24h Le Mans
Last year’s winners Inter Europol Competition not only held on to their LMP2 crown, they took the first two places in the highly competitive class with the #43 and #343 Oreca 07-Gibsons. The performance deserves to be underlined.
Inter Europol Competition packed a mighty punch in this year’s hard-fought 24 Hours of Le Mans. Their #43 Oreca 07-Gibson in the hands of Jakub Śmiechowski, Tom Dillmann and Nick Yelloly triumphed in the LMP2 class followed by the #343 sister car driven by Bijoy Garg, Reshad De Gerus and Nico Müller. The historic one-two sweep is the culmination of the Warsaw-based team’s domination of this class, built up gradually, patiently, and painstakingly in the last few years.
The 24 Hours of Le Mans is often compared to climbing Everest. Reaching the top once is a feat. Returning to the summit monumental. This milestone result puts Inter Europol Competition in a different class altogether.
The Polish team have established an enviable record in LMP2: three victories, two second places and five podiums in the past four years at Le Mans. More impressive still, they have not done worse than second in recent years.
Demonstrating such consistency in the most demanding race in world endurance racing cannot be put down to luck. Behind the drivers, dozens of engineers, mechanics and tacticians have been working for months, preparing every little detail. Speed is essential at Le Mans, but it’s not enough. You have to hold up through the night, deal with the unexpected, cope with tiredness and the constant pressure of your opponents. The 2026 race was no exception to the rule.
The final result gives the impression of total domination, but the race was far from run in advance. Jakub Śmiechowski: "To be honest, this was one of the most difficult Le Mans races I've experienced in recent years. I don't remember having so many issues during a race, but somehow this year luck was on our side and we managed to recover every time. We knew we had one of the fastest cars in the field, so once we got to the front I wasn't surprised that we were able to build a gap. Nick and Tom did a fantastic job as always, but I feel like today was something really exceptional from everyone involved."
The Polish driver knew his team had a major asset: a car among the fastest on the grid. The crew of the #43 gradually built on their lead thanks to faultless driving.
Tom Dillmann, winner last year with the same team, played a decisive role in the closing stages, fending off attacks from Duqueine Team and Forestier Racing by Panis. But the Frenchman and Nick Yelloly held out until the end.“A few hours before the finish, Nick and I decided to to mount all the kerbs, to go all-out. We had to respond. It was either win or retire, and it we got the win,” says Tom Dillmann.
This victory is particularly special for Dilmann. The French driver lost his father in September. “I wore my father’s yellow colours on my helmet, as a tribute to him. I’m very proud to have won the greatest race ever with his colours.”
Aside from the championship points, this result reveals what sets the 24 Hours of Le Mans apart. Behind every trophy there’s a story of people, the risks they take, and the depth of feeling you just don’t get elsewhere.
Nick Yelloly sums it up. "[We had] the same team, the same line-up as last year. To do it back to back is pretty special, it’s something I’ll remember for the rest of my life.”
The future Ford Hypercar driver was full of praise for his teammate. “In my opinion, Tom Dillman was the man of today. He was absolutely flying and I was more than happy to leave him in at the end of the race and let him do his business.”
The #343 crew added to the joy by bringing Inter Europol Competition their first one-two in LMP2. A collective reward for the outfit managed by Wojciech Śmiechowski.
At Le Mans, some victories mark a race. Other mark a whole era. Inter Europol Competition’s one-two falls in the second category. The Polish team has just written a chapter in the annals of the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
