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The #29 Oreca 07-Gibson entered by Forestier Racing by Panis and driven by Louis Rousset, Oliver Gray and Esteban Masson claimed victory in the 2026 4 Hours of Imola, the third round of the European Le Mans Series. The French team secured its second win of the season, finishing ahead of United Autosports and Algarve Pro Racing.

Round 3 of the 2026 European Le Mans Series was held under blue skies and high temperatures at the Autodromo Internazionale Enzo e Dino Ferrari with Esteban Masson taking the chequered flag at the end of the 4 Hours of Imola in the #29 Forestier Racing by Panis Oreca-Gibson, over 50 seconds ahead of the rest of the field.&nbsp; 
 
Vector Sport took their first even ELMS class victory, with Jen Reno Moller, Cem B&ouml;l&uuml;kbaşı and Lorenzo Fluxa standing on the top of the LMP2 Pro/Am podium. Fluxa crossed the line just 4.1 seconds ahead of Malthe Jakobsen in the no20 Algarve Pro Racing Oreca, with the no21 United Autosports Oreca finishing third. 
 
CLX Motorsport secured their first LMP3 victory since Portim&atilde;o last season, with the reigning champions dominating the category. Louis Iglesias completed a perfect ELMS debut weekend after claiming pole yesterday and the French driver took the chequered flag early 30 seconds ahead of the rest of the field. He was joined on the class podium by reigning ELMS LMP3 champion Paul Lanch&egrave;re and Alexander Jacoby. The no5 Rinaldi Racing Ligier and the no8 Team Virage Ligier completed the podium. 
 
Reigning LMGT3 champions TF Sport got their title defence back on track with a perfect 26-point haul in Imola. American drivers Blake McDonald and Alec Udell took the victory alongside their Irish teammate Charlie Eastwood on the same weekend as the 250th birthday of the United States of America, in an American car the Corvette Z06 LMGT3.R. Eastwood finished the race 1.8 seconds ahead of Maxime Martin in the no62 Team Qatar by Iron Lynx Mercedes-AMG, with the no77 Proton Competition Porsche 911 in third spot.&nbsp; 
 
The next race on the calendar is the 4 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps on Sunday 23 August, which will be Round 4 of the 2026 European Le Mans Series. 
In the meantime, relive the highlights of the 2026 4 Hours of Imola by watching the video below.

Race Highlights | 4 Hours of Imola 2026 | ELMS

European Le Mans Series : les faits marquants des 4 Heures d'Imola 2026

ELMS: Forestier Racing by Panis Wins the 2026 4 Hours of Imola

Le Mans Classic Legend is underway! At 4 pm, three-time world skiing champion Alexis Pinturault flagged off this year’s event under a bright sunshine. The five racing series and supporting races will run one after the other until 4 pm on Sunday, before giving way to podium ceremonies and other celebrations.

Whilst yesterday was dedicated to the qualifiers, both Saturday and Sunday are reserved for racing. Over the course of a full day, competitors in grids 6 to 10 will battle it out, day and night, with three races per grid. Of course, support races are also part of the program, as are spectacular parades featuring club cars, Supercars, Gordon Murray&rsquo;s road cars and prototypes, Porsches and BMWs. The second appearance of the legendary Mazda 787B at 6.05 pm was not to be missed; once again, the unique sound of its rotary engine left no one unmoved.

Shortly before 2 pm, the crowd was treated to a magnificent spectacle; in keeping with tradition, the young participants from Little Big Mans took part in a Le Mans-style start, before taking to the track for a timeless moment in their miniature replicas of the Ford GT40, AC Cobra and Lamborghini Countach. No fewer than 45 children ran from one end of the court to the other when Matthew Knoesen, the wheelchair tennis prodigy, uttered these words: &ldquo;On your marks&hellip; go!&rdquo;. As usual, everyone was captivated by this deeply touching scene. This spectacle has a unique impact that cannot be found anywhere else.

Grid 6 kicks off this first edition of Le Mans Classic Legend. Following the mass start led by Alexis Pinturault, the 1976 TOJ SC304 #22 driven by Yves SCEMAMA/Richard MILLE and the 1976 Lola T286 #1 driven by Maxime GUENAT immediately pulled clear. Jan MAGNUSSEN&rsquo;s 1973 Lola T292 #70 distinguished itself in third place with some remarkable overtakes, but lost ground on the straights due to its less powerful engine. Whilst the top two were locked in a fierce battle, Yves SCEMAMA made a mistake coming out of the second Mulsanne Straight chicane, leaving the field open for Maxime GUENAT and his Lola. GUENAT won this first race, ahead of Jamie CONSTABLE in the 1974 Chevron B26 #199. Jan MAGNUSSEN was handed a one lap penalty for failing to pit at the correct time. Tony SINCLAIR, Sam YATES and their 1973 Lola T292 #85 therefore took third place.

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Off the track, there&rsquo;s still a lot of things to do. You simply can&rsquo;t miss the M24 &ndash; Motorsport Museum &ndash; and its collections, which cover the entire history of motorsports and more, all housed in a stunning new venue that opened less than two months ago. Film buffs can treat themselves to a good film at the MK2 Drive-In, which screens movies with a motoring theme, such as Taxi 2 or C&rsquo;&eacute;tait un rendez-vous. There&rsquo;s also an exhibition of iconic cars featured in films, including the DeLorean DMC-12 from Back to the Future and the Ford Mustang &lsquo;Eleanor&rsquo; from Gone in 60 seconds. Between the arcade zone, the &lsquo;Spirit of Speed&rsquo; motorbike exhibition and all the car clubs, there&rsquo;s something to please young and old alike.

The atmosphere at Le Mans Classic Legend leaves no one out; everyone is invited to take part in this celebration of motor racing. In the village, which is also bustling with activity, you can extend the experience by hunting for the last few diecast models missing from your collection, or finding rare items linked to the 24 Hours of Le Mans. As darkness falls, the atmosphere changes; Le Mans takes on a more intimate feel. No doubt many fans will be supporting France tonight against Paraguay in the round of 16 of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The match planned at 11 pm will, of course, be shown at the circuit&rsquo;s venue, providing an opportunity to share in this major sporting event. To go with this very special moment, three concerts are on the program. At 8 pm, Baccus takes to the decks, before handing the main stage over to Superbus for an exceptional show starting at 10.30 pm. Finally, at midnight, the french band Bon Entendeur will keep the party going until the early hours.

On the track, the first support races produced the following results. All that remains is the Berlinetta Challenge race, which takes place this evening from 7.45 pm.

<h2>Race 1: GT3 Revival Series</h2>

The first race, held on Saturday morning, saw competitors in the GT3 Revival Series go head-to-head to mark the 20th anniversary of the GT3 category&rsquo;s creation. Thanks to a superb start, Heiko NEUMANN, in his #65 Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT3, quickly pulled away, but Alvaro PARENTE, at the wheel of the #47 Audi R8 LMS Ultra were not having any of it. It was a spectacular battle, but NEUMANN held on to the lead.

A mandatory pit stop was required. Whilst slowing down to enter the pits, PARENTE, caught off guard, crashed into NEUMANN from behind. Both cars sustained fairly significant cosmetic damage, and whilst the Mercedes-Benz was able to get back on track fairly quickly, the Audi R8 was held up in the pit lane for some time. Benjamin RICCI, in the #10 Ferrari 458 GT3 Evo, took advantage of the situation to take the lead, which he held until the checkered flag was waved. This highly eventful first race left no one unmoved. Heiko NEUMANN finished second, ahead of Jonathan MITCHELL and his #007 Aston Martin V12 Vantage GT3.

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<h2>Race 1: Porsche Classic Cup</h2>

The Porsche Classic Cup sees Porsche Cup cars from all generations competing against one another, from the 944 Turbo to the 996 GT3. This series, which continues to uphold the German manufacturer&rsquo;s legacy through one-make championships organized around the world, is being celebrated today at Le Mans Classic Legend. In the first race, Ivan REGGIANI (1999 Porsche 996 GT3 Cup #196) got the better of his rivals and kept Henrik BOLLERSLEV (2004 Porsche 996 GT3 Cup #76) at a safe distance.

After a flurry of pit stops, Andrew JORDAN (2002 Porsche 996 GT3 Cup #10) pulled away and overtook Henrik BOLLERSLEV to take second place. Following the race leader&rsquo;s pit stop, JORDAN even took the lead. Andrew shared the driving duties with his father Mike; the pair secured a fairly comfortable victory, having dominated qualifying the day before. Mike and Andrew JORDAN took the win, ahead of Henrik BOLLERSLEV and the duo of Charles KAUFFMAN and Ivan REGGIANI in the #996.

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<h2>Race 1: HSR NASCAR Classic by Goodyear</h2>

The first race of the HSR NASCAR Classic by Goodyear was eagerly awaited by all the fans at the venue. Fittingly, the first NASCAR race at Le Mans took place on the 250th anniversary of the United States. The drivers put on a spectacular show for the occasion, led by the 2004 series champion, Kurt BUSCH, in the #1A 2020 Chevrolet Camaro NASCAR, who launched a series of attacks. Andrew JORDAN (2011 Toyota Camry #15A) and Joe NEMECHECK (2010 Toyota Camry #47) also distinguished themselves at the top of the standings.

Whilst Andrew JORDAN pulled away, David ROBERTS (2012 Dodge Charger CoT NASCAR #2) and Joe NEMECHECK were locked in a titanic battle for second place. Kurt BUSCH remained in the running, until he made a second mistake at Mulsanne. Meanwhile, Joe NEMECHECK, who was also challenging at the front, suffered a double puncture whilst braking into Mulsanne Straight&rsquo;s second chicane. Then, late in the race, BUSCH, ROBERTS and JORDAN &ndash; who had led from the very first lap &ndash; all encountered successive problems. An incredible turnaround allowed JC France, in the #24A 2014 Chevrolet Camaro NASCAR, to edge out Nigel ARMSTRONG (the #44 2007 NASCAR CoT Toyota Camry) by less than a second. Ryan GEMMELL crossed the line in third place at the wheel of his #55 2002 NASCAR Chevrolet Monte Carlo.

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The second day of Le Mans Classic Legend 2026 will remain etched in people&rsquo;s memories. Two iconic moments, two unique emotions. Little Big Mans &mdash; The cult parade once again stole the hearts of the crowd. Dozens of children decked out in the colours of their favourite drivers, racing off at the wheel of their miniature replicas with Matthew Knoesen as the starter. A moment that perfectly encapsulates the spirit of Le Mans Classic: passing on a passion for motoring to future generations. Grid 6 with Alexis Pinturault &mdash; Then came the official start of this very first edition. Prototypes and GTs from the 1972&ndash;1984 era, a crowd going wild, and Olympic alpine skiing champion Alexis Pinturault as the official starter. The tone was set for the whole weekend. Unforgettable moments. Le Mans Classic Legend 2026 lived up to all its promises from the very second day.

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&nbsp;

A very lively Saturday at Le Mans Classic Legend

The countdown has begun. Less than a year before its competitive debut, Ford Racing has given endurance racing fans their first thrill by revealing the soundtrack of its future Hypercar. Those first notes signal Ford's highly anticipated return to the top class of the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

The secret remains well protected, but it has finally found its voice. To celebrate the 250th anniversary of the United States&#39; independence on July 4, 2026, Ford Racing released a short video across its social media channels. Just a few seconds are enough to build excitement: a Hypercar almost entirely hidden beneath a black cover, barely moving... and, most importantly, the deep rumble of its naturally aspirated 5.4-litre V8 idling. That unmistakable soundtrack marks another milestone in the American manufacturer&#39;s preparations for its Hypercar campaign at the 2027 24 Hours of Le Mans and the FIA World Endurance Championship.

<h2>A First Melody Before Track Testing Begins</h2>

In the video, Ford deliberately reveals almost nothing. Yet every detail draws attention. Beneath the cover, the Hypercar hints at an exceptionally low, sleek nose, like an arrow poised to slice through the air. A small opening around the side window exposes a blue-and-white camouflage livery, a familiar sight on cars still undergoing development.

At the rear, the pronounced wheel arches suggest extensive aerodynamic work. The future Hypercar still keeps much of its design under wraps, but its proportions are already beginning to tell the story.

The real star of the video, however, is the sound. Ford&#39;s all-new naturally aspirated 5.4-litre V8 delivers its first heartbeat. The engine is based on the architecture already used in the Dearborn manufacturer&#39;s Dark Horse R, GT4 and GT3 racing programmes. A proven platform now serves as the foundation of Ford&#39;s Hypercar project.

<h2>Track Testing to Begin in August</h2>

The engine&#39;s first public appearance comes just weeks after Ford announced <a href="https://www.24h-lemans.com/en/news/ford-reveals-the-names-of-the-2027-hypercar-driver-crews-60778" target="_blank">the drivers selected to lead its Hypercar programme</a>. During the most recent edition of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, Ford Racing also confirmed that on-track testing would begin in August at several European circuits.

This development phase will be crucial. Engineers will focus on the prototype&#39;s overall performance, powertrain reliability, hybrid system integration and aerodynamic validation. Every kilometre covered will help prepare the car for the unique demands of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, the crown jewel of the FIA World Endurance Championship.

In 2027, Ford will join an outstanding Hypercar field alongside Aston Martin, BMW, Cadillac, Ferrari, Genesis, McLaren, Peugeot and Toyota. A grid where every manufacturer brings its own identity&mdash;and its own soundtrack.

For now, Ford has revealed nothing more than the mechanical heartbeat of its future challenger. But sometimes, a few pulses from a naturally aspirated V8 are all it takes to spark anticipation. And when this Hypercar lines up for the start of the 2027 24 Hours of Le Mans, the rumble first heard on July 4 may well become one of endurance racing&#39;s most eagerly awaited sounds.

Ford Hypercar: V8 Roars to Life for the First Time Ahead of the 2027 24 Hours of Le Mans

Round 3 of the 2026 European Le Mans Series was held under blue skies and high temperatures at the Autodromo Internazionale Enzo e Dino Ferrari with Esteban Masson taking the chequered flag at the end of the 4 Hours of Imola in the #29 Forestier Racing by Panis Oreca-Gibson, over 50 seconds ahead of the rest of the field.

The new episode of our series Driver Of Destiny featuring the visionary Dr. Wolfgang Ullrich is now live! Explore the mastermind who learned how to predict the unpredictable behind some of motorsport’s most historic eras and his relentless pursuit of perfection.

DRIVERS OF DESTINY - WOLFGANG ULLRICH

Genesis Magma Racing made its 24 Hours of Le Mans debut at the 94th edition of the world’s biggest endurance race, taking on round three of the 2026 FIA World Endurance Championship with two GMR-001 Hypercars.

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ELMS: Forestier Racing by Panis Wins the 2026 4 Hours of Imola

A very lively Saturday at Le Mans Classic Legend

Ford Hypercar: V8 Roars to Life for the First Time Ahead of the 2027 24 Hours of Le Mans

Race Highlights | 4 Hours of Imola 2026 | ELMS

DRIVERS OF DESTINY - WOLFGANG ULLRICH

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