TDS Racing without luck in the rain at Watkins Glen
20 March 2026
• The Oreca 07 No. 11 was forced to retire prematurely following a racing incident
• Steven Thomas confirmed his speed with the second-best time in qualifying
• The team showed great determination to get the car back on track
Confirming after the Sebring podium. That was the goal for Xavier Combet and Jacques Morello’s crew for the return of the Michelin Endurance Cup last weekend at Watkins Glen. On one of the historic circuits of American and world motorsport, Steven Thomas, Mikkel Jensen, and Hunter McElrea had a strong start to the event by securing second position in free practice.
A pace confirmed in qualifying with Steven Thomas’s excellent second place in the session reserved for Bronze drivers on Saturday. A further confirmation of the progress and consistency of the gentleman driver in a highly competitive field.
Unfortunately, these promises did not materialize in the race on Sunday. On a track made tricky by rain arriving during the first hour, Steven Thomas was unable to avoid another LMP2 car losing control on the track, damaging the No. 11 Oreca. This racing incident forced the technical team to carry out lengthy repairs to hope to get the prototype back on track.
Returning to the track without hope of a good result, Mikkel Jensen eventually retired after a few laps. A real missed opportunity for the No. 11 trio, once again in a good position to aim for the podium. Revenge is expected mid-July at the Mosport event in Canada, where the LMP2s will be able to compete for the overall victory, with the absence of the top GTP category. TDS Racing had claimed third place in 2024.