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Forestier Racing by Panis Dominates 4 Hours of Imola
A commanding performance from the #29 Oreca secured a second victory of the season, while TF Sport reignited their title defense in the LMGT3 category.
By Michael de Vries - 2026-07-06T10:28:00.000Z - 3 min read
The Autodromo Internazionale Enzo e Dino Ferrari hosted a high-stakes third round of the 2026 European Le Mans Series, where Forestier Racing by Panis emerged as the clear benchmark. Drivers Louis Rousset, Oliver Gray, and Esteban Masson navigated the sweltering heat of the 4 Hours of Imola to clinch a decisive win. By the time Masson crossed the finish line to take the chequered flag, the team had established a commanding gap of more than 50 seconds over their closest rivals, highlighting a near-flawless tactical execution throughout the four-hour sprint.
Behind the dominant #29 entry, the battle for the remaining podium steps remained tense until the final minutes. United Autosports and Algarve Pro Racing took the second and third positions respectively, struggling to bridge the substantial performance delta carved out by the Forestier crew as the track temperatures soared. The victory serves as a significant boost to the French team’s championship ambitions, marking their second win of the current season.
In the LMP2 Pro/Am category, Vector Sport celebrated a milestone achievement by securing their maiden ELMS class victory. The trio of Jen Reno Moller, Cem Bölükbaşı, and Lorenzo Fluxa managed to fend off significant pressure from the field. Fluxa ultimately crossed the line just 4.1 seconds ahead of the #20 Algarve Pro Racing entry, proving that consistency was the primary weapon of choice during this hard-fought encounter.
The LMP3 class witnessed a resurgence from reigning champions CLX Motorsport, who dominated the category throughout the weekend. Louis Iglesias enjoyed a dream debut, following up his pole position performance on Saturday with a commanding drive that saw him finish 30 seconds ahead of the pack. Joined on the podium by Paul Lanchère and Alexander Jacoby, the team signaled a clear intent to reclaim their status as the dominant force in the class following a challenging start to their campaign.
Meanwhile, the LMGT3 landscape saw a pivotal shift as TF Sport revitalized their title defense. Blake McDonald, Alec Udell, and Charlie Eastwood piloted their Corvette Z06 LMGT3.R to a maximum 26-point haul, a result that brings them back into serious championship contention. The closing stages of the race saw a nail-biting finish, with Eastwood crossing the line only 1.8 seconds ahead of the #62 Team Qatar by Iron Lynx Mercedes-AMG.
While the action at Imola provided clear winners, the paddock now turns its attention to the next stage of the calendar. Teams have a brief window to analyze their data before the series resumes in Belgium. The 4 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps is scheduled for Sunday, 23 August, marking the fourth round of the season where the momentum shifted in Italy will be put to the ultimate test.