Qualified 4th in LMP2 Pro/Am, the TDS Racing #29 car was unfortunately dropped from 2nd to 5th place following a clumsy maneuver by a GT3 in the very last lap.

In contrast, in LMP2, starting from 3rd on the grid, the Milesi / Masson / Gray trio driving the VDS Panis Racing #48 car brilliantly secured their second consecutive win, thus consolidating their championship lead with now a 20-point advantage.

Wednesday was dedicated to the Collective Test, where the "Félins" of the #48 and #29 cars were able to get back into rhythm. The next day, although no track session was scheduled, the day was no less busy: setup work for the engineers and mechanics, photo and video shoots for the drivers alongside Olivier Panis, and of course the traditional briefings.

On Friday, the return to track time allowed a productive day of work. In the first free practice session, the #48 set the 4th fastest time in LMP2 while the #29 finished 3rd in Pro-Am. Later in the day, Rodrigo Sales took part in the Bronze Collective Test, where he finished in 4th position.

Finally, on Saturday morning, both cars took part in the second free practice session, shortened towards the end by a few drops of rain.

In the early afternoon, rain intensified and the track quickly became soaked, forcing the mechanics to fit wet tires. At the end of Pro/Am qualifying, Rodrigo Sales set the 4th fastest time with the TDS Racing car.

In LMP2, Charles Milesi clinched 3rd fastest lap at the wheel of the #48 VDS Panis Racing, ensuring a good starting position for Sunday's race.

The Race Story #48

After two formation laps, British driver Oliver Gray, starting 3rd, held his position at the start. Very aggressive, he quickly attacked Jonas Ried (Iron Lynx – Proton) and managed to overtake him on lap 7, placing himself right behind the leader. True to his now-legendary determination, he consistently set the fastest lap times.

After just 25 minutes, Gray pulled off the feat of taking the lead of the race. Ten minutes later, he made his first pit stop to refuel. Barely back on track, the race was neutralized by a Virtual Safety Car, quickly followed by a Safety Car. The restart had hardly begun when another neutralization occurred, then another straight after. Throughout his entire stint, Oliver remained the fastest man on track.

He then handed the wheel to Esteban Masson. With an offset strategy, the Frenchman rejoined in 2nd place behind the Vector Sport car but quickly retook the lead. The race was once again disrupted by a Full Course Yellow. Another refuel saw the car temporarily relegated to 3rd position.

The second driver change occurred just before another neutralization, allowing Charles Milesi to reclaim the lead as he exited the pits. With 25 minutes to go, another FCY slowed the pace, before a final fuel stop 10 minutes from the chequered flag. Charles then brought the victorious car home in first place, securing another brilliant win for the Marc VDS "Felines."

Olivier Panis:

"For the second consecutive time, our drivers, engineers, mechanics, and all the 'Félins' working alongside us have delivered a fantastic victory. The team shows remarkable cohesion with the TDS Racing staff, and the work accomplished by each and every one of them earns my full admiration and gratitude. Congratulations to our drivers, who shine not only through their performance on track but also through their exemplary team spirit. My thanks also go to Florent Gouin and his team for the mastery with which they manage the technical side.

We must remain humble as we approach the rest of the season, but we leave Belgium with the pride of a job well done and the joy of making the Marc VDS "Feline" shine, thanks to the trust placed in us, as well as ELF and all our loyal partners. We will continue our efforts with determination in order to keep scoring maximum points and aim for the championship title.

On the other hand, I am sincerely disappointed for the TDS Racing #29 car, which fully deserved to climb onto the second step of the podium, before a rival ruined the drivers' efforts and the team's hard work."

The Race Story #29

Starting 4th in LMP2 Pro-Am, Rodrigo Sales made a good start, moving up to 3rd by lap two. However, he lost the position a few laps later. Unfortunately, he was forced to return to the pits to replace the front block after a collision, and also served a drive-through penalty for the contact with car #99. Taking advantage of a Virtual Safety Car, Rodrigo refueled but rejoined 8th in class.

Two laps after the restart, another Safety Car was deployed. At the relaunch, Clément Novalak took over, only to be interrupted again by a VSC. Back out in 4th place in class, he immediately showed strong pace and took advantage of another FCY to close in. After a bold overtaking move on Dane Cameron (AO by TF), he handed the wheel to Mathias Beche.

The Swiss driver then began a fierce 1h20 stint. Consistent and incisive, he propelled the #29 to the lead of the category thanks to an offset strategy, even reaching 3rd overall. However, at the final pit stop, the car had to serve a 10-second penalty. Mathias rejoined in 4th, before regaining 3rd place.

With 25 minutes remaining, another FCY bunched up the field. Mathias, then 2nd in Pro-Am and among the fastest on track, looked on course for a well-deserved podium. But in the final lap, a collision caused by a GT3 competitor dashed all hopes: the #29 car crossed the line in a bitter 5th place.

Xavier Combet – TDS Racing:

"It is a huge disappointment for the team to see the podium slip away just minutes from the finish, due to the clumsy move of a rival. This result makes the fight for the Pro-Am title even more challenging. Nevertheless, our drivers never gave up: despite the difficulties, their determination allowed them to remain in contention and finish at the sharp end of their category. We must now put this behind us and focus all our energy on the Silverstone race, with the goal of climbing back up the standings – the team truly deserves it.

At the same time, I want to extend huge congratulations to the entire VDS Panis Racing squad for this new victory. The three drivers once again demonstrated all their talent, and we are very pleased with this collaboration and to share such a strong team spirit in this LMP2 adventure."