Forestier Racing by Panis demonstrated championship resilience Sunday, overcoming significant penalties to win the 4 Hours of Barcelona and continue their European Le Mans Series title defense.
The French squad's No. 29 Oreca 07 Gibson, driven by Esteban Masson, Oliver Gray, and Louis Rousset, crossed the finish line 13.398 seconds ahead of Reshad De Gerus in the No. 34 Inter Europol Competition entry. Masson seized the lead from the pole-sitting Inter Europol machine during the race's final ten minutes.
The victory came despite two separate 10-second penalties imposed during the second hour when Rousset was behind the wheel. Officials penalized the team first for overtaking off-track with a lasting advantage, then for disrespecting race director's instructions.
Masson, who served both penalties while driving, saw the car drop to fourth position by the end of the second hour before mounting a comeback charge to reclaim the lead.
De Gerus and co-driver Bijoy Garg employed a unique two-driver strategy that nearly delivered victory for the Polish squad. Their approach proved competitive throughout the four-hour endurance test, ultimately securing a well-earned second-place finish.
The No. 22 United Autosports entry completed the overall podium. Griffin Peebles' rapid opening stint elevated the team from sixth position into podium contention, setting up their third-place result.
IDEC Sport claimed fourth with their No. 18 machine, featuring newly-signed Genesis Magma Racing Trajectory drivers Laurents Hörr and Valerio Rinicella alongside Jamie Chadwick in her second ELMS campaign.
Former Alpine Formula 1 driver Jack Doohan's day ended in disappointment when his Nielsen Racing car suffered suspected suspension failure in the race's closing moments. The Australian had been running second before the mechanical issue dropped him to seventh position.
The race began dramatically with a red flag after a six-car collision involving both LMP2 and LMP3 competitors. Officials extended the race duration by 25 minutes to compensate for the lost time during the safety period.
In LMP2 Pro-Am competition, Malthe Jakobsen guided the No. 20 Algarve Pro Racing entry to class victory alongside co-drivers Michale Jensen and Enzo Trulli. The trio defeated the No. 83 AF Corse machine, while pole-sitting Duqueine Team rounded out the Pro-Am podium.
Proton Competition secured LMGT3 honors with their No. 75 Porsche 911 GT3 R Evo, driven by Tom Sargent, Matt Kurzejewski, and Porsche factory veteran Richard Lietz. Sargent's decisive move in the race's second half broke a prolonged battle with the No. 62 Team Qatar by Iron Lynx Mercedes-AMG GT3 Evo.
The victory marked both Sargent's and Bronze-rated Kurzejewski's ELMS debuts. United Autosports' McLaren 720S GT3 Evo finished second, though post-race penalties affected their points tally after officials determined Wayne Boyd fell short of minimum driving time requirements.
Kessel Racing's No. 57 Ferrari 296 GT3 Evo claimed the final LMGT3 podium position, overtaking the Mercedes-AMG entry in the closing stages.
Rinaldi Racing dominated LMP3 competition with José Fernandes Cautela, Alvise Rodella, and Mikkel Gaarde Pedersen piloting their No. 5 Ligier JS P325 Toyota to victory over class pole-sitters R-ace GP. Inter Europol Competition's No. 13 Ligier earned a surprise third after penalties affected the No. 11 Eurointernational entry.
The Barcelona victory strengthens Forestier Racing by Panis's position in the championship standings as the ELMS season progresses. Their ability to overcome adversity while maintaining race pace suggests continued competitiveness in upcoming rounds.