 minutes remaining, the car made its final pit stop. After one last VSC, Mathias expertly managed the race's closing stages, delivering a superb 3rd place finish for the team.

Race Highlights – Car #48 (LMP2)

Starting from the third row, Oliver Gray began the race cautiously, falling back to 12th place. But he soon launched a fantastic comeback, making multiple overtakes and taking the lead after 26 laps. His impressive stint ended with the car in first place before handing over to Esteban Masson for his LMP2 debut.

A neutralization (VSC then Safety Car) then shook up the order, dropping the #48 to 6th place. But Esteban, showing great determination, fought his way back with several bold moves and handed the car over to Charles Milesi in 3rd.

Another neutralization preceded Charles's stint. Once the track was clear, he chased down the leaders Jaubert (IDEC Sport) and Derani (CLX Motorsport). An intense battle followed, with Charles pulling off a stunning overtake to move into 2nd place.

After one final pit stop, the #48 headed into a thrilling final phase. Despite a late push to catch the leader in the closing laps, time ran out to reclaim the top spot. The crew wrapped up this first round with a brilliant 2nd place finish – the perfect way to start the season.

A promising start to the championship for the Felines, with podium finishes in both categories and strong performances across the board. The rest of the season is shaping up to be an exciting one!

Stay tuned this week on our social media for reactions from our six drivers and the full debrief of the 4 Hours of Barcelona from Olivier Panis and Xavier.

NOTE! Very soon, we'll be thrilled to reveal the name of the third driver who will join Esteban Masson and Oliver Gray for the 24 Hours of Le Mans at the wheel of the #48 ORECA in LMP2.