Two podiums for the "Felines" at the ELMS season opener!
20 March 2026
This week marked the highly anticipated kickoff of the European Le Mans Series at the Barcelona circuit. The team’s two ORECA 07 cars, proudly bearing the "Feline" emblem dear to Marc VDS, took their first laps sporting the team’s new colors.
After four hours of racing, the trio Milesi/Masson/Gray (#48 - vdS Panis Racing) achieved an impressive 2nd place in LMP2. Meanwhile, the Sales/Novalak/Beche crew (#29 - TDS Racing) stood out by securing 3rd place on the podium in the LMP2 Pro/Am category. A strong start to the season with valuable points earned by both cars.
An intense week to launch the season
The arrival of Marc Van Der Straten within the team was an emotional highlight: his involvement, kindness, and unwavering support left a strong impression on all team members.
During qualifying, Bronze driver Rodrigo Sales did his part by securing 3rd fastest time in LMP2 Pro/Am with the #29. In LMP2, Charles Milesi took the wheel of the #48 and qualified the car in 6th position.
A special visitor before the start
Just before the grid formation, the drivers had the pleasure of welcoming a distinguished guest in the garage: two-time Moto2 World Champion Johann Zarco, who was invited by Mathias Beche. Enthralled by the atmosphere, he followed the entire race from the heart of the team alongside the engineers.
Race highlights – Car #29 (LMP2 Pro/Am)
Rodrigo Sales started the race in third position. Showing great aggression, he gained a place at the first corner by cleverly avoiding incidents ahead. Under pressure, he lost two places but maintained a strong pace during his 66-minute stint.
Clément Novalak then took over as a virtual safety car followed by a full safety car disrupted the race and strategy. Running in 4th, he posted consistent lap times and settled into a good rhythm.
With 1h30 remaining, Mathias Beche took the wheel. A second safety car soon followed. In 3rd place, Mathias kept up the pace and showed great speed every time the green flag waved. With 20 minutes left, the car made its final pit stop. After a last virtual safety car, Mathias expertly managed the race’s closing stages, delivering a superb 3rd place for the team.
Race highlights – Car #48 (LMP2)
Starting from the third row, Oliver Gray began cautiously, dropping back to 12th place. But he quickly embarked on a fantastic recovery, overtaking multiple cars and taking the lead after 26 laps. His impressive stint ended with the car in first position before handing over to Esteban Masson for his LMP2 debut.
A safety car period (virtual then full) then reshuffled the order, dropping the #48 to 6th place. But Esteban, showing great determination, fought back several times and handed the car to Charles Milesi in 3rd place.
Another safety car preceded Charles’ stint. Once the track cleared, he chased leaders Jaubert (IDEC Sport) and Derani (CLX Motorsport). The battle was intense and Charles executed a brilliant overtake to climb to 2nd place.
After a final pit stop, the #48 headed into an exciting final phase. Despite a late push to catch the leader in the closing laps, time ran out to claim first place. The crew finished this opening round with a brilliant 2nd place — the best way to start the season.
A promising start to the championship for the Felines, with podiums in both categories and strong performances across the board. The rest of the season promises to be thrilling!
Stay tuned this week on our social media for reactions from all six drivers and a full race report of the 4 Hours of Barcelona by Olivier Panis and Xavier.
NOTE: Very soon, we will be pleased to announce the name of the third driver who will join Esteban Masson and Oliver Gray for the 24 Hours of Le Mans behind the wheel of the #48 ORECA in LMP2.