The Spanish round : the 4 Hours of Barcelona, marked the start of the 2025 European Le Mans Series season, with 44 cars entered. IDEC SPORT fielded two Oreca LMP2 cars: the #18, driven by Jamie Chadwick, Dani Juncadella, and Mathys Jaubert, and the #28, driven by Paul Lafargue, Job Van Uitert, and Paul-Loup Chatin.
After two days of prologue sessions, official competition began on Friday. During qualifying, Mathys Jaubert secured 5th position. Job Van Uitert qualified the #28 in 10th place.
On Sunday, April 6, the race began at noon under the Catalan sun. Jamie Chadwick and Paul Lafargue made flawless starts. At the halfway point, the #18 was in second place with Dani Juncadella, the local driver, behind the wheel. Job Van Uitert had taken over from Paul Lafargue in the #28 and was in 10th place. The final stints began more than an hour from the finish. Mathys Jaubert restarted in second place, and Paul-Loup Chatin was in 10th.
At that point, the young French driver Mathys Jaubert faced off against the best drivers in the discipline, executing a decisive pass that put the #18 in the lead with 50 minutes remaining. He then clinched the victory with style. Jamie Chadwick became the first woman to win a race in ELMS in LMP2 category. The #28 crossed the finish line in 8th.
Patrice Lafargue, President of IDEC SPORT: “I experienced this weekend with satisfaction, though a little disappointment regarding the #28 because I feel for the drivers. But for the IDEC SPORT team, it’s fantastic. Winning a race right from the start is a real boost for the future. We’ll defend this first position in the next race, and I have no doubt that the team will bounce back to ensure both cars perform at a high level.”
Nicolas Minassian, Team Principal: “Overall, the race went well. We faced tire issues on the #28, along with some racing incidents, which unfortunately meant it was almost over for the #28. The drivers gave everything to get back in the race, but it wasn’t enough. On the #18 side, we had the pace, and the result speaks for itself. I’m super happy to win the first race of the season. It’s the result of excellent teamwork, especially from the drivers. We won, and I’m very proud of that.”
Next up: the second round at home in Castellet, scheduled for May 2, 3, and 4!
