Aron to Make ELMS Debut Amid Suzuka Clash Lineup Changes

Photo: Kristof Vermeulen/MPS Agency

Ralf Aron will make his European Le Mans Series debut in this weekend’s 4 Hours of Silverstone as several LMGT3 squads feature revised lineups amid the clashing Suzuka 1000km.

The ELMS event will mark Aron’s latest outing after missing more than five months of the season having suffered two fractured vertebra in a crash during this year’s Meguiar’s Bathurst 12 Hour in February.

Aron enjoyed a triumphant comeback in the NLS7 contest around the Nordschleife in July and will now pilot the No. 62 Team Qatar by Iron Lynx Mercedes-AMG GT3 Evo at Silverstone with team regular Maxime Martin racing at Suzuka.

Others in action in Japan include Anders Fjordbach, with his place in the No. 54 High Class Racing Porsche 911 GT3 R Evo being taken by GT World Challenge Europe powered by AWS racer Benjamin Paque.

Another new driver will also get to experience the No. 59 Racing Spirit of Leman Aston Martin Vantage GT3 Evo as Anthony McIntosh, who contested last month’s Spa event, is racing at Suzuka and Ferrari FIA World Endurance Championship regular Francois Heriau will instead take to the controls.

Valentin Haase-Clot will also return to that car for Silverstone after missing Spa due to an IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship clash.

Harry King was another in WeatherTech Championship action last time out and will now be back aboard the No. 77 Proton Competition Porsche as part of the 47-strong Silverstone entry.

There is only one tweak to the LMP2 lineup for Silverstone with Maceo Capietto returning to the No. 4 DKR Engineering Oreca 07 Gibson alongside Jean Glorieux and Marlon Hernandez after Suzuka-bound Julien Andlauer raced at Spa.

There are also a couple of changes among the LMP3 division with Lenny Ried and Ralph Meichtry racing as a duo aboard the No. 31 Racing Spirit of Leman Ligier JS P325 Toyota as Gregory de Sybourg will not be in action.

The No. 68 M Racing Ligier will again feature a revised lineup with Stephane Tribaudini now joining Nick Adcock and Alfie Briggs.

Silverstone represents the penultimate round of the ELMS season and the overall points lead is tied between the No. 29 Forestier Racing by Panis crew of Esteban Masson, Oliver Gray and Louis Rousset and the No. 22 United Autosports trio of Ben Hanley, Griffin Peebles and Gregoire Saucy.

The Pro-Am class lead is also tied with the No. 20 Algarve Pro Racing entry of Malthe Jakobsen, Enzo Trulli and Michael Jensen level with the No. 83 AF Corse Oreca of Antonio Fuoco, Matthieu Vaxiviere and Francois Perrodo.

There is then just a point between the LMGT3 table-topping No. 75 Proton Porsche of Richard Lietz, Tom Sargent and Matt Kurzejewski and nearest rivals the No. 33 TF Sport Chevrolet Corvette Z06 GT3.R of Charlie Eastwood, Alec Udell and Blake McDonald.

It is not quite so close in LMP3, however, with No. 17 CLX Motorsport Ligier duo Paul Lanchere and Alexander Jacoby enjoying a 15-point lead over the No. 85 R-ace GP Duqueine D09 Toyota of Hugo Schwarze, Fabien Michal and Pierre-Alexandre Provost.

Source: Sports Car 365