Brits secure Ligier European Championship title
Wednesday, October 23, 2024
The last two races of the Ligier European Series Championship provided a thrilling conclusion to an already exciting season. Haydn Chance and Theo Micouris, who is in his second year of the Motorsport UK Futures Programme, secured the championship title in their debut season at the challenging Portimão circuit in the Algarve.
In the first race, Chance's main competitor secured the pole position and jumped to an early lead. There were two safety car periods that allowed Chance to catch up to his opponent, along with the required pit stops. Despite his efforts, he finished in second place but managed to keep his lead in the championship standings.
The final race of the season got postponed because of incidents in other events. As a result, the tension was palpable. However, when the race finally began, Chance and his teammate Micouris, who started the first leg, quickly took the front of the pack. Despite this strong start, their main competitor managed to pass them and claimed the lead by the end of the first lap. Fortunately, it wasn't a problem for Chance and Micouris since they only needed to finish in 6th place or higher to secure the championship.
During the essential pit stop, Chance stepped in for the last portion of the race, but some technical issues had surfaced. Playing it safe, Chance focused on securing a solid finish and managed to bring the car home in second place. Meanwhile, his main competitor spun out and ended the race in fourth. As a result, Chance and Micouris clinched the championship title, becoming the new champions.
Haydn Chance from Team Virage and driver of the Ligier JS P4 #1 shared his thoughts on the victory, saying, "The stakes felt even greater than normal, particularly during the final race. I focused on maintaining a steady drive to steer clear of mistakes or collisions, so I was really pleased with finishing second, which secured our championship title!"
Theo Micouris from Team Virage shared his thoughts, saying, “It was somewhat nerve-wracking, particularly with the red flag popping up early in the session. I was able to secure a couple of solid laps, which felt fantastic. It’s been quite some time since I held pole position, so I’m really happy to have it again. It’s nice to kick off the final race from this spot.”
Promising British racers Theo Micouris and Haydn Chance have clinched the title of champions in the 2024 Ligier European Series, driving the #1 JS P4 for Team Virage. As a result of their victory, they will take home a prestigious prize of €150,000 to compete in a Ligier JS P325 in the Michelin Le Mans Cup next season.
The Ligier European Series will consist of six events, coinciding with the European Le Mans Series. For the first time in 2022, one of these events will be held on the iconic 24 Hours of Le Mans circuit.
