Circuit Paul Ricard in Le Castellet, France on the Cote d'Azur is the starting point for the 2022 Le Mans Cup. This ACO rules championship is based on LMP3 and GT3 machinery racing together, similar in fashion/concept to the new for 2023 IMSA VP Sports Car Challenge that we saw debut at Daytona International Speedway, three weeks or so ago. In this series of recaps, we shall provide highlighted coverage of the races and perhaps a spotlight on a particular team within the championship and their drivers. The Le Mans Cup is the support series for the European Le Mans Series and for the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2022. Ligier and Duqueine are the represented chassis brands in LMP3 and there is a specialty car as well, the H24 prototype. This car, with one single driver at the wheel of it, is powered by hydrogen fuel as solutions are being worked on to try and make motor racing cleaner and better for our environment.
Hydrogen leaves the byproduct of just water as water of course, H2O is hydrogen and oxygen. The only drawback of hydrogen is it's volatility when stored before being consumed as a fuel. But I am sure there is a method to make storage of it, for the H24 race car, a safer proposition. Stephane Richelmi of France is listed as the sole driver of the H24 hydro racer. Once again, this is the opening event of a calendar set to feature half a dozen races. We join Hayley Edmonds, the host and commentator. 38 entries with 78 drivers. A massive field. Drivers are anticipating the beginning of the season including Maurice "Mo" Smith with Cool Racing.
Mo Smith is set to share the #69 Cool Racing Ligier JS P320 Nissan alongside his Danish co-driver Malthe Jakobsen. They are part of a two-car operation for Cool Racing with the other car, #25, set to be shared by the British duo of Mikey Benham and Duncan Tappy. For Mo Smith, he says "five months off was tougher than I thought it would be because all I want to do is go racing." Right back ya', Mo! Yours truly doth concur with that sentiment! Andres Latorre Canon of Australia feels the same way as he will share one of two United Autosports LMP3 entries, car #22, with countryman Garnet Patterson. He is of Latin family origin but domiciled "Down Under".
Mikkel Pedersen, the Dane is also ready to go. Pedersen sharing one of three Honda NSX GT3 Evo22s in the GT3 class with his brother Lars Engelbrecht Pedersen. Germany's Torsten Kratz is up for the fight too, and says the competition is even greater than it was in 2021. Kratz sharing with fellow German Leonard Weiss, the #11 Wochenspiegel Team Monschau Duqueine Nissan. WTM, we have seen them in GT3 competition, race winners, in the endurance competition format with Ferrari of the Creventic 24 Hour Series. They also have this LMP3 team registered for Le Mans Cup under ACO and Le Mans rules racing.
ANS Motorsport are set to embark, in 2022, on their first full campaign in the Le Mans Cup after competing in three rounds in 2021. They are running in LMP3. This is the #6 Ligier to be shared by Jonathan Brossard of Switzerland and Nicolas Schatz of France. Brossard shows us an LMP3 car. An all-carbon fiber chassis, with a weight of 950 kilograms and capable of a top speed of 280 kilometers an hour which is about 170 miles an hour. Aerodynamically optimized. We can see the cockpit and like all modern prototypes, there is very little room for the driver to work in with the safety survival monocoque chassis and of course, high operating temperatures. No air conditioning in an LMP3 racer.
50 degrees Celsius in the cabin, 122 Fahrenheit! That is hot! Especially when you as a driver are wearing not only a helmet but a multi-layer fire suit and racing gloves. You are a roasting chicken inside that automobile. The downforce, the G force is incredible. Your dashboard is basically your steering wheel, or vice versa, in a modern prototype. Lap times, speeds, temperatures of the engine and other components and systems on the car, are all available in the computerized readout. The crash box, the crash structure, is designed to protect the driver in the event of an accident of course.
We have a projected 37 car field for this motor race. 30 LMP3's and a field of seven GT3 production -based racers are entered. We are going to get a tour of Le Castellet which is just under six kilometers in length. Danish driver Kristian Poulsen has agreed to take us for a lap around the circuit aboard his #55 Honda/Acura NSX GT3. This is the car he is sharing with fellow Dane Kasper Jensen this weekend and throughout the season. Down the start/finish line we go to complete a lap and begin another one. Into turn one, brake at the 100-meter board if traffic is not in the way.
Over the curbs through the first couple corners. Carry the speed to turn four, over the curbs, second gear. Dab the throttle, change to first gear. Prepare for the fast section of the track down the Mistral straight. Adjust the steering wheel headed to turn eight and nine. Check in with the crew to make sure the car is optimized but always look ahead to the corners coming up. Know where your turn in and braking points are. Sixth gear at the end of the straight, flat out. 100 meters before into the braking zone, change down a gear to fifth. Through turn nine, change down another gear to fourth. Roll into the corner, turning as much as possible.
Then, down to third gear. Punch it out of the corner, Second gear. Keep the car on a tight line through a long corner, through the entry, the center, and the apex out. Open the steering wheel, accelerate full throttle before the next lefthand bend. Keep the entry tight and the exit, through the final turn on the road and back to the start/finish line shifting to fifth and sixth gear. This completes a lap of the Paul Ricard circuit. Thank you for the tour, Kristian Poulsen. Tires are as much of the equation as a good driver and a good car. So, like other sports car racing championships, Le Mans Cup choose Michelin, the famed French tire maker, to supply their teams.
Michelin Europe Customer Racing director Julien Vial explains. There is really only one type of tire allocated depending on the class you race in. Medium compound front tires for the LMP3 cars. Rear tires use the hard compound, and this is done so the tires maintain constant heat. A single compound for each class makes it easier. Three sets of tires, a dozen tires, for LMP3. Four sets, 16 tires apiece, for the GT3 cars. The range will be easy to drive and be adaptable for every circuit. There are two technical advisors for advice on performance, Safety, and optimum pressure and so on. Le Mans Cup is the proving ground for new teams and drivers to find a home wthin the realm of endurance sports car racing.
After six months of waiting, the moment is now upon us as we prepare for the start of Le Mans Cup 2022 here at Paul Ricard. The LMP3 polesitter is the #11 Wochenspiegel Team Monschau Duqueine of Kratz and Weiss. GT3 pole to the #44 Danish duo for GMB Racing, Jens Reno Moller and Gustav Birch in the Honda NSX GT3. Let's go racing. A sunny Easter Saturday in southern France. Gorgeous weather, and now, it is time for the first green flag of 2022! We're green! Racing here at Paul Ricard! Torsten Kratz leads the field from pole. Rinaldi Racing driver Steve Parrow starting the race from pit lane. Parrow, racing under a German license shares with fellow German driver in the #66 Duqueine, Daniel Keilwitz.
Running wide, car #76. That is Freddie Hunt at the wheel of the Reiter Engineering Ligier. Hunt started sixth and is now making his move for third. Hunt is the son of the late, great 1976 Formula 1 World Champion for McLaren, James Hunt, hence the car number. Hunt sharing with Norwegian former KTM Crossbow racer Mads Siljehaug. Hunt has moved up to fourth while Torsten Kratz is at the top of the shop early doors, consolidating his lead. Jerome de Sadeleer in second, followed by Alexander Matschull. Hunt wants by the German.
Matschull at the wheel of the #10 Racing Spirit of Leman Ligier sharing with experienced French sports car racer Tom Dillman. Making a move too is Charles Crews, the American, at the wheel of the #17 IDEC Sport Ligier JS P320, one of several American LMP3 drivers taking part in the series this year. Crews sharing with Frenchman Dino Lunardi. So, Charles Crews passes Freddie Hunt as they weave for tire temp down the Mistral straight. Hunt gets demoted at least one or two spots as they scream down the long Mistral straight for the first time. Jens Moller leads GT3 in the Honda NSX, car #44 with the first lap in the bag.
However, it appears that two of the three GMB Honda's are going to be pinged with a penalty from the stewards for jumping the start! This is going to make for an interesting few laps for the Danish team. Uh oh. We've got a spinner! Spinning out of sixth spot is one of the United Autosports cars, the #23 Ligier in the hands of American John Schauermann sharing with Englishman Wayne Boyd. This is a spin at turn one while the GT3 pole man, Jens Moller serves his penalty. Schauermann loses it into turn one with pressure from Freddie Hunt that was just too much. A GT3 battle, look, in replay.
Through Double Droite de Beauseille, Ferrari on Porsche. The #46 Ebimotors Porsche 911 GT3R runs wide, being driven by the Italian duo of Fabio Babini and Emmanuelle Busnelli. Busnelli is passed by the #61 AF Corse Ferrari 488 GT3 Evo 2020 in the hands of Gino Forgione of Switzerland. His co-driver is the vastly experienced Italian veteran in Formula 1 and in sports cars alike, Andrea Montermini. Our current top three in GT3.
1. #55 Poulsen/Jensen GMB Motorsport Honda NSX GT3 Evo22
2. #61 Forgione/Montermini AF Corse Ferrari 488 GT3 Evo 2020
3. #44 Moller/Birch GMB Motorsport Honda NSX GT3 Evo22
Moller has successfully passed Forgione while I was giving you the rundown. He is in recovery mode after the drive through penalty. More LMP3 action as Daniel Schneider of Brazil, for United Autosport is in hot pursuit of Christophe Cresp of France for MV2S Forestier Racing. Schneider sharing with Dutchman Kay van Berlo for this event while Cresp is partnered with fellow Frenchman Emilien Carde. In the background, look, we have a spin for another LMP3 contender as Klaus Abbelen has rotated the #30 Frikadelli Racing Team Ligier he shares with countryman Felipe Fernandez Laser. We are used to seeing the Frikadelli team, who are a company that specializes in making frozen meatballs and sausages, a lot at the Nurburgring usually in Porsche's for the Nordschleife endurance GT races.
Abbelen spins out of the last turn here at Paul Ricard and that one has been calamity corner so far today as Abbelen's competition behind, thankfully avoids the spinning car. More LMP3 scrapping into Signes corner, as Fabien Michal of France has his hands full with countryman Fabrice Rosello for Graff Racing in the #57 Ligier. Rossello sharing the #57 with Ryan Harper-Ellam from England, while Fabien Michal is driving the #37 CD Sport Ligier alongside Hong Kong driver Shaun Thong for this race here at Paul Ricard. All this action yields a change for fifth spot in the order.
Meanwhile, more trouble for Klaus Abbelen, look. This time he has managed to spin off at Signes corner. He got a slight tap from behind from the #22 United Autosport Ligier of Andres Latorre and was sent spinning. These LMP3 cars are right on their toes through that corner since there is so much power from these 5.6-liter Nissan V8 engines, naturally aspirated of course. These again, are the same cars we see in IMSA in both the WeatherTech Championship and in the VP Sports Car Racing Challenge. One of the Honda/Acura NSX's runs wide onto the paint as well, look. That is GT3 pole man Jens Moller, the #44 car.
More scrapping among the LMP3 contenders. My gosh. Just when you think it's going to settle down, not a chance. Again, parallels can be drawn between Le Mans Cup and the IMSA VP Sports Car Challenge. Extremely competitive when you pair up the LMP3s and the GT cars in one series. We are looking in now, on the second-place scrap. Jerome de Sadeleer for MV2S Forestier Racing, car #29, vs. #10 Alexander Matschull in the Racing Spirit of Leman Ligier. de Sadeleer, the Swiss driver, sharing alongside the Frenchman Louis Rousset. Matschull tries the draft. Through the Beauseille. Oh boy. Full Course Yellow on the speedway.
An errant bollard has flopped over and a marshal recovers it. 3, 2, 1. Full Course Yellow removed, the announcement from Race Director Edoardo Freitas. Everyone up to speed again as we watch Jerome de Sadeleer reeling in Alexander Matschull into the esses. de Sadeleer gets loose and spins a 360 with no damage but loses a spot. The sister car for Racing Spirit of Leman is in a spot of bother too, look. Frenchman Jacques Wolff at the wheel of it sharing with Josh Skelton from England. That will be a long in lap for Wolff and he will have ten seconds added on to the pit stop time. That will ruin their race for the #43 team, unfortunately.
Wow! A massive spin out of the final turn for Jens Moller! The GT3 pole sitter in the #44 Honda NSX GT3 takes his turn on the whirligig! Jacques Wolff, meanwhile, has made it back to the pit lane to replace the punctured Michelin tire. Torsten Kratz, leading the motor race for WTM locks up into the final turn. Kratz under pressure from Alexander Matschull for the lead of the motor race. Matschull is right on Kratz's six. A race of separate fortunes for Racing Spirit of Leman with one car delayed in the pit lane while the other scraps for the lead with half of the race complete. 55 minutes down and 55 minutes still to run I believe. Actually, there is a shade over an hour on the board yet. So, we are nearing halfway. We have run 50 minutes precisely.
Will WTM pull off a strategy master stroke before the final pit stops of the race here at Paul Ricard? Stay tuned to find out. This motor race is not over by any means. The LMP3 leaders have GT3 traffic ahead while the pit window is definitely open. Not a mandatory pit window per se but an opportunity to head to the lane for service and for driver changes. Third place man Jerome de Sadeleer flashing the headlamps telling his competition to move it so he can get on with running the race. One of the AF Corse Ferrari GT3 cars ahead, but the scrap is on for second spot. de Sadeleer is going to make his move on Matschull. He knows he has to do it now.
Bish, bash, bosh. The Racing Spirit of Leman car was not quick enough through the esses. The move is now done and dusted and de Sadeleer demotes Matschull to third place. Matschull into Signes corner, makes his move and grabs second place. Charlie Crews is also coming in a big hurry and has a head of steam. Incidentally as we look at the positions table, car #11 for Kratz and Weiss in the race lead has covered 26 laps, 94 miles. The lead margin is 2.6 seconds to the battle for second, third, and fourth. #10 to the pit lane. Matschull in the lane to hand off to the talented Frenchman Tom Dillman. Charlie Crews is really giving Jerome de Sadeleer all he can handle to steal second spot.
One of the Acura NSX's is still leading GT3 as Kristian Poulsen has handed the car #55 to Kasper Jensen. This is a three-way battle for second spot with 55 minutes left on the board. Fabien Michal is in that fight among others as Torsten Kratz leads the motor race and we have a car spun around and facing on the passenger's side towards the Armco. Malthe Jakobsen for Cool Racing, the young Danish driver, is in a spot of bother in the #69 Cool Racing car he shares with Mo Smith. Torsten Kratz pits the leading #11 WTM car handing off to Leonard Weiss. MV2S Forestier Racing in the pit lane, too. So, Louis Rousset should hand over to co-driver Jerome de Sadeleer once again to take the car to the finish.
The in and out laps on these pit stops could and should and will shape the outcome of the motor race. We have a yellow flag being displayed on the circuit. The third place battle down the Mistral straight in LMP3 and the overall is red hot! Tom Dillman for Racing Spirit of Leman drafting to the inside of Leonard Weiss. That was a clean pass. Oh boy! They get stymied by the GT3 Porsche. That's the #46 Ebimotors machine I believe, being used as a pick through Virage du Pont. Dillman scythes past Weiss with the advantage of hot Michelin tires. Some contact between a couple more LMP3 cars.
Felipe Fernandez Laser in the #30 Frikadelli Racing Team Ligier is clouted by Tommy Foster aboard the #53 RLR M Sport Ligier. Foster in an all-British duo on that team with Martin Rich. Jerome de Sadeleer says that he had a good start but has had to deal with handling woes and tire degradation, however he has been able to recover from the spin and is proud of that. Full Course Yellow on the road and it is game over for Cool Racing. Mo Smith and Malthe Jakobsen, done for the day. Kasper Jensen at the top of the shop in GT3 for GMB Motorsport and the #55 Honda NSX.
Race Director Edoardo Freitas brings us back to green flag racing, with 43 minutes to go. End of Full Course Yellow. Thank you. A good LMP3 battle for second place is beginning to simmer. Louis Rousset has Dino Lunardi right on his six. Another great LMP3 battle to watch is Kay van Berlo trying to make a pass on the Irishman Cian Carey for TS Corse. van Berlo in the #32 United Autosports Ligier he is sharing with Daniel Schneider of course, while TS Corse has the #73 of Cian Carey, the Irishman, sharing with Italian Pietro Peccenini. We can see van Berlo wants to make his move on Carey but can't quite make the pass as we have just over 20 minutes left of racing before this one is in the bag.
A late sweeping move by Colin Noble could be the move of the motor race! Noble driving the Nielsen Racing #7 Ligier alongside Tony Wells. He took Ryan Harper-Ellam in the #57 Graff Racing Ligier completely by surprise! Noble and Wells along with their Nielsen Racing team won the 2021 LMP3 championship in Le Mans Cup. Tom Dillmann continues leading the motor race in the waning moments. His margin is ten seconds over second place. Wow! Through Signes, a car just shoots right off the road and onto the runoff! Across that tungsten paint goes British driver Max Lynn sharing with his dad Shaun Lynn in another of the United Autosport Ligier's! I believe he could very well be brothers with Alex Lynn who races with Cadillac and Ganassi Racing in IMSA and the FIA WEC. Or at least he will be racing WEC with them this year in 2023.
Max Lynn was off into the never, never there, with 14 minutes remaining. Now we move to the closing stages as with just over five minutes of the race remaining, a battle for tenth place in LMP3 as Mads Siljehaug gets loose but the car behind him is even worse for wear! That is the car for Team Thor from Iceland. Michael Markussen, the Danish driver is the spinner. Markussen sharing that car with Iceland's Audunn Gundmundsson. Kay van Berlo can make a clean pass after that shemozzle. Colin Noble makes a pass on Shaun Thong as well. Less than three minutes to run and Kay van Berlo has a head of steam trying to pass Mads Siljehaug down the Mistral straight.
van Berlo makes the pass stick over Siljehaug who was hanging on by his fingernails there. Jeez! Another LMP3 battle in the waning moments as Matt Bell makes his move on Ryan Harper-Ellam. He moves up to eighth spot in the second of the Nielsen Racing entries past the Graff Racing machine. A great scrap for the final podium place in GT3. This is the #99 Bullitt Racing Aston Martin Vantage GT3 with Frenchman Theo Nouet sharing with British driver Stephen Patrick. Nouet trying all he knows to pass the Italian veteran Andrea Montermini. Despite Montermini's ageless amount of racing experience, Nouet makes the pass.
This is a pass for third spot on the final lap of the motor race! Holy smokes! Good stuff for Bullitt Racing, the new team to the series, from Spain! The checkers are down, and Tom Dillman wins the opening race of the Michelin Le Mans Cup! Victory for the #10 Racing Spirit of Leman Ligier in LMP3 and the overall while GT3 class honors go to the GMB Motorsports #55 Honda NSX GT3 of Kasper Jensen and Kristian Poulsen! Wow! What a race!
Overall/LMP3: #10 Dillman/Matschull Racing Spirit of Leman Ligier JS P320 Nissan
GT3: #55 Jensen/Poulsen GMB Motorsports Honda NSX GT3
Louis Rousset and Jerome de Sadeleer come home second and a newly promoted third place team as Tommy Foster and Martin Rich are promoted after a penalty for Dino Lunardi and Charles Crews after they passed the WTM entry of Leonard Weiss and Torsten Kratz and thus were demoted to fifth place by the stewards, post-race. One race now done and dusted in Le Mans Cup 2022. A dominant win in GT3 for the new Honda NSX. Next up is the race in Italy at Imola at the fabled Autodromo Enzo E Dino Ferrari. The first of half a dozen races for Michelin Le Mans Cup. We'll see you at Imola. Au revoir, everybody. Ciao.
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