We attended the 4 Hours of Imola of the ELMS and had the honor of experiencing a dream weekend. An incredibly competitive race, an amazing atmosphere, and lots of new things to discover in the world of endurance racing.
It’s always a unique thrill to arrive at the track, set up the gear, and realize that all the conditions are perfect for an incredible weekend. Imola welcomed us for the third round of the ELMS with sweltering heat and blazing sunshine, but also with a paddock full of fans and a flawless weekend organization. The 4 Hours of Imola was a race packed with action and excitement. A thunderstorm that made an appearance during both Saturday afternoon’s qualifying session and Sunday’s endurance race . It added an extra spark to moments that were already keeping nearly thirteen thousand spectators glued to the grandstands.
Qualifying or absolute chaos?
The qualifying session was the first roller coaster that ELMS at Imola put us on: after the first fifteen minutes dedicated to the LMGT3 class. Pole position was claimed by the Iron Lynx Mercedes driven by Martin Berry – it was time for the LMP3 cars, just as the first drops of rain began to fall around the curves of Imola. After Theodor Jensen of CLX Motorsport took pole position, the thunderstorm officially hit, and the qualifying session was halted for almost an hour. Before we could see the LMP2 cars on track, the paddock had to seek shelter in the garages and hospitality areas from what turned into a true summer storm.
Once activity resumed, and the sun peeked out a few minutes later, Giorgio Roda of Proton Competition dominated the fifteen minutes allocated to the PRO AM category. Overall pole position was secured by Formula 2 champion Theo Pourchaire, representing Algarve Pro Racing. But before we dive into Sunday’s starting grid, the ELMS weekend offers a wide range of not-to-be-missed activities at the track.
The best fan experience
All ticket holders had the chance to enjoy a pit walk, take part in the autograph session with all the teams and even walk on the starting grid to admire the cars before the race. A unique fan experience, which places ELMS at the top of the rankings for motorsport fan engagement. A crucial factor during this golden era for the sport.
Once the lights went out, the APR car managed to hold onto first position in the early stages of the race, which started off surprisingly calm, unusual for this category. However, after the first half-hour, the 4 Hours of Imola was brought to a stop by a red flag due to a major crash involving four cars. The LMGT3 class pole-sitter from Iron Lynx collided with the GR Racing Ferrari and Kessel Racing’s #57, along with IDEC Sport’s #18 LMP2 car.
A mini disaster that left the cars waiting on the Imola straight for about an hour. Once racing resumed, the real battles began, thrilling fans with wheel-to-wheel action down to the thousandths. Victory at the Santerno circuit went to the VDS Panis Racing crew of Charles Milesi, Ollie Gray, and Esteban Masson, despite a post-pit stop investigation. In the PRO AM class, it was Spike the dragon – AO by TF’s mascot – who took the win. The LMP3 class, CLX Motorsport turned their pole position into a race victory. In LMGT3, TF Sport’s Corvette dominated the final phase of the race to claim the top step of the podium.
The next round of the European Le Mans Series will take place at Spa-Francorchamps at the end of August.
