Team Virage faced an intense weekend of action at Mugello during the 5th round of the Le Mans Cup, with both LMP3 entries encountering mixed fortunes on the track.
Thursday’s practice sessions were heavily impacted by multiple red flags, making it difficult for both cars to find a consistent rhythm on the track. Despite this, the #59 car, driven by Oscar Bittar and Ricardo Gracia, managed to find pace in the afternoon session, finishing a strong P2. The #44 car, with Georgios Kolovos and Mihnea Stefan, ended the day in P13 in the highly competitive LMP3 field.
Friday brought a more consistent day of running as both cars were able to build on their previous performances. The #44 car, found its rhythm and steadily improved, placing P4 in both practice sessions. The #59 car remained close behind, achieving a best finish of P5 by the end of the day. However, the wet conditions during the Bronze Test proved to be another challenge. Kolovos managed to secure P7 in the #44, while Bittar finished P21 in the tricky conditions.
With qualifying and the race awaiting the team on Saturday, anticipation was high as the crews prepared for a competitive session. Qualifying saw 27 LMP3 cars battling for position, with Kolovos placing the #44 car in P10 on the grid. Bittar qualified the #59 car in P14, setting the stage for an intense race later in the day.
The race itself was packed with close battles and incidents. Kolovos made a strong start in the #44 car, working his way through the pack until some rear floor damages suffered earlier in the race caused him to slightly step back before handing over to Stefan. The duo fought hard throughout the race, navigating safety cars and on-track incidents, eventually crossing the finish line in P12 despite having lost a good amount of rear downforce, a superb performance from both drivers in these conditions. Unfortunately, the #59 car had a more challenging race. After showing promising pace early on, an unfortunate spin of Oscar and a consequent contact with the barriers forced the car to retire before the checkered flag.
Team Virage now turns its focus to the final round of the season in Portimão, aiming to finish the Le Mans Cup season on a high.
