Spa-Franchorchamps, Belgium Practice Session 1 #3 Jean Glorieux / Alexander Toril – DKR Engineering Norma M30 – Nissan
Photo: ACO

Michelin Le Mans Cup Portimao Resources

LMP3 Title Decided

The championship has already been won by Jean Glorieux and Alex Toril in the no3 DKR Engineering Norma-Nissan. The Belgian-Spanish pairing have scored five pole positions and five podium finishes, including four wins, from the six races run so far this season and will be looking to add a further winner’s trophy to their 2017 haul.

Round 1 winners Tony Wells and Colin Noble have chased Glorieux and Toril all season in the no79 Nielsen Racing Ligier and expect the British team to be in the mix on the twists and turns of the Portimão track on race day.

The all French no65 Graff Ligier of Emilien Carde and Adrien Chila have been on the podium twice in 2017 and will be a strong contender for another visit in the season finale.  The no55 Spirit of Race Ligier of Claudio Sdanewitsch and Michele Rugolo and the no98 Motorsport98 of Eric De Doncker and Andy Meyrick have also finished in the top 3 this season and will be strong contenders for further celebratory champagne spraying at the end of the final 2-hour race in Portugal.

Spa-Franchorchamps, Belgium Race #46 Emanuele Businelli / Fabio Babini – Ebimotors Lamborghini Huracan GT3
Photo: ACO

GT3 Title Still Up For Grabs

On Sunday 22 October twenty cars will take part in the final showdown of the 2017 Michelin Le Mans Cup at the highly technical and challenging Autódromo Internacional do Algarve in Portugal. For the first time this season the 2-hour race will take place on Sunday morning, rather than Saturday afternoon, and the teams and drivers will race on the 4.6km circuit a few hours ahead of the competitors taking part in the final race of the 2017 European Le Mans Series.
There are six entries in the GT3 class for what promises to be an exciting end of the season as the no46 Ebimotors Lamborghini of Fabio Babini and Emanuele Busnelli go head to head with the no7 Lee Mowle Mercedes of Lee Mowle and Phil Keen for championship glory.  Only Lee Mowle can win the driver’s crown after Keen missed the last race in Belgium.  The gap between the two cars is just 7 points.

The no8 SVC Sport Management Lamborghini of Cedric Mezard and Steeve Hiesse has been on the pace in every round but has yet to finish in a podium position this season. Look out for the two French drivers pushing hard for a podium finish in Portugal.  The no5 RAM Racing Mercedes of Remon Vos and Tom Onslow-Cole returns after missing the race in Belgium last month.  The Anglo-Dutch duo have endured a difficult season and will be looking to finish the season on a high note in Portimão.

The no20 Gulf Racing UK Porsche of Andrew Baker and Ben Barker rejoins the grid for the final race on the back of a fighting second place in Spa-Francorchamps and the GT3 grid is completed by a new entry, the no93 Kessel Racing Ferrari of Claudio Schiavoni, who is joined by the highly experienced Andrea Piccini.