Lamera Cup – Portimão: Team Lamera victorious after 26 hours of racing

Participating in the longest modern endurance race of the year was the challenge for the 27 crews present this weekend on the Portimao circuit. So appreciated for the technical challenge it represents, already visited by the Lamera Cup in 2018, the Portuguese route did not disappoint the 119 drivers entered. As is the tradition of the Lamera Cup, experienced drivers, gentlemen and complete beginners coexisted throughout this race. Some put their mechanics to the test. Others were faced with the physical challenge of participating in such an event while the temperature sometimes exceeded 60°C in the passenger compartments.

Starting in pole position, Team Lamera (Couasnon, Wilfried and Matteo Merafina) won the event, further consolidating its status as leader of the championship. Never having won a title since the launch of the championship in 2012, the crew of Lamera #65 has more than ever an option on the championship. Behind, we will remember the very good second place of the ETC Racing 1 team (Dufour, Parsa, Ayari) after 6923 covered laps and a start made from third place on the grid. Today's performance is to the credit of the CTF Corpoboost crew (Poret, Corbie, Boust, Beraud), third overall and first representative of the Pro-Am category. Homogeneous, constant, the crew was the one who spent the least time in the pit: only one hour and ten minutes. A result which notably allows it to beat Team TTM 75 (Di Duca, Samarianov, Soave), 2nd in qualifying and finally 5th under the checkerboard. A mixed result for a crew which occupied 2nd place overall before Portimao. Another disappointment was that of the L’Auto Leclerc by Asphalte crew (Orgeval, Valensi, Casals, Gruau). 6th on the grid, 4th in the general classification before Portimao and above all the reigning champion, he will not have seen the checkerboard due to this engine failure during the night.

Victory for Team Lamera in Portimão. © Stéphane Azemard / Lamera Cup

In Pro-Am, the excellent result of the AMS Propreté by CTF crew (Christophe, Fabien, Tristan Heliou) – 4th place overall, 2nd in category – allows it to maintain all its chances with a view to the championship, who has clearly made the Pro-Am title his priority objective. A result which contrasts with that of the current leader of the Pro-Am general classification, the Race Track Rollinger TEC crew (Rollinger, Dumont, Delpit, Bruckner), 3rd in the category in Portimao.

Among the Gentlemans, Triangle Nord (Szulc, Durieu, Forissier, Lannelongue) won ahead of Triangle Belgique (Toussaint, Plunus, Nava, Huyge). The West Motors by ETC Racing crew (Peyrard, Mengolli, Galland, Devos) had to settle for third place after dominating the event in its category. An electronic problem and a racing incident forced him to give up victory.

We will also note the presence of a crew in the colors of M6 Turbo to celebrate the 35th anniversary of the show. The crew was made up of four neophytes, the presenter Safet Rastoder and the comedian Arnaud Tsamere as car leader. On another Lamera, Grégory Galiffi (Direct Auto, C8) came to discover the world of modern endurance. The two cars did not see the checkered flag due to mechanical problems a few hours from the finish.

See you on October 1 and 2 on the Spanish track of Valencia for the penultimate event of the season.

RESULTS:

ELITE

1 – Couasnon, Wilfried and Matteo Merafina (Team Lamera).

2 – Dufour, Parsa, Ayari (ETC Racing 1).

3 – Di Duca, Samarianov, Soave (Team TTM 75).

PRO-AM

1 – Poret, Corbie, Boust, Beraud (CTF Corpoboost)

2 – Christophe, Fabien, Tristan, Lucas Heliou (AMS Propreté).

3 – Rollinger, Dumont, Delpit, Bruckner (Race Track Rollinger TEC).

GENTLEMAN

1 – Szulc, Durieu, Forissier, Lannelongue (North Triangle).

2 – Toussaint, Plunus, Nava, Huyge (Triangle Belgium).

3 – Peyrard, Mengolli, Galland, Devos (West Motors by ETC).

Find all the results on the website http://lameracup.fr.