The 2023 ELMS LMP2, LMP2 Pro/Am and GTE class titles have all been decided in the rain-soaked season finale at Portimao today, which started late and was red-flagged for 45 minutes after torrential rain throughout the morning and afternoon.
The race, which was a thriller once it got going, produced no significant changes to the championship standings following Qualifying yesterday. interrupted
Algarve Pro Racing claimed the LMP2 Teams and Drivers titles by 20 points after its #25 finished second overall. During the season the Portuguese-flagged team and its drivers James Allen, Alex Lynn and Kyffin Simpson scored two wins and two pole positions en route to the title.
The result marks the first European Le Mans Series title for the multiple Asian Le Mans title-winning team and reigning IMSA Michelin Endurance Cup LMP2 champion.
United Autosports’ #22 ORECA ended up second in the championship after winning both the penultimate race of the season on Friday and the race today. While it will come as a disappointment that the title didn’t go its way, the team will still receive an invitation to the Le Mans 24 Hours next year for finishing in the runner-up spot.
The LMP2 Pro/Am Teams and Drivers championships went to AF Corse and its full-season duo Francois Perrodo and Matthieu Vaixiviere. The #83 won the class, Ben Barnicoat clinging onto the lead in the final hour, fending off a late charge from title rival Malthe Jakobsen.
It is AF Corse’s first LMP2 title win in the European Le Mans Series and another major title for Perrodo. The highly successful Frenchman has three FIA WEC GTE Am titles, an FIA WEC LMP2 Pro/Am title and now an ELMS LMP2 Pro/Am title to his name.
Both COOL Racing and Racing Team Turkey came achingly close to the crown, but could only muster second place and fourth finishes in class respectively.
The final ELMS GTE titles went to the #16 Proton Competition Porsche and drivers Zacharie Robichon, Alessio Picariello and Ryan Hardwick. A win today ensured they held onto their points lead.
This is Proton Competition’s fourth GTE title in the European Le Mans Series, a first ELMS title for Zach Robichon and Ryan Hardwick and a second for Alessio Picariello, who won the title in 2020 with the German team.
The LMP3 titles were clinched during Friday’s race by COOL Racing’s #17 trio, who sealed a second championship in a row for the Swiss-flagged team with a fourth-place finish in the 4 Hours of Algarve.
With the titles now decided, all five of the ELMS’ automatic invitations to the 2024 Le Mans 24 Hours have been awarded too:
LMP2 Teams Champion: Algarve Pro Racing
LMP2 Teams Runner Up: United Autosports
LMP2 Pro/Am Teams Champion: AF Corse
LMP3 Champion: COOL Racing
GTE Champion: Proton Competition
