The ELMS finale 2025 at Portimão delivered edge-of-your-seat drama from lights out to chequered flag. VDS by Panis Racing sealed an emotional race win and celebrated the championship crown.
The 2025 ELMS finale – the 4 Hours of Portimão – was a true celebration for endurance racing fans: relentless tension, strategic brilliance, wheel-to-wheel battles and emotional highs. The fight for titles in LMP2, LMP2 Pro/Am and LMGT3 remained undecided until the dying minutes, making this season’s conclusion one of the closest and most thrilling in ELMS history.
LMP2: VDS by Panis Racing – Ruthless, Consistent, and Masterful
Number 48, driven by Charles Milesi, Ollie Gray and Esteban Masson, showed nerves of steel even at Portimão. In the opening stint, the team positioned itself cleverly at the front. A rapid and flawless opening run gave them the momentum, but frequent yellow flags and a setback from pit strategy demanded maximum flexibility.
The team kept a cool head and seized the crucial moments to attack. In the decisive final phase, Milesi delivered under pressure from Inter Europol Competition, controlling the pace and making no mistakes after the last restart to secure a third win of the season by five seconds.
By clinching the championship and a coveted Le Mans invite, the Belgian-French squad reinforced their standing at the summit of European prototype racing.
LMP2 Pro/Am: Victory for TDS but the Title for AO by TF
The LMP2 Pro/Am contest provided nail-biting tension right down to the final lap. TDS Racing (No. 29: Sales/Novalak/Beche) dominated for much of the race, leading the category early thanks to strategic pit stops and a bold move by Clement Novalak. Yet AO by TF, with PJ Hyett, Dane Cameron, and Louis Deletraz, held their nerve in the title fight.
A solid middle stint saw AO by TF fight back from fourth into second, unshaken even by TDS Racing’s fierce final push. The championship would be decided on the track: TDS Racing took the race win, but it was AO by TF who claimed their first team title. Louis Deletraz made history with four championships in five years, and the crew earned another shot to defend their Le Mans class victory next year.
LMGT3: Historic First Title for Corvette
The LMGT3 showdown was the most fiercely contested of the year, with seven teams arriving at Algarve still in the hunt for championship glory. The TF Sport Corvette (No. 82: Hiroshi Koizumi, Rui Andrade, Charlie Eastwood) stamped their authority with pole and then engaged in an epic tussle with the Racing Spirit of Leman Aston Martin.
In particular, Charlie Eastwood’s electric stints in the second half set up the eventual triumph. For lap after lap, he withstood the determined challenge of Wayne Boyd in the McLaren – Boyd attacked repeatedly but could not get by. After four hours, it was a heart-stopping 0.3 seconds that decided victory and the title.
It is the first ELMS title for Corvette, a landmark international achievement for the winning trio in a fiercely competitive GT3 grid. Iron Dames rounded out the podium in their Porsche 911 GT3 R, again showcasing the diversity and strength of the series.
LMP3: CLX Motorsport Dominates to Cap a Perfect Season
CLX Motorsport proved once again why they were the benchmark in LMP3 for 2025. The championship was already theirs ahead of the finale, but Paul Lanchere, Adrien Closmenil and Theodor Jensen took no prisoners in Portimão.
They grabbed the lead in the Ligier JS P325, fended off attacks – especially from Team Virage and DKR Engineering – and crossed the finish a remarkable 13 seconds ahead. Virage and DKR Engineering claimed the other podium spots.
CLX Motorsport’s 2025 tally stands at five wins from six rounds. Few outfits have defined the ELMS junior prototype ranks with such dominance.+
Gala Night Caps Off the Weekend
Beyond the fierce sporting contest, the official awards gala offered a deeply emotional reflection on the season. The Goodyear Golden Wingfoot Awards went to Tom Dillmann (LMP2), Mathias Beche (LMP2 Pro/Am), and Conrad Laursen (LMGT3) as the fastest drivers of the year.
Additionally, the ELMS recognised exceptional personalities with special prizes: Mathys Jaubert was named Rookie of the Year, and Paola Depalmas Personality of the Year. Pride in achievement and the spirit of camaraderie ran through every speech, perfectly closing out ELMS 2025.
You’ll find the complete results from the final race here for reference.
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