Valerio Rinicella put IDEC Sport at the top of the timesheets in the opening Free Practice session for the 2026 European Le Mans Series 4 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps, setting the pace at the legendary Belgian circuit.
The 90-minute session on Friday provided the first serious indication of the competitive order ahead of Sunday’s four-hour race, with all four ELMS categories taking to the demanding 7km Spa-Francorchamps circuit.
LMP2 – IDEC Sport Sets the Benchmark
The headline LMP2 battle saw IDEC Sport establish an early advantage, with Rinicella’s lap of 2:02.110 comfortably leading the class.
Top 3 – LMP2
- No. 18 IDEC Sport – Valerio Rinicella — 2:02.110
- No. 29 Forestier Racing by Panis – Esteban Masson — 2:03.042
- No. 25 Algarve Pro Racing – Jake Hughes — 2:03.232
Masson, the reigning ELMS champion, was just 0.190 seconds ahead of Hughes, setting up an intriguing battle as the weekend progresses. Inter Europol Competition’s Reshad De Gerus was only another 0.006 seconds behind Hughes in fourth, underlining just how closely matched the leading LMP2 runners were. (ELMS)
LMP2 Pro/Am – Algarve Pro Racing Leads
The LMP2 Pro/Am category was headed by Malthe Jakobsen, who put the No. 20 Algarve Pro Racing Oreca at the top with a 2:03.262.
Jakobsen’s performance was particularly impressive as his time was good enough for fifth overall, putting the Pro/Am entry ahead of several outright LMP2 contenders.
Top 3 – LMP2 Pro/Am
- No. 20 Algarve Pro Racing – Malthe Jakobsen — 2:03.262
- No. 19 Rossa Racing by Virage – Manuel Espírito Santo — 2:03.917
- No. 30 Duqueine Team – Richard Verschoor — 2:03.976
Rossa Racing’s Espírito Santo was 0.655 seconds behind Jakobsen, while Richard Verschoor put the Duqueine Team Oreca just 0.059 seconds further back. (ELMS)
LMP3 – CLX Motorsport Leads a Tight Fight
The closest battle at the front of FP1 came in LMP3.
Louis Iglesias set the benchmark for CLX Motorsport with a 2:12.788 in the No. 17 Ligier. The gap to DKR Engineering’s No. 4 car was only 0.168 seconds, while Team Virage was less than a second from the class-leading time.
Top 3 – LMP3
- No. 17 CLX Motorsport – Louis Iglesias — 2:12.788
- No. 4 DKR Engineering – Wyatt Brichacek — 2:12.956
- No. 8 Team Virage – Daniel Nogales — 2:13.847
Inter Europol Competition’s No. 13 Ligier was just 0.036 seconds behind Team Virage in fourth, suggesting the LMP3 fight could become particularly intense over the remaining practice, qualifying and race sessions. (ELMS)
LMGT3 – Iron Lynx Leads a Three-Way Fight
The LMGT3 field produced another closely contested session, with Sergio Sette Camara taking the No. 63 Iron Lynx Mercedes-AMG to the top.
His 2:17.985 was just 0.094 seconds faster than David Rigon in the No. 51 AF Corse Ferrari 296. Racing Spirit of Leman’s Parker Thompson was even closer, only 0.002 seconds behind Rigon.
Top 3 – LMGT3
- No. 63 Iron Lynx – Sergio Sette Camara — 2:17.985
- No. 51 AF Corse – David Rigon — 2:18.079
- No. 59 Racing Spirit of Leman – Parker Thompson — 2:18.081
The competitiveness continued down the order, with Proton Competition’s Thomas Sargent making it four different manufacturers inside the top four with the No. 75 Porsche 911 posting a 2:18.292. (ELMS)
Spa Sets the Stage for a Major ELMS Weekend
With 47 cars and 140 drivers entered for the 10th anniversary edition of the 4 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps, the Belgian round represents one of the biggest events on the 2026 ELMS calendar.
Friday’s opening session has already provided plenty of talking points. IDEC Sport has the early advantage in LMP2, Algarve Pro Racing leads LMP2 Pro/Am, CLX Motorsport tops LMP3 and Iron Lynx heads LMGT3.
But with Free Practice 2, qualifying and four hours of racing still to come, Friday’s times are only the beginning.
The next ELMS session at Spa-Francorchamps is Free Practice 2 at 09:00 on Saturday, August 22, with the 4 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps scheduled for Sunday, August 23.
