Racing Spirit of Léman
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Founded | 2019 |
---|---|
Founder(s) | Patrick Barbier Herminie Barbier |
Base | La Roche-sur-Foron, Haute-Savoie, France |
Current series | FIA World Endurance Championship European Le Mans Series Le Mans Cup Ultimate Cup Series GT4 European Series |
Former series | FFSA GT Championship Prototype Winter Series |
Current drivers | FIA World Endurance Championship 10. ![]() ![]() ![]() European Le Mans Series: 31. ![]() ![]() ![]() 59. ![]() ![]() ![]() Le Mans Cup: 10. ![]() ![]() |
Teams' Championships | 2022 LMC LMP3, 2023 LMC GT3, 2024 French GT4 Silver |
Drivers' Championships | 2022 LMC LMP3, 2023 LMC GT3, 2024 French GT4 Silver |
Racing Spirit of Léman is a French-Swiss sports car racing team that currently competes in the LMGT3 class of the FIA World Endurance Championship. The team was founded in 2019 by Patrick Barbier.[1][2]
Notable accolades include the 2022 and 2023 Le Mans Cup drivers' and teams' championships in the LMP3 and GT3 categories respectively.[3][4]
Contrary to popular belief the teams' name has no relation to the headline WEC event of Le Mans, but comes from the French name for Lake Geneva, 'Lac Léman', which the team is based near in La Roche-sur-Foron, France.[5]
History
[edit]Originally, Racing Spirit of Léman ran the operations for Cool Racing (now CLX Motorsport). In late 2020, after Nicolas Lapierre became a majority shareholder in Cool Racing, he decided to split from Racing Spirit of Léman and take the operation of the team in house.[6][7] The team formed an alliance with Aston Martin and entered into the 2022 GT4 European Series with two Aston Martin Vantage GT4s.[8]
FIA World Endurance Championship
[edit]2019–20
[edit]The 2019–20 FIA World Endurance Championship season started strong with a win for the #42 Cool Racing entry at the 2019 4 Hours of Silverstone.[9] They would win as a pair, Antonin Borga and Nicolas Lapierre, due to an injury Alexandre Coigny sustained during the European Le Mans Series race the day prior.[10] Four further point finishes and a second podium at the 6 Hours Spa-Francorchamps saw the Racing Spirit of Léman run, Cool Racing entry finish sixth in the LMP2 class.[11][12]
2025
[edit]
On November 22, 2024, the team announced they would be entering the 2025 FIA World Endurance Championship as one of the two Aston Martin LMGT3 teams.[13] Drivers for the season are French Aston Martin factory driver, Valentin Hasse-Clot, American Derek DeBoer and Brazilian Eduardo Barrichello, son of former Formula One driver Rubens Barrichello.[14]
European Le Mans Series
[edit]2023
[edit]In 2023, following the LMP3 double championship in the Le Mans Cup, the team entered into the LMP3 class with a Ligier JS P320. Drivers for the season were Antoine Doquin, Jacques Wolff, Fabien Michal and Jean-Ludovic Foubert.[15][16] The team would finish on the podium on their debut in the series at the 4 Hours of Barcelona.[17] They then followed that up with a win at the 4 Hours of Le Castellet.[18] At the end of the season, the team would finish fifth in the LMP3 class.
2024
[edit]
Racing Spirit of Léman expanded to the LMGT3 class with an Aston Martin Vantage AMR GT3 Evo with drivers Derek DeBoer, Valentin Hasse-Clot and Casper Stevenson, while continuing to operate a Ligier JS P320 in the LMP3 class.[19][20] The team secured their first LMGT3 class podium at Le Castellet, en route to a third place finish in the championship,[21][22] while the LMP3 entry finished in 7th.[23]
Racing record
[edit]FIA World Endurance Championship
[edit](key) (Races in bold indicate pole position; races in italics indicate fastest lap)
Year | Entrant | Class | No. | Chassis | Engine | Drivers | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | Pos. | Points |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2019–20 | ![]() |
LMP2 | 42 | Oreca 07 | Gibson GK428 4.2 L V8 | ![]() ![]() ![]() |
SIL 1 |
FUJ 5 |
SHA Ret |
BHR 6 |
COA 4 |
SPA 2 |
LMS 4 |
BHR | 6th | 103 |
2025 | ![]() |
LMGT3 | 10 | Aston Martin Vantage AMR GT3 Evo | Aston Martin M177 4.0 L Turbo V8 | ![]() ![]() ![]() |
QAT 9 |
IMO 11 |
SPA 6 |
LMS 9 |
SÃO | COA | FUJ | BHR | 14th* | 11* |
Source:[24] |
* Season still in progress.
24 Hours of Le Mans results
[edit]Year | Entrant | No. | Car | Drivers | Class | Laps | Pos. | Class Pos. |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2020 | ![]() |
42 | Oreca 07-Gibson | ![]() ![]() ![]() |
LMP2 | 365 | 12th | 8th |
2025 | ![]() |
10 | Aston Martin Vantage AMR GT3 Evo | ![]() ![]() ![]() |
LMGT3 | 336 | 45th | 13th |
European Le Mans Series
[edit](key) (Races in bold indicate pole position; races in italics indicate fastest lap)
Year | Entrant | Class | No. | Chassis | Engine | Drivers | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | Pos. | Points |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2023 | ![]() |
LMP3 | 31 | Ligier JS P320 | Nissan VK56DE 5.6 L V8 | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
CAT 3 |
LEC 1 |
ARA Ret |
SPA 8 |
POR 8 |
ALG 7 |
5th | 54 |
2024 | ![]() |
LMP3 | 31 | Ligier JS P320 | Nissan VK56DE 5.6 L V8 | ![]() ![]() ![]() |
CAT 7 |
LEC 6 |
IMO Ret |
SPA 2 |
MUG 4 |
POR Ret |
7th | 44 |
LMGT3 | 59 | Aston Martin Vantage AMR GT3 Evo | Aston Martin M177 4.0 L Turbo V8 | ![]() ![]() ![]() |
CAT 6 |
LEC 3 |
IMO 2 |
SPA 4 |
MUG 5 |
POR 9 |
3rd | 66 | ||
2025 | ![]() |
LMP3 | 31 | Ligier JS P325 | Toyota V35A 3.5 L Twin-turbo V6 | ![]() ![]() ![]() |
CAT 7 |
LEC 7 |
IMO | SPA | SIL | POR | 7th* | 12* |
LMGT3 | 59 | Aston Martin Vantage AMR GT3 Evo | Aston Martin M177 4.0 L Turbo V8 | ![]() ![]() ![]() |
CAT 7 |
LEC 6 |
IMO | SPA | SIL | POR | 9th* | 15* | ||
Source:[26][27][28] |
References
[edit]- ^ "Racing Spirit of Léman - Geneva International Motor Show". genevamotorshow.com. February 16, 2024. Archived from the original on December 6, 2024. Retrieved March 22, 2025.
- ^ "RACING SPIRIT OF LEMAN - FIA World Endurance Championship". www.fiawec.com. Archived from the original on March 22, 2025. Retrieved March 22, 2025.
- ^ Lloyd, Daniel (September 26, 2022). "Weekly Racing Roundup (9.26.22) – Sportscar365". sportscar365.com. Retrieved April 11, 2025.
- ^ Kilbey, Stephen (October 22, 2023). "Virage, Spirit of Leman Crowned Champions In Rain-Soaked Finale". www.dailysportscar.com. Retrieved April 11, 2025.
- ^ "Barrichello Completes Racing Spirit of Leman Lineup". sportscar365.com. December 3, 2024. Retrieved June 15, 2025.
- ^ "Cool Racing prend son indépendance". Endurance Info (in French). January 6, 2021. Retrieved March 22, 2025.
- ^ Bristol, David (January 30, 2021). "Patrick Barbier : "On ne va pas se laisser abattre, nous faisons tout pour rebondir !"". Endurance Info (in French). Retrieved March 22, 2025.
- ^ Goodwin, Graham (March 13, 2022). "Racing Spirit of Léman Name First Aston Martin Driver Pairing". www.dailysportscar.com. Retrieved March 22, 2025.
- ^ Kilbey, Stephen (September 1, 2019). "Toyota Finishes 1-2 In Thrilling Season Opener". www.dailysportscar.com. Retrieved April 19, 2025.
- ^ Kilbey, Stephen (September 1, 2019). "4H Silverstone: Pre-Race Notes". www.dailysportscar.com. Retrieved April 19, 2025.
- ^ Kilbey, Stephen (August 15, 2020). "#7 Toyota Takes Comfortable Win, Other Classes Provide Thrilling Action At Spa". www.dailysportscar.com. Retrieved April 19, 2025.
- ^ "2019-2020 LMP2 FIA WORLD ENDURANCE TEAMS TROPHY" (PDF). FIA WEC Alkamel. Retrieved April 19, 2025.
- ^ Plümer, Jonas (November 22, 2024). "FIA WEC: Racing Spirit of Léman steigt ein". gt-place.com (in Swiss High German). Retrieved April 16, 2025.
- ^ Parmentier, Morgan (December 23, 2024). "Racing Spirit of Léman ready for WEC in 2025". Motors Inside. Retrieved April 16, 2025.
- ^ Goodwin, Graham (February 6, 2023). "European Le Mans Series Confirm 42 Car Full Season Entry". www.dailysportscar.com. Retrieved April 18, 2025.
- ^ Kilbey, Stephen (July 5, 2023). "42-Car Entry For ELMS At Paul Ricard". www.dailysportscar.com. Retrieved April 18, 2025.
- ^ "European Le Mans Series 4 Hours of Barcelona Race Final Classification" (PDF). elms.alkamelsystems.com. April 23, 2023. Retrieved April 18, 2025.
- ^ Kilbey, Stephen (July 16, 2023). "Algarve Pro Wins 4H Le Castellet After Nail-Biting Finale (Updated)". www.dailysportscar.com. Retrieved April 18, 2025.
- ^ Euwema, Davey (December 4, 2023). "43 Cars in Bumper Full Season Entry – Sportscar365". sportscar365.com. Retrieved April 20, 2025.
- ^ "2024 EUROPEAN LE MANS SERIES - SEASON ENTRY LIST" (PDF). European Le Mans Series. December 4, 2023. Retrieved April 20, 2025.
- ^ Euwema, Davey (May 5, 2024). "Inter Europol Win Drama-Filled 4H Le Castellet – Sportscar365". sportscar365.com. Retrieved April 20, 2025.
- ^ "2024 EUROPEAN LE MANS SERIES TROPHY - LMGT3 TEAMS" (PDF). ELMS Alkmel. Retrieved April 20, 2025.
- ^ "2024 - EUROPEAN LE MANS SERIES TROPHY - LMP3 TEAMS" (PDF). ELMS Alkamel. Retrieved April 20, 2025.
- ^ "FIA World Endurance Championship Standings 2025 | Motorsport Stats". motorsportstats.com. Retrieved April 11, 2025.
- ^ Parmentier, Morgan (June 10, 2025). "« We'll try to fight at the front », Racing Spirit of Léman announces its ambitions at Le Mans". Motors Inside. Retrieved June 19, 2025.
- ^ "European Le Mans Series Standings 2023". Motor Sport Stats. Retrieved April 11, 2025.
- ^ "European Le Mans Series Standings 2024 | Motorsport Stats". Motor Sport Stats. Retrieved April 11, 2025.
- ^ "European Le Mans Series Standings 2025". Motor Sport Stats. Retrieved April 11, 2025.