The entry list for the final European Le Mans Series round of the season, the 4 Hours of Portimão, has been released today. It features a handful of driver changes across the 43-car field.
In LMP2, Felipe Drugovich returns to Vector Sport’s line-up after Patrick Pilet filled in for him at Mugello. That weekend Drugovich opted to sit out the race in Italy in order to take part in a clashing IndyCar test with Chip Ganassi Racing.
The only other change comes at Nielsen Racing. As previously reported on DSC, Gabriel Aubry joins the team for a guest appearence in the seat previously filled by David Heinemeier Hansson.
In LMP2 Pro/Am meanwhile, there are no new names on the list, but both Georgios Kolovos and Raphaël Narac are confirmed for a second start at Team Virage. The duo took over from Tony Wells and Matt Bell last time out in Mugello.
LMP3 sees a couple of line-up tweaks. Cédric Oltramare is not listed to drive in COOL Racing’s #17 Ligier, leaving the team with two named drivers for the race – Miguel Cristóvão and Manuel Espírito Santo.
And at Ultimate, FIA WEC LMGT3 driver François Heriau will become the sixth driver in six races to drive the #35 Ligier alongside Jean-Baptiste and Matthieu Lahaye.
Also of note, Guilherme Oliveira is confirmed for a second weekend with DKR in the third seat of its #4 Duqueine. The Portuguese racer joined the team for the first time this season last month in Tuscany. The third seat in that car was previously taken by Belen Garcia, who stepped away from the team on the week of the 4 Hours of Spa earlier in the summer.
Finally, in LMGT3, Formula Racing only has two drivers listed for its #50 Ferrari 296 LMGT3. Johnny Laursen and Conrad Laursen will not be joined by 2024 Le Mans 24 Hours winner Nicklas Nielsen for the final race of the season, as the Dane is set to attend Ferrari’s Finali Mondiali weekend at Imola, which clashes.
Unfortunately for Nielsen, this ends his LMGT3 title hopes. Currently, in what is an extremely tight points battle in the class, he and his co-drivers sit 20 points off the lead with 26 still up for grabs.
JMW’s Ferrari trio on the other hand, remains the same after Scott Noble and Jason Hart stepped in at Mugello following John Hartshorne and Phil Keen’s withdrawl.
The 2024 running of the European Le Mans Series 4 Hours of Portimão is set to take place on October 18th-19th.
