24h Le Mans
The Algarve International Circuit is all set to host the climax of the 2025 European Le Mans Series. With 44 cars on the grid and six titles up for grabs, the 4 Hours of Portimão is shaping up to provide a thrilling conclusion to the season. Three classes, three titanic tussles... and golden tickets for the 2026 24 Hours of Le Mans waiting to be won!
The curtain will come down on the 2025 European Le Mans Series (ELMS) this Sunday 19 October in Portimão. For the grand finale held at the Autódromo Internacional do Algarve, 44 cars, 129 drivers and 31 teams from 27 countries are preparing to fight tooth and nail for the final points of the season. The ELMS LMP2, LMP2 Pro/Am and LMGT3 champions will be crowned following the 4 Hours of Portimão with the main class winners picking up precious invites to the 94th 24 Hours of Le Mans (10-14 June 2026).
The top class in the series promises a tense three-way fight for the 2025 title. The #48 Oreca 07-Gibson of VDS Panis Racing (Oliver Gray, Charles Milesi, Esteban Masson) sits in top spot but with a mere seven-point lead over the #18 Oreca of IDEC Sport (Jamie Chadwick, Mathys Jaubert, Daniel Juncadella) and the #43 Oreca of Inter Europol Competition (Jakub Smiechowski, Tom Dillmann, Nick Yelloly). To add extra spice to the showdown, the top two teams will be rewarded with an automatic invite to the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
Meanwhile, the Portuguese crowd will be sure to get behind their national favourites. Filipe Albuquerque, sharing the wheel of the Nielsen Racing #24 Oreca with Cem Bölükbaşı et Ferdinand Habsburg, will be eager to clinch another podium in his homeland. Manuel Espírito Santo, an LMP3 winner at Portimão in 2024, will be appearing this time in the #47 Oreca entered in LMP2 by CLX Motorsport, along with Enzo Fittipaldi. A third Portuguese driver, Pedro Perino, will defend the colours of Inter Europol Competition. Finally, local outfit Algarve Pro Racing, the former ELMS champion, will be counting on Matthias Kaiser, Lorenzo Fluxa and Théo Pourchaire to shine on their own patch.
Three teams are also tussling for the LMP2 Pro/Am title. Table toppers Algarve Pro Racing (Kriton Lentoudis, Alex Quinn, Olli Caldwell) will hope to be crowned in front of their own supporters. The Portuguese outfit will however have to see off the AO by TF trio of PJ Hyett, Dane Cameron and Louis Delétraz in the #99 Oreca, just nine points in arrears. Three-time ELMS champion Delétraz is gunning for a fourth title in five years!
Reigning champions François Perrodo, Alessio Rovera and Matthieu Vaxiviere (AF Corse #83) are still in with a shout but lie 25 points behind the leaders. To retain their crown, they must win the race from pole position, and hope that their rivals fail to perform on the day – a tall order.
In LMP3, the pressure if off Theodor Jensen, Paul Lanchère and Adrien Closmenil (#17 CLX Motorsport) who wrapped up the title at the 4 Hours of Silverstone. They will nonetheless be determined to pick up a fifth win in six races. The M Racing #68 and Inter Europol Competition #88 entries, level on points, will be looking to finish the season on a high note with a final podium.
A thrilling finale is on the cards in the LMGT3 class with no fewer than seven line-ups still entertaining hopes of the title – albeit slim for some. Leaders Lilou Wadoux, Custodio Toledo and Riccardo Agostini (Richard Mille AF Corse #50 Ferrari) hold a 12-point edge over Clément Mateu, Erwan Bastard and Valentin Hasse-Clot (Racing Spirit of Léman #59 Aston Martin).
No shortage of outsiders will be ready to take advantage should they slip up. TF Sport (#82 Corvette), Iron Dames (#85 Porsche) and Kessel Racing (#57 Ferrari) will be among the crews seeking to upset the apple cart. Three years on from their first success in Portimão, Sarah Bovy and Michelle Gatting will be looking to repeat the feat with their teammate Célia Martin.
You can follow the qualifying and race action live on the ELMS YouTube channel.
Check out the full entry list for the 2025 4 Hours of Portimão here.
