The teams who have will travel to Portugal for the official test will have 14 hours of testing on the circuit that will host the season finale in October.

2013 ELMS GTE Champions RAM Racing will field one of the two Mercedes, while FIA World Endurance Championship LMGTE AM front runners Gulf Racing UK will enter a Porsche 911.  British outfits Lee Mowle and Optimum Racing will enter a Mercedes AMG and an Audi R8, while Austrian team SVC Sport Management will run the Lamborghini Huracan.

In LMP3 there is the usual mix of Nissan powered Ligier JS P3s, with one of the new Norma M 30s run by M.Racing-YMR also joining the test in the Algarve, with the French team running their Ligier as well.

ELMS regulars RLR M Sport, By Speed Factory and Graff will  be joining the Le Mans Cup grid, while Dutch team Kox Racing, Spanish team Ibran Pardo Javier and SPV Motorsport will have the opportunity to test in Portugal.  In addition to their GT3 entry, Austrian team SVC Sport Management will also be running an LMP3 Ligier.

The Michelin Le Mans Cup Collective Test will take place at the Autodromo Internacional do Algarve on Saturday 22 and Sunday 23 April with seven hours of testing on each day.  The morning session will be from 09h00 to 12h00 and the afternoon session from 14h00 to 18h00 each day.

The Ecurie Ecosse Young Driver Initiative, supported by the John Clark Motor Group, will assist up and coming drivers with support and advice in the early stages of their careers, whilst also providing direction and advice on gaining sponsorship and partnerships within the sport.

“There have been many world class drivers that have emerged from Scotland and gone to achieve great things,” said Ecurie Ecosse Director Alasdair McCaig. “We feel through our knowledge, experience and contacts in the motor racing world, we can provide support and advice for the next generation of talented Scottish drivers taking their next steps up the ladder.”

McNish himself, along with household names such as Sir Jackie Stewart, David Coulthard and Dario Franchitti, have all passed through the Ecurie Ecosse ranks and for McNish, he is more than happy to lend his support to the programme going forward.

“Ecurie Ecosse has been such an important part of our Scottish Motorsport history with team success and also giving so many of our stars their first chances to show their talents on the big stage,” McNish said. “I am very proud to have been one of those drivers with the Ecurie Ecosse colours on my overalls and car, and now pleased to be an Ambassador for the next generation of stars in the Ecurie Ecosse Young Driver’s Initiative with Colin and Gordie in 2017.”

Gordon Mutch

Gordon Mutch, also known as Gordie is a typical story of a driver with clear talents, but lacking in sponsorship working his way through the ranks despite the odds. He started his career at seven years of age, competing in the Boyndie Drome Open Challenge where he secured the runner-up position against drivers almost double his age.

From there, Gordie, won the Boyndie Cadet Championship as well as the Scottish Cadet championship. In 2013, the family decided to move from Turriff, North Aberdeenshire, to Lockerbie so that they were more centrally based to aid in travelling to events. Moving up to the Rotax Mini Max in 2014, Gordie also won the West of Scotland Club Championship Cumbrian and the Northern Karting Federation Championships in 2015.

Karting continued into 2016 where he won the Junior X30 British Championship, X30 world qualifiers and the Northern Karting Championships competing against the top drivers not only in the UK but the world.

Gordie has progressed to the Junior Saloon Car championship in a Citroen Saxo VTR where at his very first meeting secured a very hard fought second place against older and more experienced drivers. In his second he took victory and the championship lead…

He remains a very modest, sporting and respectful competitor and has already gained a great deal of respect from his fellow competitors in his first meeting in the Saxo.

Colin Noble

Colin started his karting career in 2008 as the age of 12, winning the British Championship one year later. Following further seasons Karting, Colin stepped up into the inaugural Radical SR1 UK Cup (in which Sir Chris Hoy was also racing) in 2013, chalking up seven wins over eight rounds with one second place and setting seven pole positions and seven fastest laps in the process.

A move to single-seaters followed in 2014 where Colin joined the Leicestershire-based MGR Motorsport to compete in the Formula Renault Championship where he secured three podium on the way to a victory in the televised season-finale. Remaining with MGR Motorsport, Colin embarked on the Formula Renault 2.0 Northern European Cup, finishing tenth overall in a strong field.

2016 saw Colin compete in the International GT Open championship with the Radical factory team as well as selected rounds of the Radical European Masters where he claiming several victories and multiple podiums.

Very much the rising star the Midlothian based driver is one to watch as he embarks on a LMP3 programme in Le Mans Cup and Henderson Insurance Broker LMP3 Cup Championship.

“Similar to last year, I will be back at the wheel of the Spice in Group C Racing, for a partial championship, as also in the NASCAR Whelen Euro Series with the Mustang #98, for the opening round at Valencia, in Spain, and the final in Zolder, the driver confirmed. Which implies that in 2017, with my Motorsport 98 team, we decided –somewhat belatedly – to take on another large scale challenge …”

During the recent test session with the Spice SE90 at Francorchamps Eric De Doncker had the opportunity to appreciate the qualities of a Ligier JS P3 he came upon in the same stand. Following several conversations, contact was made with Richard Dean, who takes care of the car’s distribution in England … and the decision to compete in the Michelin Le Mans Cup materialised after just a few days!

“Motorsport 98 has in fact decided to acquire a Ligier JS P3, and to enter it in a Michelin Le Mans Cup tailored to gentlemen-drivers, Eric De Doncker continued. If on the one hand I will most probably miss out on the Collective Test Session in Portimao, we will replace that with a private session on an English circuit, as soon as we are in possession of the car. On the other hand, everything will be sorted for the kick-off of the Michelin Le Mans Cup on the 13th of May at Monza!”

What appeals to Eric De Doncker and Motorsport 98, is the Michelin Le Mans Cup 2017 calendar, with notably a second round scheduled … as curtain-raiser of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, on the La Sarthe circuit, in front of packed grandstands! A circuit the Belgian driver knows well having proved himself there – and having missed out on victory by a fraction – in the most recent edition of the Le Mans Classic. “After Monza and Le Mans, we will head off for the Austrian Red Bull Ring (22/07), followed by the Circuit Paul Ricard (26/08), prior to the meeting at Spa-Francorchamps, as curtain raiser of the European Le Mans Series (23/09). As for the final round this will take place at Portimao, in Portugal (21/10).”

Worth remembering that the Michelin Le Mans Cup is aimed at cars in the LM P3 and GT3 categories, acting as the perfect stepping stone towards the European Le Mans Series (ELMS) and World Endurance Championship (WEC), the flagship endurance disciplines. Good news often comes in pairs; Eric De Doncker has come to an agreement with the fast Brit Andy Meyrick, former works Aston Martin Racing driver in Endurance and Bentley M-Sport in GT. The perfect ingredients to create a particularly complementary duo in the Michelin Le Mans Cup.

“In all this should give us a dozen race weekends this season, which brings about a fair amount of work for the Motorsport 98 crew, of which Julien Daivier and our new track and data engineer Edouard Carton, not forgetting Cath, who permanently mollycoddles the team, De Doncker commented, who could not wait to get behind the wheel for the next race. For sure the rhythm will be maintained, but the passion of racing and the new Michelin Le Mans Cup are likely to boost everyone … “ Time for action!

In a year where the team celebrates the 60th anniversary of a famous 24 Hours of Le Mans victory, Ecurie Ecosse is pleased to confirm its plans for the 2017 season, including a return to Circuit de la Sarthe this June.

The Scottish-based team have paired up with Nielsen Racing and have an exciting programme for the year as they join the Le Mans Cup, the feeder series to the European Le Mans Series, as well as the new Henderson LMP3 Cup.

The Le Mans Cup is proving to be an ever-popular championship and starts in May at Monza, Italy before heading to Le Mans for the biggest race of the season – dubbed the ‘Road to Le Mans’.  Four further rounds follow at top European circuits and the series concludes in October in Portimao.

The LMP3 Cup Championship is fully endorsed by the ACO – the governing body behind Le Mans and the European Le Mans Series – and spans 12 rounds starting at Donington Park in April and concluding at the same venue in September.

The team will field Ligier LMP3 machinery in both championships, with Colin Noble and Alasdair McCaig competing in the Henderson LMP3 Cup and Noble and Tony Wells in the Le Mans Cup.

Noble, who is backed by A F Noble & Son, competed with the Radical works team last year as well as the International GT Open. McCaig ran with Ecurie Ecosse in the British GT championship at the wheel of a McLaren, while Wells won the Radical European Masters Series with Nielsen Racing last year with nine wins.

“We have plenty of exciting news to come, but to start with it’s great to confirm our race programme for the coming season” said Director and Driver McCaig. “We’re really looking forward to running the car in both the Le Mans Cup and the Henderson LMP3 Cup.

“We are pushing hard to get back into the sports car scene and we feel this is the perfect time and the best opportunity for us to build on our experience, history and passion for endurance racing, while delivering the results for our sponsors.  I am delighted to welcome Edinburgh Gin and Alex F Noble & Son as our new partners for 2017 and would like to thank the John Clark Motor Group for their continued support.”

Ross competed in ELMS in 2016 and knows the LMP3 Ligier well and is the owner of RLR’s LMP2 car.

Ross commented “…I’m really pleased to be back with RLR this year in the Ligier and looking forward to racing with and learning from Alex. The jump into ELMS straight from GT racing was a steep learning curve but I hope to put that experience to good use in 2017. ‘
 
Alex , a former Radical champion and experienced LMP racer will no doubt be one of the  front runners in the Le Mans Cup.

Alex commented “I’m really excited to be working with Ross in the Michelin Le Mans Cup series this year, RLR are a great team to work with so we hope to be able to challenge at the front.”
 
The Team commented ‘This represents another step along the road for the team.  The Le Mans Cup fits well with our ELMS programme, from a logistical point of view.   It also has the added attraction of a stand alone round supporting main Le Mans 24 hours race. Ross is an integral part of the team and along with Alex they should prove to be a strong pairing given Alex’s proven speed’

The Championship created by the ACO is for the team the right format to build upon their experience into the world of sports car racing

Jim McGuire rejoins United Autosports after making his debut with the team at the 2016 Gulf 12 Hours in Abu Dhabi in December. He scored a podium finish alongside teammates Matt Kegan, Nico Rondet and former F1 driver Stefan Johansson.

United Autosports regular, Matt Bell, will join Jim in the Ligier JS P3. Matt has featured as a valuable part of the United Autosports family for six years, joining the team when they entered their first year of racing in 2010. In 2016 he raced for them in the European Le Mans Series, finishing fourth in the championship alongside Mark Patterson and Wayne Boyd. Matt has also raced the team’s Audi R8 LMS ultra in the British GT Championship for many years, finishing second in the 2013 championship by 1.5 points.

The livery for the Ligier JS P3 will be created using AERO Advanced Paint Technology. AERO is an innovative new way to apply paint and is environmentally friendly, lightweight and durable.

Jim and Matt will join already announced drivers Shaun Lynn and Richard Meins, who will race their Gulf Marine-liveried Ligier JS P3 in the 2017 Michelin Le Mans Cup.

The Michelin Le Mans Cup, which is the main support race for the European Le Mans Series, visits six of the best European circuits, Monza, Red Bull Ring, Paul Ricard, Spa Francorchamps and Portimao, with the special ‘Road to Le Mans’ event, held on the full Le Mans circuit the morning before the legendary Le Mans 24 Hours.

Each Michelin Le Mans Cup race is two hours long and is held on the Saturday afternoon, with two free practice sessions and a 15-minute qualifying session throughout the weekend.

Jim McGuire, driver, United Autosports:
“I am really excited to be racing with United Autosports this year in the Michelin Le Mans Cup. I had an amazing experience driving the Ligier JS P3 at Yas Marina in the Gulf 12 Hours – standing on the podium next to Stefan Johansson is a gentlemen driver’s dream come true and to be able to drive this car at the epic tracks of Europe this year is indescribable. I’m really pleased to be able to introduce AERO Advanced Paint TechnologyTM into the UK & Europe in partnership with United Autosports as well. The Ligier JS P3 is such a magnificent car and our AERO Advanced Paint TechnologyTM  gives us a competitive advantage through appearance, durability and weight savings. And, moreover, our environmentally friendly paint is better for Europe and better for the planet.”

Matt Bell, driver, United Autosports:
“I’m really excited to be back with United Autosports. I’m looking forward to working with Jim throughout the year. The Michelin Le Mans Cup looks like a really exciting championship – we were watching it last year during the ELMS weekends and there were some great battles going on with the GT cars. Now LMP3 has been added into it I think it will still be really exciting and a competitive series. We get to go to Le Mans and we get two one-hour races this time, so we will get some really good running there and who doesn’t want to do that! I’m really looking forward to going racing again with United Autosports – it should be a good year.”

Richard Dean, Team Owner and Managing Director, United Autosports:
“I’m thrilled to welcome Jim to the team full time for 2017. We had a great time with him in Abu Dhabi and I’m sure this year will be no exception. I’m pleased Matt will be with us again too. He’s quick, reliable and great to have around, so I’m sure the pair of them will form a fantastic partnership throughout the year.”

It’s a return to the ACO-run paddock for RAM Racing which, as well as winning the 2013 European Le Mans Series – Officiel, also entered the FIA WEC and 24 Heures du Mans in 2014.

“We have great memories of the ELMS paddock and it’s good to be back,” RAM Racing’s Team Principal Dan Shufflebottom commented. “Since leaving the paddock we have had some incredible endurance racing results including a 24 Hours of Paul Ricard win, which should stand us in good stead for the Le Castellet round.

“After some testing, we are feeling confident about this season in the Michelin Le Mans Cup. Although there is some good competition driver-wise, we are a race-winning team that understands the importance of preparation – our crew prides itself on being meticulous. We also have a driver pairing that we think will challenge for race wins.”

Regular driver Tom Onslow-Cole, who has taken six endurance race podiums with the team, will once again join the Silverstone-based outfit and he will be joined by Remon Vos (NL).

Ahead of the start of the Michelin Le Mans Cup season, the team will contest the 12 Hours of Italy, in which it took second place in 2015. Onslow-Cole and Vos will be joined by Dutch driver Kevin Veltman, for the once-around-the-clock race that takes place at Mugello Circuit in Tuscany.

Road to Le Mans will be the second race on the calendar of the Michelin Le Mans Cup reserved for LM P3 and GT3 cars. Five of the events will be on the same weekends as the 2017 European Le Mans Series and Road To Le Mans will be a special event as the curtain raiser of the Le Mans 24 Hours.

This year 46 cars will be allowed to take part in the Road to Le Mans (42 in 2016). The teams entered for the full Michelin Le Mans Cup will be automatically accepted for the La Sarthe event.

Entrants who want to race in the Road to Le Mans only will have to pay an entry fee of 15 000 € (tax not included) to be included in the selection process. The selection committee will give priority (at its discretion) to teams entered for the European Le Mans Series, Asian Le Mans Series, Asian Le Mans Sprint Cup and the Weathertech Sportscar Championship.

The other big innovation is the number of races as there are two on the Road to Le Mans programme. The first will take place on Thursday 15th June at 17:30, and the second on Saturday 17th June at 11:30 before the start of the Le Mans 24 Hours.

Each race will be run over 55 minutes and the crew must consist of two drivers.

Beforehand, two 1-hour free practice sessions will take place on Wednesday 14th June followed by two 20-minute qualifying sessions on Thursday 15th June in which the grid positions for the two races will be decided.

The format of the event for two drivers will impose a minimum driving time of 20 minutes in the race per driver, and a pit stop lasting one minute minimum fixed by the regulations within a defined time window.

In compliance with the Michelin Le Mans Cup regulations a Gold driver is accepted in the driver line-up.* Free choice is left to the entrants to select the driver taking part in the first qualifying session, while the second one is for Bronze drivers only.

Entries for the Road to Le Mans open on 10th March 2017 and close on 6th April 2017.

The list of entries for the 2nd Road to Le Mans will be announced mid-April.

*Rules concerning the driver line-ups

A crew comprising two drivers as follows:

Bronze/Bronze

Bronze/Silver

Bronze/Gold

The GT3 and the LMP3 competitors in the Michelin Le Mans Cup will be on track together for the first time with two days of testing organised in Portugal to give to the teams the opportunity to prepare their cars for the first race of the season on the May 14 in Monza, Italy.

The ELMS teams are also invited to take part to this Collective Test Session, which will take place the weekend after the opening round of the season at Silverstone and it will allow the teams and drivers another opportunity to test before the second race of the year in Monza on May 15.

All the teams will have seven hours each day to test their cars on the Portuguese track and the drivers will also get the chance to get to know their teammates and their cars.

Those tests will also be the opportunity for the teams to discover the 4.6km Portimão circuit where the season finales of both the Michelin Le Mans Cup and the European Le Mans Series will be held in October.

The entry for the 2017 Michelin Le Mans Cup will close on March 7 at noon, so there are only a few weeks to wait before knowing who will compete this season!

Whoever wins this year’s Michelin Le Mans Cup Teams’ title will be invited to enter the 2018 24 Hours of Le Mans, therefore Optimum Motorsport will be putting a lot of weight behind its attack on the series, which takes in six of the world’s greatest circuits, including Monza, Circuit de la Sarthe and Spa.

The Le Mans Cup was launched by the Automobile Club de l’Ouest (ACO) in response to the soaring popularity of GT3 racing and, although the championship has now opened its doors to LMP3 prototypes, it is still unique for being centred around Bronze-graded Am drivers.

It will once again run in tandem with the European Le Mans Series (ELMS) and boast a coveted position on the Le Mans support bill, with a typical weekend consisting of two one-hour free practice sessions, one 30-minute qualifying session and a single two-hour race.

Optimum Motorsport first sampled the Le Mans Cup at Circuit Paul Ricard on France’s Mediterranean coast last August and that exploratory outing has prompted the team to enter its Audi R8 LMS for long-standing British GT driver Osborne and ex-Caterham ace Haigh, who have both raced for the team the CREVENTIC 24H Series.

“I’m very excited about this opportunity with Optimum Motorsport,” said Haigh. “I took a step back from  wheel-to-wheel racing after I left Caterhams in 2013 and endurance racing is something I’ve loved and enjoyed immensely. However, when the opportunity arose to get back into sprint format racing, I felt a desire to sharpen up my racecraft and I feel ready to tap back into that mindset and get some results. Joe (Osborne) and I have worked together for a few years now. He is not only a friend but a great driver coach and we work well.  I have a huge amount of respect for him, which I believe makes for a great driver pairing.”

Osborne added: “I’m really looking forward to getting this campaign underway. We visit some very cool circuits to drive in a GT3. Flick (Haigh) is currently driving better than ever in the Audi and is still improving. Optimum Motorsport is proving to engineer one of the fastest Audi R8 LMS GT3s out there, so bring on the fun.”

Optimum Motorsport Team Principal, Shaun Goff, said: “Having contested the Paul Ricard round of the Michelin Le Mans Cup in 2016, we felt the format really works well for our Am drivers. It’s part of a big package and is well promoted by the organisers. There is the lure of an entry to Le Mans if all goes well, but it’s made more appealing by our 24-hour endurance pedigree. I’m looking forward to working with Flick Haigh and Joe Osborne and I believe we will start the season as one of the favourites.”

Be Motorsport completed its first ever prototype season in the V de V last year. With its brand new Ligier-Nissan JSP3 LMP3, Be Motorsport achieved their greatest success at Mugello stepping onto the podium. Spain´s team is now expanding its program and Be Motorsport will join a competitive international field in the Michelin Le Mans Cup as the European series will open its doors to LMP3 prototypes for 2017.

The season kicks off at Monza (13 May) and then the Michelin Le Mans Cup will visit Le Mans, held on the same weekend as the French mammoth event on 17 June, Red Bull Ring (22 July), Le Castellet (26 August), Spa-Francorchamps (23 September) and Portimão (21 October). Javier Ibrán will share the driving duties of the Ligier-Nissan JSP3 LMP3 with Álvaro Fontes. The driver pairing already contested together the Spanish GT championship in 2014.

“Lining up a new European project with Be Motorsport for 2017 is a pinnacle of my racing career. I think the Michelin Le Mans Cup is an excellent, unique challenge for our team and a key step towards the 24 hours of Le Mans, which are a goal for us. At the moment, we will be able to make our debut Road to Le Mans debut in preparation for a future at the 24 hours. The Michelin Le Mans Cup is a very professional racing series and, besides Le Mans, there are other iconic circuits such as Spa and Monza. We are looking forward to our debut. Finally, it is a truly honor to team up with Álvaro, a close friend and an extremely quick driver”, enthusiastically commented Ibrán.

On the other hand, Fontes added “I´m very motivated by the idea of joining Javier to compete the Le Mans Series. Its format will suit us, 2-hour events and I will have previous experience of the circuits. So, I hope we will be in the fight. We are highly motivated and our team is strong enough to be confident.”

The West Thurrock-based team will field a brand new 2017-spec Mercedes-AMG GT3 for what will be its third season of sportscar competition, and first running a European programme.

The six round Michelin Le Mans Cup will see the team compete at some of the top circuits on the continent, with five meetings – at Monza, the Red Bull Ring, Paul Ricard, Spa-Francorchamps and Portimao – running alongside the European Le Mans Series.

The other event on the schedule, in mid-June, will see the team racing for the first time at the iconic Le Mans circuit in France as part of the support package for the famous 24 Hours of Le Mans.

Drivers for the Michelin Le Mans Cup programme are confirmed as Lee Mowle and Phil Keen, who will team together for the full six race campaign.

Lee will continue to race for the team for a second season having completed in AmDTuning.com’s BMW Z4 GT3 last year, whilst Phil joins the team on the back of a successful 2016 campaign that saw him finish as runner-up in the British series and also in the International GT Open.

Phil replaces Lee’s long-time driving partner Joe Osborne, with clashing commitments elsewhere preventing him from extending their relationship into a fifth season.

Alongside the European programme, the team will also run a single Mercedes-AMG GT3 in the British GT Championship; making it one of the first teams to run the German machine in the series for a full campaign.

Talks with potential drivers for the British programme are ongoing, with an announcement to be made in due course.

The team is scheduled to take delivery of the new Mercedes-AMG GT3 in early January ahead of a planned pre-season testing programme.

Quotes:

Shaun Hollamby, team principal:
“Having enjoyed our first season of GT3 competition this year, it was always our intention to secure a ‘latest generation’ car for 2017 and we are delighted to confirm that we will be running the Mercedes-AMG GT3 next season. The car is a proven winner on track having taken the Blancpain GT Series Sprint Cup title and victory in the Nurburgring 24 Hours, and we’re confident that it is the right car to carry us to success.
 
“The opportunity to run a European programme, and of course to compete at the famous Le Mans circuit, is something we are particularly looking forward to, and in Lee and Phil, we have a strong driver line-up who are more than capable of challenging at the front of the field. Lee has proven himself amongst the best ‘Am’ drivers in recent years and Phil is someone who has impressed in everything he has driven, so I’m confident that they will form a strong partnership to help push us forwards.
 
“Alongside that, we are pleased to be returning to the British GT Championship as we feel we have unfinished business in the series. We are already in talks with potential drivers for 2017, including one pairing who are proven winners in the series, and should soon be in a position to confirm our line-up. We could, and arguably should, have won races last year and there is no doubt that the Mercedes is a car that will allow us to regularly challenge for podiums and race wins, with the ultimate goal being to fight for the championship title.”

Lee Mowle:
“Although I have raced in Europe before, I feel in a much better position to make the step into a full European programme next season and think the Michelin Le Mans Cup is the perfect series. There are some fantastic circuits on the calendar without even considering Le Mans, which is the ultimate track for anyone who wants to compete in sportscars.
 
“Last season was a tough one for myself and the team with the older BMW, but I feel that we did a phenomenal job with the package we had and I’m excited about the chance to get behind the wheel of a latest generation GT3 car for the first time. Last year, we were able to see how the new GT3 cars performed at close quarters, and in the Mercedes-AMG GT3, I feel we have chosen a car that is not only the best looking car out there at the moment, but also one that ticks all the boxes when it comes to what we are looking for as a team. There is fantastic support from the factory and it is a car that has already shown what it can do on track this year.
 
“Whilst it will be weird to share a car with someone other than Joe, if I’m honest I knew it was only a matter of time before he traded me in for someone more attractive. I’m hugely excited about the chance to race alongside Phil, who is undoubtedly one of the quickest drivers around. I feel confident that we will make a good pairing on track, and the fact that he has already worked with our chief engineer Keith Cheetham is an added bonus when it comes to hitting the ground running.”

Early season form suggested FFF Racing would be in the mix for the inaugural GT3 Le Mans Cup title, but the Italy-based outfit fell out of the race when it was hit by a run of misfortune with the #55 McLaren 650S of Hamaguchi and Quaife-Hobbs.

The FFF pairing were casualties in a first-corner collision at the Red Bull Ring, but rebounded with strong pace at Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps, where they threatened for the podium before a tyre issue resigned them to a below par fifth place finish.

However, FFF Racing has inherent pace and the team takes comfort from the speed it possessed at Spa as it heads into the final round of the first ever GT3 Le Mans Cup season at the historic Estoril racetrack.

With nothing to lose, Hamaguchi and Quaife-Hobbs can comfortably take a ‘win or bust’ approach at the former grand prix venue on the Portuguese coast and the drivers know they have enough to get in among the fight for victory with their Roger Dubuis-supported McLaren.

FFF Racing Team Owner, Sean Fu Songyang, said: “The inaugural Michelin GT3 Le Mans Cup has been a real rollercoaster for FFF Racing. Our drivers have possessed great speed for the duration and there’s no doubt the title was within reach without the misfortune Hiroshi (Hamaguchi) and Adrian (Quaife-Hobbs) have suffered in recent rounds, so we can take a lot of positives. What it means is that there’s nothing to lose by pushing for victory and spoiling the day for the title contenders at Estoril.”

“Luck certainly isn’t on our side at the moment,” stated Team Owner Sean Fu Songyang. “We were very strong here at Spa and should have finished in at least third position. Hiroshi and Adrian put in strong drives, Adrian especially as he was by far the quickest on track today. It’s just a shame that again we couldn’t get the result we wanted and we have to settle with P5.”

Having set the pace in Friday practice with Quaife-Hobbs behind the wheel of the McLaren, Hiroshi Hamaguchi got his first taste of the undulating Belgian circuit as he qualified the Roger Dubuis-liveried car a fine second.

The start saw Hamaguchi get the jump on the #72 pole-sitter, taking the lead from the first turn and controlling the pace as the Safety Car was called out following a mid-field clash behind. Once the race resumed the #72 car made an audacious pass around the outside in Fagnes and Hamaguchi’s attention turned to the charging #88 Porsche coming from behind. It was a short-lived battle as the Porsche cleared the McLaren on lap 10 at Pouhon.

Running third, Hamaguchi continued to lap competitively before pitting at the midpoint and handing over to Adrian Quaffe-Hobbs. “Spa is something else,” he said stepping from the car. “It’s my first time here and I’m really glad to be here, it’s an amazing circuit and to drive a McLaren through Eau Rouge and Blanchimont is really special. It wasn’t my best stint but it is my first time here and Adrian is running well and I hope he can close the gap.”
 
Quaffe-Hobbs was indeed immediately right on the pace, putting in a string of fastest laps to try and close down the 15 second gap to the race leader. Lapping two-seconds a lap quicker than the cars ahead, the Brit quickly closed the gap to just eight seconds by lap 31.

After a few laps respite for the tyres, Quaffe-Hobbs was again putting in fast laps with 30-minutes remaining as he chased down the #88 car before peeling into the pits with a left-rear tyre failure with just over ten minutes remaining.

With luck having evaporated yet again – this time in a puff of tyre smoke – and 70 seconds lost in the pits, Quaffe-Hobbs got back on track to bring the McLaren home in fifth position – taking the chequered flag less than a second behind the fourth-placed #26 Ferrari.

The final round of the Michelin GT3 Le Mans Cup gets underway 21-22 October at Autódromo do Estoril in Portugal.

Heading to Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps for Round 5 of the Michelin GT3 Le Mans Cup (23-24 September, 2016) FFF Racing now seeks a change in fortune and a chance to show its race speed and craft.

Adrian Quaife-Hobbs and Hiroshi Hamaguchi will once again pilot the #55 McLaren 650S GT3, the former really hoping to gets some race-mileage following the mechanical gremlins that hindered the team so much at Paul Ricard last month.

Hamaguchi qualified in a strong third in France despite a disrupted build-up to the weekend. However, almost from the start, the McLaren was off the pace and Japanese driver was forced to pit and retire.

“The last few races certainly have not gone our way,” stated Team Owner Sean Fu Songyang. “The team worked incredibly hard in France to try and fix the mechanical issues – as did McLaren, which went out of its way to try and solve the problem.
 
“Despite this, we’re still fourth position in the championship and we really want to aim high in these two remaining rounds at Spa and in Portugal. We had early season podiums and we’ve been fast ever since, so we just need to ensure that we take the maximum away from the race weekends.”

Michelin GT3 Le Mans Cup qualifying gets underway at 11.55 CET on Saturday (24 September), with the two-hour race itself later that same day at 17.30.

Barwell Motorsport made their way to the South of France for the Michelin GT3 Le Mans Cup round at Le Castellet last week. Mark Poole and Richard Abra had been itching to get back into the driving seat of the Huracan, having not raced since their one off British GT outing at Silverstone in June.

After making the decision to prematurely end their Blancpain GT Series season, Mark and Rich set their sights on the Michelin GT3 Le Mans Cup. “It had been a long break” commented Abra, “and it almost felt as though we were starting the season again with a new championship.”

Despite having some time out of the car, it did not take long for both Poole and Abra to get dialled back into the Lamborghini and the Free Practice sessions on the Friday saw both drivers post very impressive lap times whilst developing their knowledge on the Michelin tyre. “Even though we had very little running on the Michelin, the team pulled a blinder and gave us a very good car to race with” explained Abra. “We are very impressed with the GT3 Le Mans cup so far. Its really difficult to see where we are in the food chain yet but Mark was right on it here, so I have real confidence in him for the rest of the season.”

Qualifying saw Mark Poole achieve an exceptional lap time which placed him in sixth after the Super Pole session. The #66 AM improved immensely driving on the Michelin tyre, which is very different to what he had been used to in other championships and therefore had to alter his driving style. To be able to go straight into qualifying on the Saturday morning and continue a great performance was very impressive. “It’s great that the series have made the qualifying position reliant on the AM driver’s lap time!” commented Barwell Team Manager, Matt Bell. “More valuable seat time allowed MP to continue his progression as a driver.”

Poole had a good race start and kept it clean whilst posting solid lap times with cold tyres and high fuel. Mark coped very well with the pressure from competitors behind him, and at the same time, forcing pressure on those in front. Whilst running well in 6th, a hit from behind by the TF Sport Aston Martin of Salih Yoluc, who was in full attack mode after serving a drive through for a jumped start, sent Poole into a spin and dropped him down to 11th. Mark lost around 50 seconds in the incident, but with a great understanding of the car, he let the Huracan roll instead of slamming on the brakes, so as to not destroy the tyres.

The #66 Lamborghini was finally handed some luck when a safety car was called, meaning Poole could catch up to the back of the leading train. As the circuit went green, Mark was running around one second a lap faster than those ahead, he could see clearly up the road and after observing Flick Haigh in the #75 Optimum Audi being slightly slower in a particular corner for a couple of laps, he took an opportunity down the inside. Unfortunately, the Lamborghini was unsighted and Haigh turned in at the same time, resulting in contact the front of the Huracan and a drive through penalty was awarded to the team. “We were under pressure after being forced into a position we didn’t deserve to be in” commented Rich, “MP made contact with Flick and the car was damaged at the front”.

The team had made a calculated small risk on the tyre wear, and boxed the car early to get Rich in the hot seat. Poole handed over the Huracan to Abra in 7th position, and after serving the drive through penalty and falling behind several cars including the #71 AF Corse Ferrari and the Audi, Abra was on a mission to make his way up the pack. “In the back of my mind I was very aware of the tyre problems our competitors were having, so really wanted to bring it home, and although the car wasn’t handling as it should after taking hits to the back and front, I was determined not to go down the order”. A mega stint by Abra saw him climb back up the order and make a fantastic move down the inside of the #71 car for sixth place into the fast right hander at the end of the back straight, and he then went on to try and chase down Joe Osborne in the Audi, whilst also keeping Johnny Mowlem at bay in a really tight and exciting battle. Rich’s car positioning in this battle was spot on, which saw him force the #25 FF Corse Ferrari into making mistakes and go off the racing line, which eventually ended in the Ferrari sustaining a puncture.

Although the car set up was compromised due to the damage sustained, Rich’s impressive defensive moves saw him bring the #66 Huracan home in sixth position. Both drivers did a great job to race so strongly despite the amount of damage and a fourth place finish would have definitely been on the cards with a trouble free run. “Sixth position was great considering what occurred during the race” said Abra, “but I am really looking forward to getting to Spa for the next round of the Michelin GT3 Le Mans Cup, so we can truly show our full potential!”.

The crew are now re-prepping the Barwell run MP Motorsport supported Huracan and heading straight down to Barcelona to compete in the Hankook 24H race next weekend, where Poole and Abra have some “unfinished business to attend to!”

The team were left on the back foot after a mechanical problem side-lined the #55 McLaren 650S GT3 during the Friday running. Following a virtual all-nighter from the hard-working team, the #55 car was all prepped and ready to roll for qualifying in which Hiroshi Hamaguchi qualified in a fine third position.

“A huge thanks to the team,” Hamaguchi stated as he stepped from the car. “We had an engine problem and parts arrived at 2am this morning.  The team worked hard through to 7am, so I can’t thank them enough for the huge efforts involved. My nearest rivals are quick and I’m looking forward to racing against them later today.”

The optimism however soon turned to disappointment.  Hamaguchi took the start but quickly dropped down the order with an alternator problem and duly retired the McLaren with just eight laps completed.

Despite strong pace, the result is especially disappointing for both Hamaguchi and teammate Adrian Quaife-Hobbs, as the failure to finish makes title success an outside bet with just two rounds remaining.

The next round of the Michelin GT3 Le Mans Cup takes place at Spa Francorchamps, Belgium on 23-24 September, 2016.

Flick Haigh and Joe Osborne paired up for the first time in this series, with the former qualifying the V10-powered car in eighth position in the Superpole shootout.  Haigh, who today became the first female to compete in the Michelin GT3 Le Mans Cup, just wasn’t quite able to get the best from the tyres in what was a disjointed session courtesy of a red flag.

Haigh took the first stint at a venue she is very familiar with, having raced with the team already this year in the 24H Series, running ninth in the early stages and then taking advantage of incidents and accidents to run sixth with 40 minutes complete and lapping at a similar pace to her rivals before handing over to Joe Osborne at the half-distance mark.

Osborne, the more experienced sprint racer, picked up the pace and with and with 80 minutes complete found himself up to fifth position, fending off the #66 Lamborghini from behind and pushing to challenge #8 Ferrari ahead.  Persistence paid dividends with Osborne snatching fourth position on the penultimate lap of the two-hour sprint and securing a solid debut result for the team.

“We thought the top five was possible given our race pace from eighth on the grid,” said Optimum Motorsport Team Principal, Shaun Goff. “We can’t expect to turn up here and just run at the front, so anything in the top five is a good result and fourth is better, especially as we also lost 20 seconds thanks to contact with another car.
 
“We still have areas where we can improve such as in the pitstops and we need to look at what others are doing in terms of ultimate race pace. We’re happy with the result, but you always find areas where you know you can make gains.”
 
The next round of the Michelin GT3 Le Mans Cup takes place at Spa Francorchamps, Belgium on 23-24 September, 2016.

The UK-based team – a regular in the British GT Championship and CREVENTIC 24H Series – will field a sole Audi R8 LMS GT3 for British GT barnstormer Joe Osborne and ex-Caterham ace Flick Haigh, who will hold the title as the first female racer to compete in the GT3 Le Mans Cup.

Optimum Motorsport built its reputation with Ginetta GT4 machinery, which it continues to run in the British GT Championship, but graduated to GT3 by acquiring a new generation Audi R8 LMS in 2016.

On form from the outset of the season, only mechanical issues have prevented Optimum Motorsport from achieving race wins and podium finishes in the 24H Series.

However, results haven’t been forthcoming for the team’s British GT3 entry due to being heavily ballasted for fielding a silver-graded driver pairing and this has prompted it to withdraw its Audi from the final two rounds of the season.

Optimum Motorsport is now free to explore other GT championships and it has posted an entry in the fourth round of the Michelin GT3 Le Mans Cup at Circuit Paul Ricard on France’s Mediterranean coast.

Established at the start of 2016 as a support act for the European Le Mans Series (ELMS), the GT3 Le Mans Cup is unique for being centred around GT3-spec racecars and ‘gentleman’ drivers.

The series, conceived by the Automobile Club de l’Ouest, consists of six rounds and featured prominently on the 24 Hours of Le Mans billing in June, and a high quality entry ensures races are rich in action and drama.

Optimum Motorsport will enter its Audi R8 LMS for British GT racer Osborne and ex-Caterham ace Haigh, who both raced for the team in rounds of the 2016 24H Series at the Dubai Autodrome, Mugello and Paul Ricard.

Haigh will become the first female racing driver to enter the GT3 Le Mans Cup and she said: “I am looking forward to my first outing in the Michelin GT3 Le Mans Cup. It’s a new challenge for me as I have for the past few years concentrated on endurance racing. I have heard good comments about the championship so I am excited about making my debut at Circuit Paul Ricard.

“I have driven Le Castellet before in a prototype and more recently in last month’s 24H Paul Ricard in Optimum Motorsport’s Audi. It’s a circuit I have always liked; it’s fast and flowing, yet technical. My main aim is to do the best I can. I enjoy new challenges and a shorter race format will bring the need for outright pace. We hope to be at the sharp end.”
 
Optimum Motorsport Team Principal, Shaun Goff, said: “This is an event for evaluating Optimum Motorsport’s options for the 2017 season. The Michelin GT3 Le Mans Cup is an enticing package that appears to be a step up from what we’ve been doing this year and grid numbers are on the up, so we’re looking forward to seeing what it’s all about.

“Flick is looking to do a full season for the first time in a few years and the GT3 Le Mans Cup is one she’s intrigued about. She will be the first lady driver to compete in the championship and, given what we’ve seen from her and Joe (Osborne) in the 24H Series, I think we can run competitively. Ultimately, we just want to get to know the championship and the organisers and to know we can run well.”

Action will begin on Friday 26 August with two free practice sessions, followed by qualifying on Saturday 27 August at 11.15. The green flag will be waved on the two-hour races later that same day at 17.00.

Adrian Quaife-Hobbs and Hiroshi Hamaguchi will be back behind the wheel of the Roger Dubuis-liveried #55 McLaren 650S GT3, looking build on their third position in the drivers’ championship while the team themselves are currently in a tight battle for second in the standings.

Following a fine second positions at both Imola and the fabled Circuit de la Sarthe, the team believe that they can get back at the front this weekend.

Team Owner, Sean Fu Songyang, said: “The result at the Red Bull Ring was a disappointing one, but that’s racing and we know – and have proved – we have the speed. So the task in France is to show what we can go and get back onto the podium and ensure that we retain the second position in the Teams’ Classification.
 
“Both Hiroshi and Adrian are driving well, so there’s no reason not to expect a good result so we can be in a stronger position heading to Spa Francorchamps next month.”

Michelin GT3 Le Mans Cup free practice gets underway on Friday 26 August at 11.20 CET, with a second session at 16.35. Qualifying takes place Saturday at 11.15, with the two-hour race itself at 17.15.

Having qualified the #34 Aston Martin V12 Vantage GT3 entry in fourth position for the third round of the Michelin GT3 Le Mans Cup, contact at the first corner vaulted Yoluc up into second place and he soon found himself in a wheel-to-wheel battle with the #88 Porsche.

Yoluc ceded position on lap ten to his rival and ran in third position before a spin from the #88 car saw him regain the position. Following a Safety Car intervention, the field closed up with Yoluc chasing the race leader whilst also defending from behind.

The battle continued throughout the stint – and indeed the whole race – with Yoluc handing over the car at half distance to Euan Hankey still fighting for second.

“I was a little lucky at turn one,” Yoluc admitted. “I had to run wide to avoid the collision but I enjoyed the battle with the #88 car but he just got me perhaps due to his experience.”

Hankey kept the pressure on, never more than a couple of seconds behind, but despite one final push in the closing minutes, was forced to save fuel and settle for the third position. The result gives the duo and one championship point lead at the head of the championship table.

“The Aston is a bit thirsty on fuel, so I had to manage before pushing and then had to save again at the end,” said Hankey. “I’m super-happy with third – especially at a circuit we have not raced before -  and I’m looking forward to the next one.”

Hot off the victory last weekend at Spa Francorchamps in British GT, TF Sport Director Tom Ferrier was more than happy with the result. “We knew this would be one of the tougher ones with no testing available and the fact that it’s new to our drivers. We would definitely have taken the podium ahead of the weekend and it’s a good result and we’ve got momentum as a team. We’re on a roll.”

Round four of the Michelin GT3 Le Mans Cup takes place at Paul Ricard 26-28 August 2016.

On a day where hopes were high, Hiroshi Hamaguchi started on the front row of the grid in his McLaren 650S but contact with the third-placed Porsche saw him tipped into a spin only to be clipped by two other cars as the field passed by. With the front-left wheel ripped off, it was short-lived race for the #55 line-up.

Taiyou Iida meanwhile made his racing debut with the FFF squad, taking the first stint in the Lamborghini Huracan from eighth position on the grid. He avoided trouble at the first turn to run in sixth position.

The Japanese racer duly settled into the race but with the back end of the #5 car stepping out at turn six at quarter distance, he spun the car into the gravel trap. Following some assistance, Iida resumes in seventh position, but crucially two laps had been lost and the race for the expected podium was all but over.

Iida handed over to Andre Caldarelli at the half distance mark in seventh position but with gravel being swept from the exit of the pit lane, the Italian arrived at the scene and thanks to an ongoing ABS issue, was unable to make the corner. With front-left damage to the Lamborghini, the race was run with 55 minutes remaining.

FFF Racing Team Owner, Sean Fu Songyang, said: “There was a problem with the ABS system on the Lamborghini. When Andrea went to brake, there was no brake and he went completely straight on.

“With the McLaren at the start, the Porsche hit him and he spun and the next car hit him. It’s a bit of a shame as it was a long race and you can say it was a bit unnecessary. They said sorry to Hiroshi but that’s racing.
 
“It’s not been the best weekend and we’re sorry for the many Roger Dubuis guests who were here to see us challenge for victory, but we’re looking forward to the next one.”
 
Round four of the Michelin GT3 Le Mans Cup takes place at Paul Ricard 26-28 August 2016.

The Russians finished ahead of the no88 Mentos Racing Porsche of Egidio Perfetti and Klaus Bachler, who had to fend off the challenge from the no34 TF Sport Aston Martin Vantage of Salih Yoluc and Euan Hankey for the entire race.

The race started in dramatic fashion at the first corner.  Basov’s no72 SMP Racing Ferrari led the field into the turn with Perfetti’s no88 Mentos Racing Porsche right behind the no55 McLaren of Hiroshi Hamaguchi.  The Porsche was touched from behind by one of the Ferraris, which in turn pushed the Porsche into the McLaren.  Hamaguchi spun around and clipped by Johnny Mowlem’s FF Corse Ferrari and then hit by the no26 Classic & Modern Racing Ferrari of Nicolas Misslin.  With the McLaren stranded in the middle of the track with a detached wheel, the Safety Car was deployed.

Misslin returned to the pits into retirement while Mowlem was able to rejoin the fray without losing a lap thanks to the Safety Car.

The race resumed with the no72 SMP Racing Ferrari ahead of Yoluc’s TF Sport Aston Martin and Perfetti’s Mentos Racing Porsche.  The Porsche was soon challenging the Aston Martin for second place allowing the leading Ferrari to pull away as the two battled for position.  Yoluc fended off the challenge for several laps but eventually Perfetti got alongside the Turkish driver to force his way into second place.

The no14 AF Corse Ferrari of Pierre-Marie De Leener had its first of many visits to the pitlane that saw the mechanics working to solve an issue in the engine bay.

Meanwhile Perfetti had opened up a gap to Yoluc’s Aston Martin only for the Norwegian to run off the track at T8 and allow the no34 TF Sport Aston Martin back into second place.

The second Safety Car period was declared when the no5 FFF Racing Team by ACM Lamborghini of Taiyou Iida went into the gravel at T1 and had to be snatched by the marshals.  The Lamborghini was allowed to return to the track and racing resumed with the  front runners now all back together.

At the restart the no72 Ferrari pulled away as the battle between the no88 Porsche and no34 Aston Martin resumed, with Perfetti getting the upperhand on the run into Turn 1.  Johnny Mowlem in the no25 FF Corse Ferrari had made up lost ground and thanks to the Safety Car was now able to pass the no51 AF Corse Ferrari of Thomas Flohr for fourth place and was chasing down the battling Perfetti and Yoluc as the pitstop window approached.  Mowlem briefly led the race as the three cars ahead went in for their pitstops and one lap later the English driver pitted to hand over to Ivor Dunbar.

After the pitstops the no72 SMP Racing Ferrari of Victor Shaitar held the lead, but the no34 TF Sport Aston Martin of Euan Hankey had got ahead of Klaus Bachler’s Mentos Racing Porsche at the pitstop, but the Austrian soon caught and passed his rival to regain the second place.

The no5 Lamborghini had come into the pits and Iida had handed over to Andrea Calderelli only for the Italian to hit the barriers on the pit exit and this finished the race for the Chinese team.

The scene was now set for an epic battle to the flag as the no88 Porsche and no34 Aston Martin chased each other closely, while Francesco Castellacci in the no51 AF Corse Ferrari was lying in fourth place but lapping faster than the two cars ahead.

Shaitar looked on course to take an easy victory but with 15 minutes left on the clock the Russian was seen skipping across the gravel trap at Turn 2 after the F488 failed to turn into the corner as Shaitar applied the brakes.  The SMP Ferrari regained the track quite quickly and still in the lead but with a reduced gap of 3.5 seconds to the chasing duo of Bachler and Hankey.  If there was anything wrong with the no72 Ferrari the thought was dispelled as Shaitar set the fastest lap of the race with one minute remaining on the clock.

Hankey’s TF Sport Aston Martin was closing rapidly on the no88 Porsche and looked set to take the position from Bachler but then the British car backed off as Hankey was forced to save fuel in the last few laps of the race.

The chequered flag was waved for the third time in 2016 with the no72 SMP Racing Ferrari crossing the line to take the second victory in row for the Russian team.  Austrian Klaus Bachler scored a second place for himself at home and for his teammate Egidio Perfetti, with Euan Hankey bringing the TF Sport Aston Martin Vantage to the flag in third place, which maintained their championship lead after three rounds of the Michelin GT3 Le Mans Cup.

The next round of the 2016 Michelin GT3 Le Mans Cup will take place at the Circuit Paul Ricardo on Saturday 27 August and begin the second half of the six race series.

Taiyou has raced on the same platform as Caldarelli as a part time campaigner in Japanese Super GT over the past three years. He has experience of Lamborghini’s current GT3 machinery through his involvement in Super GT, but he will call upon all of his knowledge of Ferrari and Porsche racecars, going back to his origins in the Porsche Carrera Cup Japan during his European competition debut in the GT3 Le Mans Cup.

FFF Racing’s #5 Lamborghini will compete alongside the #55 McLaren 650S GT3 of Hiroshi Hamaguchi and Adrian Quaife-Hobbs, who are title contenders after racing to second place in the GT3 Le Mans Cup season-opener at Imola, most notably taking victory in the prestigious 24 Hours of Le Mans support race last month.

With an increased presence, FFF Racing is hopeful of another strong weekend at the Red Bull Ring and Team Owner, Sean Fu Songyang, said: “We are delighted that Japanese gentleman driver Iida Taiyou has chosen FFF Racing Team to compete in his first ever race in Europe at the Red Bull Ring in our Roger Dubuis-sponsored Lamborghini Huracan GT3.

“He is a very competent, quick driver who has competed in the Japanese Super GT 300 championship and we are lucky to have acquired his services. I believe he will be very quick and looking to get onto the podium. With him and Hiroshi Hamaguchi both driving for FFF Racing, Japan will have a very strong presence in the Michelin Cup GT3 field.”

Michelin GT3 Le Mans Cup free Practice gets underway on Friday 15 July at 11.20 CET, with a second session at 16.35. Qualifying takes place the following day (Saturday 16 July) at 11.10, with the two-hour race itself at 17.00.