APEX RACEWIRE Newsroom
Algarve Pro Racing claims wet Silverstone victory as ELMS titles go down to the wire
Heavy rain at the halfway mark scrambled the order as Algarve Pro Racing secured their first victory in three years during a dramatic four-hour endurance race at Silverstone.
By Michael de Vries - 2026-09-14T12:09:00.000Z - 3 min read
Algarve Pro Racing broke a three-year victory drought in the European Le Mans Series by conquering a chaotic, rain-affected Goodyear 4 Hours of Silverstone. The former champions became the fourth different overall winner of the 2026 season, navigating treacherous wet weather conditions that descended on the Northamptonshire circuit at the race's exact halfway point.
The sudden downpour completely upended existing strategies and forced every pit wall to rethink their tactical approach on the fly. Drivers had to contend with rapidly deteriorating visibility and standing water across the circuit, setting up an unpredictable and tense final two hours of racing where survival was just as critical as raw pace.
Matthias Kaiser, Jake Hughes and Ben Barnicoat combined to steer their machine to the top step of the overall podium, holding off fierce competition as the race reached its frantic conclusion. Their triumph injects fresh momentum into their campaign as the championship heads toward its final showdown.
Further down the order, TDS Racing capitalized on a pole position start to secure the LMP2 Pro/Am class victory. Scott Huffaker brought the no14 machine home in second place overall to take the chequered flag, capping off a resilient recovery drive that followed an earlier scare when teammate Sami Meguetounif suffered a technical stoppage by the side of the track.
Pole sitter Steven Thomas joined his fellow class winners on the podium after a measured drive that kept the car out of trouble amidst the tricky conditions. The LMP2 Pro/Am category continues to showcase immense volatility, marking the fifth different class winner across the five rounds contested so far this season.
In the LMP3 ranks, reigning Michelin Le Mans Cup champions R-ace GP clinched their debut ELMS victory. Fabien Michal, Pierre-Alexandre Provost and Hugo Schwarze executed a clean race to cross the line ahead of the championship-leading no17 CLX Motorsport Ligier, slashing the deficit in the standings to just nine points with only one round remaining.
The LMGT3 division delivered historic milestones as Abdulla Ali Al-Khelaifi became the first driver from Qatar to secure an ELMS victory, while also handing Mercedes-AMG its maiden class win in the series. Ralf Aron handed over driving duties to Julian Hanses, who piloted the no62 Team Qatar by Iron Lynx entry across the finish line.
Hanses held off a charging Charlie Eastwood in the no33 TF Sport Corvette by less than three seconds to secure the win. That narrow margin pushes Team Qatar by Iron Lynx to the top of the championship standings by a razor-thin three-point advantage over TF Sport.
With all four championship titles mathematically undecided, the tension now shifts entirely to the season finale. The 2026 European Le Mans Series will conclude with the 4 Hours of Portimão in Portugal on Saturday, October 10, where every class crown remains up for grabs.