Race 1
Starting from pole position, Vincent Bouteiller and Tomas Pompidou took victory in the Ligier JS P4 #19 entered by Trajectus Motorsport. In the JS2 R category, poleman Marcus Terkildsen delivered an incredible finish to secure his first win aboard the Ligier JS2 R #88 of 23Events Racing.
The opening race of the 2026 season took place in excellent conditions at Circuit Barcelona-Catalunya. Although four successive safety car interventions disrupted the first half of the race, the drivers put on a superb show all the way to the chequered flag in both the JS P4 and JS2 R categories.
Ligier JS P4:
Poleman Vincent Bouteiller made a strong start in the Ligier JS P4 #19 (Trajectus Motorsport), ahead of August Therbo (#57, M Racing) and Brandon McCaughan (#1, Team Virage). His Trajectus Motorsport team-mate Gabriel Doyle-Parfait was forced to stop the Ligier JS P4 #20 at the end of the pit straight, bringing out the safety car.
At the restart, Bouteiller held onto the lead and extended the gap, setting the fastest lap of the race (1:45.733), while Marius Kristiansen (#99, Team Virage) gained two places into the top five.
The safety car was deployed again to recover the Ligier JS P4 #9 of ANS Motorsport, stranded in the gravel at Turn 1. Shortly after the restart, Australia’s Alex Gardner lost control of the Ligier JS P4 #14 on the pit straight and hit the tyre barrier, triggering a third safety car period.
Racing resumed with Brandon McCaughan moving up to second behind Bouteiller. Further back, Mika Abrahamas spun at Turn 4, leaving his Ligier JS P4 #6 stranded on track – a setback for ANS Motorsport, winners here in 2025. The safety car was deployed once more.
At the next restart, McCaughan surprised Bouteiller to take the lead in the Ligier JS P4 #1 of Team Virage, just before the pit window opened (mandatory stop: 105 seconds for two-driver crews, 110 seconds for solo entries). Now driven by Sebastien Kawpeng, the #1 retained the lead ahead of the #19, now in the hands of Tomas Pompidou, and the #7 of LR Motorsport, with Simone Riccitelli taking over from Pietro Ferri. However, the Italian crew received a drive-through penalty for causing a collision and dropped down the order.
The race intensified in the final 15 minutes. Pompidou overtook Kawpeng on lap 23, while the latter was handed a stop-and-go penalty for an infringement during the mandatory pit stop. At the wheel of the #19, the reigning Ligier JS Cup France Junior champion set the fastest lap of the race (1:45.585) and took victory in the opening race of the season.
Second place went to the #12 of ASM Motorsport, shared by Sacha Van’t Pad Bosch and Luis Carlos Perez Cabello, ahead of the #99 of Team Virage, driven by Marius Kristiansen and Arnaud Malizia.
Long running second, the Ligier JS P4 #57 of M Racing (August Therbo / Cindy Gudet) eventually finished just outside the top 10 but claimed victory in the PRO-AM category. The AM class win went to the Ligier JS P4 #50 of Les Deux Arbres, driven by Jérémy Loisel.
Ligier JS P4 podium overall: #19 Trajectus Motorsport (Tomas Pompidou / Vincent Bouteiller) (winner), #12 ASM Motorsport (Luis C. P. Cabello / Sacha Van’t Pad Bosh) (second), #99 Team Virage (Marius Kristiansens / Arnaud Malizia) (third)
“I had to stay calm with all the safety car periods. I was building a gap to second place, but each time the safety car came out, so it was important to stay composed and hold onto the lead.”
Tomas Pompidou, #19 Trajectus Motorsport, Ligier JS P4, Winner of Race 1:
“It was a great stint, a short sprint race. Over the radio, they told me that the car #1 pit stop had been slightly too short, and asked me to avoid taking too many risks. The goal was to stay close and try to overtake if I had the opportunity. When I caught up, I managed to pass Sébastien [Kawpeng] in traffic. Just after that, we heard about their penalty. From there, we were able to pull away and build a gap. It was a great race and a perfect way to start the weekend.”
Ligier JS2 R:
After dominating free practice and qualifying, and breaking the circuit record multiple times the day before, 16-year-old Danish driver Marcus Terkildsen made no mistake and led into Turn 1 in the #88 23Events Racing Ligier JS2 R, winners here in 2025.
Despite the multiple interruptions, he extended his lead and set a new fastest lap of the race (1:51.157) before the pit stops began.
Terkildsen rejoined in fourth place, behind new leader Charles Lambert (#83, Trajectus Motorsport) and VSF Sports drivers Daniel Dallakyan (#41) and Anthony Ghibaudo (#18). With less than five minutes remaining, the Dane launched a stunning comeback, overtaking all three rivals to take victory by 2.887 seconds over Lambert.
Behind them, Anthony Ghibaudo passed Daniel Dallakyan to secure third place overall in JS2 R and the PRO-AM victory for himself, his team-mate Maxime Aparicio, and VSF Sports.
The two Ligier JS2 R cars of LR Motorsport finished fifth and sixth in class, with Simone Bianco (#81) and the duo Noah Rosser / Andrea Frizza (#3). Father-and-son pairing the Taberys took seventh overall and second in PRO-AM, while Alain Meyer and David Caussanel claimed AM class victory in the Ligier JS2 R #94 of Pegasus Racing.
Marcus Terkildsen, #88 23Events Racing, Ligier JS2 R, Winner of Race 1 in Ligier JS2 R:
“I was very confident. The pace had been amazing all weekend, and I tried to carry that into the race. During the pit stop, we lost around five seconds, which cost us four positions, so I had to make them back up at the end — and I managed to do it.”
Race 2:
The Ligier JS P4 #14 of Team Virage, driven by Alex Gardner and Simon Schranz, takes victory in Race 2. In the JS2 R category, the win goes to the Ligier #41 of VSF Sports, shared by Antonin Bernard and Daniel Dallakyan. The next round takes place at Le Castellet in early May for the second Heat of the season.
Following an excellent opening race earlier in the day, the 25 Ligier European Series competitors returned to the track for a second 60-minute contest, held under bright sunshine and with track temperatures approaching 40°C on the Catalan asphalt. The heat was also on under the helmets, with several incidents and superb battles throughout the field right up to the chequered flag.
Ligier JS P4: Alex Gardner and Simon Schranz took victory in the #14 Team Virage.
Starting from pole position, Tomas Pompidou made the holeshot. The Ligier JS P4 #19 of Trajectus Motorsport led ahead of the #1 of Team Virage driven by Sébastien Kawpeng, while Simon Schranz (#14 Team Virage) gained one position. Meanwhile, Sacha Van’t Pad Bosch (#12 ASM Motorsport) dropped to tenth.
Pompidou built a gap over the two Team Virage entries (#1 and #14) and set the fastest lap of the race (1:46.373) before the safety car was deployed following a collision in the JS2 R category. The restart was chaotic: Kawpeng (#1) anticipated the green flag and crossed the line ahead of the leader Pompidou. He gave the position back, but his team-mate Simon Schranz took advantage to slip into the lead in the Ligier JS P4 #14 of Team Virage.
The pit stops did not change the order at the front of the JS P4 field. The #14, now with Alex Gardner at the wheel, led ahead of the #19 driven by Vincent Bouteiller. The Frenchman closed in on the leader and attempted a move under braking at the end of the straight, but spun to avoid contact and dropped to fifth.
The two Team Virage cars ran one-two, but following the earlier restart incident, the #1 received a 10-second penalty. Gardner allowed his teammate Brandon McCaughlan through into the lead in an attempt to offset the penalty, but the #1 ultimately finished only fifth.
In the end, victory went to the #14 of Team Virage with Alex Gardner and Simon Schranz. Second place was secured by the Ligier JS P4 #7 of LR Motorsport, driven by Italians Simone Riccitelli and Pietro Ferri, ahead of the #6 of ANS Motorsport (Mika Abrahamas / Ethan Pharamond), who delivered strong stints. Winners of Race 1, Vincent Bouteiller and Tomas Pompidou (#19, Trajectus Motorsport) finished just off the podium in fourth.
Numerous battles enlivened the top 10 throughout the race, notably between Gabriel Doyle-Parfait (#20, Trajectus Motorsport), Jan Duran Olive (#33, Petrogold) and Andrei Duna (#93, Petrogold) shortly after mid-race, as well as between Marius Kristiansen (#99, Team Virage) and Doyle-Parfait towards the end, not to mention the fierce fight between the two Petrogold entries.
In the PRO-AM classification, the Ligier #57 of M Racing (August Therbo / Cindy Gudet) took another victory, finishing sixth overall.
Simon Schranz, #14 Team Virage, Ligier JS P4, Winner of Race 2:
“It was a crazy race. I felt the baseline pace was quite good, from the beginning. I couldn’t get close to Sébastien [Kawpeng], who was doing a great job. Then with the safety car restart, he went a bit early and I managed to slip past both cars. I went for it, and I think that move was key to winning the race — perfect timing. After that, with our strong pace, I was able to pull away.”
Alex Gardner, #14 Team Virage, Ligier JS P4, Winner of Race 2:
“Simon did most of the work with a really strong stint. All I had to do was bring it home at the end. I’ve been out of the car for a while, so I just focused on trusting myself, the car and the team. They gave me a strong package, and I felt confident enough to bring it to the finish. That was an awesome way to end the weekend.”
JS2 R:
Daniel Dallakyan was not intimidated by Marcus Terkildsen (#88 23Events Racing), who had dominated the category since the previous day. At the wheel of the Ligier JS2 R #41 of VSF Sports, the French driver made a better start and led at the end of the opening lap.
Behind him, Simone Bianco (#81 LR Motorsport) and Charles Lambert (#83 Trajectus Motorsport) collided under braking at Turn 10. Nathan Huet (#68 M Racing) was unable to avoid the #83, which was damaged and forced to retire.
After a few laps under the safety car, racing resumed. Terkildsen set the fastest lap of the race (1:51.301) in the #88 and took the lead on lap six. He appeared on course for a clean sweep of the weekend, but lost significant time during his pit stop. The #41, now driven by Antonin Bernard, emerged in the lead.
Bernard controlled the race to the finish and secured a new victory for VSF Sports in Barcelona, their first overall win of the season.
Marcus Terkildsen finished second ahead of Martin and Jack Tabery, who completed the podium and also won the PRO-AM classification in the #84 of Trajectus Motorsport thanks to an excellent pit strategy.
Despite a drive-through penalty for causing a collision and a stop-and-go for a pit stop infringement, the #81 of LR Motorsport (Simone Bianco) finished fourth, ahead of the #68 of M Racing (Lawrence Herbots / Nathan Huet). The #94 of Pegasus Racing (Caussanel / Meyer) once again won the AM category.
Earlier in the race, a major battle between Jordan Meyer (#29, Pegasus Racing) and Anthony Ghibaudo (#18, VSF Sports) for third place ended in contact and retirement for both cars.
Daniel Dallakyan, #41 VSF Sports, Ligier JS2 R, Winner of Race 2 in JS2 R:
“Marcus [Terkildsen] was really quick, so it was difficult to fight him in this race. Still, we managed to stay close to him throughout my stint. Then my teammate Antonin did a great job in the final laps with very strong pace, and that’s how we were able to secure the win.”
Antonin Bernard, #41 VSF Sports, Ligier JS2 R, Winner of Race 2 in JS2 R:
“I was under quite a lot of pressure, especially as the first race didn’t go as we had hoped and we didn’t show the same pace as in qualifying. I managed to hold on to the lead and maintain the pace despite the tyre degradation. It went quite well. I just focused on my driving rather than the result, and that really helped.”
