It hasn’t taken long for Jake Hughes to establish himself as a contender in the European Le Mans Series’ LMP2 category.
After a three-year stint in Formula E, the Briton has pivoted to sportscar racing for 2026, and is contesting the ELMS aboard Algarve Pro Racing’s #25 ORECA 07 – Gibson.
The rookie was the fastest driver at the official pre-season test in Barcelona, and followed it up by topping Free Practice 1 at the Spanish venue, immediately placing himself amongst the pole position contenders for his prototype debut.
Unfortunately, it didn’t all come together in either qualifying or the race, with Hughes placing the car fifth on the grid, before a puncture when running third, which ended their chances in the four-hour contest.
The result, ninth in class, was nothing to write home about, but the potential shown has surely put the paddock on alert that the #25 entry will once again be a threat this year.
“The pace was very strong all throughout the week in Barcelona,” Hughes tells DSC. “I’d only done one test day before that in February. It was like being thrown into the deep end a little bit, so to have that pace was really encouraging.
“I think quali was an interesting topic, because we looked very quick on the first set of tyres, and then we struggled on the second set of tyres. So that was the first example we’d had of maybe not getting the tyre working, just a shame it came in the important run in quali, but there are lessons to be learned in that which we’ve tried to apply this weekend.
“Anytime you put a tyre on a race car, there’s a challenge to be had for quali, which is usually evolved around trying to peak the tyre and get the most performance out of it. And that’s the same with this Goodyear tyre.
“It’s very robust, it’s very gives a lot of performance for a long time, but there is a peak to it, and there is a way to do it. I think for the two weekends so far, we’ve seen both a good way to do it and a bad way to do it.”
Tyre preparation, therefore, has been one of Algarve Pro Racing’s key focuses for this weekend, as with one round complete the team can now start fine-tuning its performance.
“In the test day, we’ve been playing around with things like warm up procedures, and we’ve taken lessons from every one we’ve done,” Hughes explains.
“It doesn’t mean to say that it’s definitely going to work by the time we come to quali. Track temperatures change, the conditions here has been very different with the wind, so we have to keep that in mind.
“It’s been challenging, but I feel like I’ve gotten on top of the car and the tyre quite quickly.”
Despite not qualifying up front at a venue where overtaking can be difficult, the #25 ORECA still put together a challenge for victory in Spain, which came undone shortly before the halfway mark when Hughes had the lightest of touches with an LMGT3 car entering Turn 13.
A punctured tyre caused Hughes to miss pit entry, forcing him to complete a full lap at reduced speed, with the lost time costing the car the lead lap and effectively ending its chances.
“The race was a shame,” the 31-year-old reflects. “We just got up to P3, had a touch on the rear with a GT car.
“It’s my first race, right? So I can’t start saying I’m disappointed. It is what it is, I think I did a genuine move, which was not on the limit, maybe a little bit pushy, and I just think the GT car didn’t see me”
The sportscar switch was no spur-of-the-moment move from Hughes, who has been in casual conversation with Algarve Pro Racing for several years, although the timing never previously worked out to get a programme together.
“I’ve always been pestering David Leach, chief engineer at Algarve Pro Racing, over the years, but at the same time, I’ve always had something to focus on,” he says.
“Whether it was being in Formula 3 and Formula 2, and a lot of people think even when I was in my last year in Formula 3, that I was still focused on F1. I was actually pivoting and trying to position myself for Formula E, well before I even got there.”
After two seasons spent as Mercedes’ Formula E reserve driver, Hughes made the step into a race drive in the championship in 2022/23 with McLaren, and claimed his first pole position in just his second event.
The 31-year-old then switched to Maserati for the 2024/25 campaign, only for the Italian marque to withdraw from the championship at the end of the season.
“When I did get there, obviously that became my full focus,” he continues. “And depending on where you are in your journey in Formula E and contractual situation, you’re probably limited to just doing Formula E. Maybe over time, you get some results, the contract situation changes, and you see some guys be able to do double championships. But for me, it was all about Formula E.
“Now, that situation’s changed, and I was straight to David again. Originally, the answer was not a clear yes; it was like, ‘we don’t have anything available, but we’ll keep you in mind.’ And then the opportunity came up, and here we are.”
The opportunity in question was the chance to share a car with Algarve Pro Racing regular Matthias Kaiser and prototype veteran Tristan Vautier, and join the Portuguese squad’s quest for a second ELMS title.
Former 12 Hours of Sebring winner Vautier, in particular, is well-equipped to help Hughes adapt his current skillset to sportscar racing, with over a decade of insight into high-level DPi, LMDh and LMP2 programmes to lean on.
“I couldn’t wish for a better pro, a better top endurance racer to study from and learn from,” Hughes says of the Frenchman.
“Not just the equipment, but he knows how to work with a team. He knows what to tell them to do, how to manage a weekend, and that’s all stuff I can pick up from him. So it’s been really good.”
Looking to the future, it’s apparent that Hughes is taking this new phase of his career one step at a time, with his focus firmly placed on performing with Algarve Pro this season.
“I’m trying to stay active and aware to what opportunities there may be, but here and now, I’m just focusing on what I’m doing in the ELMS here with APR,” he states.
“I know that’s always the cliche, focus on the here and now, but it is really important for me to try and get on top of the car as quickly as I can, to extract the best possible performance, and get the results I can. And what will be, will be.
“Of course, Hypercar and manufacturer endurance racing is something I want to do, something I’m pretty sure I’ll be very competent in, and I’ll keep trying to force my way in there, but stuff like this in the ELMS with APR is only going to help that.”
If a Hypercar seat doesn’t materialise, the 31-year-old is perfectly content remaining in LMP2, having become the latest in a long line of drivers to fall under the spell of the ORECA 07 – Gibson package.
“I can say I’m falling in love with endurance racing already,” he confesses. “I haven’t done GT racing or Hypercar, so I’ve only got these two weekends so far in LMP2 and ELMS to call upon, but I’m absolutely loving it. The car is mega.
“It’s one of the best cars I’ve ever driven. It’s a proper mix between power, downforce and weight, so it’s a lovely car to drive. The only bad thing I can say about it is it doesn’t have a lot of torque, but you get out and your hands are tingling from the engine vibration still, it’s just a proper event.
“The team’s mega. It’s very professional, but everyone’s here enjoying the racing as well. You go on track, there’s a lot to focus on, not just in your own race, but keeping out of everyone else’s race, managing traffic, for example.
“And from what I’ve experienced so far with the LMP2 car, I’d be very happy driving around in ELMS, Asia, Le Mans, IMSA, for a long time. So we’ll see what happens.”
Images courtesy of Algarve Pro Racing
