Over the weekend we headed down to Silverstone for the European Le Mans Series 4 Hours of Silverstone, and it was a weekend that had pretty much everything you could ask for from an endurance race. The home of British motorsport was packed with 46 cars across LMP2, LMP3 and LMGT3, creating a brilliant atmosphere around the circuit. From the moment the cars hit the track, there was plenty to keep us busy, but with rain forecast for later in the day, we knew the weather could play a big part in how the race unfolded.
The race got off to a fast start, with the battle at the front immediately developing into a close fight between the LMP2 runners. Algarve Pro Racing eventually came out on top with Matthias Kaiser, Jake Hughes and Ben Barnicoat taking the #25 Oreca to victory. It was APR’s first overall ELMS win in three years, but getting there was anything but straightforward. As the rain arrived around halfway through the race, the teams were suddenly faced with some very different conditions, and from where we were watching, it was clear just how quickly things could change at Silverstone.
The weather really mixed things up and produced some great racing throughout the field. Several teams gambled on slick tyres during the early stages of the rain, only to find themselves back in the pits as conditions worsened. Safety Car and Full Course Yellow periods added to the drama, while a number of incidents around the circuit kept everyone guessing about who would still be in contention by the final hour. TDS Racing had an impressive run to take the LMP2 Pro/Am victory, while R-ace GP celebrated a first ELMS LMP3 win after a strong drive in some seriously tricky conditions.
The LMGT3 battle was just as entertaining, with Team Qatar by Iron Lynx making history by taking Mercedes-AMG’s first ELMS victory in the class. Julian Hanses brought the #62 Mercedes home just ahead of Charlie Eastwood’s TF Sport Corvette after the pair traded places during the closing stages. Watching the battle develop as the race moved towards the finish was a great reminder of what makes endurance racing so entertaining – nothing is really settled until the chequered flag comes out.
For us, spending the weekend at Silverstone was a great opportunity to get right into the middle of the ELMS atmosphere and experience the racing first-hand. The combination of high-speed racing, unpredictable British weather and constantly changing strategies made it a proper endurance racing weekend.
Don’t forget to check out the image gallery below and also the trackside video.
Gallery
Race Results: Here
Disclaimer: We are not associated with the ACO, ELME, European Le Mans Series, any teams taking part or any sponsors of the event.
