Provost: R-ace GP's first ELMS victory at the 4 Hours of Silverstone is "good news for the championship"

R-ace GP drivers during the post-race press conference (L-R: Fabien Michal, Pierre-Alexandre Provost and Hugo Schwarze) | Credit: Benjamin Crundwell

R-ace GP claimed a historic breakthrough on Sunday, overcoming torrential rain and fierce opposition to secure their maiden European Le Mans Series (ELMS) victory at the 4 Hours of Silverstone.

The French squad, campaigning the Duqueine D09, emerged victorious in a grueling LMP3 class battle against CLX Motorsport’s No.17 entry to seal the landmark win for both the team and the chassis.

The race was not a straightforward affair for the No.85 car. After qualifying second behind the championship-leading No.17, the trio of Fabien Michal, Pierre-Alexandre Provost and Hugo Schwarze needed to work hard to stay close within the taillights of the CLX's Ligier JS P325.

"We are very happy with the result [because] it is the first season for R-ace GP in ELMS, and this marks the first win for both the team and our line-up", Michal said. "The race started in clean weather, but after an hour, the track was wet, and we made the decision to change the tyres for Pierre."

For Provost, securing a victory at his favourite circuit holds profound personal significance, especially considering the Luxembourgish driver had to overcome his former squad, whom he campaigned for in last season's Le Mans Cup. The 20-year-old standout openly acknowledged the intensity and the focus required to subdue his previous team's hard-charging No.17 entry.

"It is very special to win at Silverstone. Honestly, I think it is my favourite track on the calendar, so I am really happy to win here," Provost rejoiced. "It is also good news for all of us in terms of the championship to stay in the battle. The suspense will remain until Portimão now.

"The race was really hard," he recounted. "Even with the strategy, we thought we would have a bit less rain during the two final stints with Hugo. We took some risks on the tyres and the pressure, and I tried to push a lot to catch the CLX car.

"It was really difficult because at the beginning of my stint, I didn't have a lot of grip. At the end, when it started raining again, it was not good news for us. We just had to survive, and it was quite a tricky condition for us."

The tricky wet conditions that the No.85 drivers had to face during the race | Credit: Hallam Voice

Schwarze had similar issues with Provost during the race. But at that point, the No.85 car was holding a steady gap of 26 seconds in front of the second-placed car. The focus was on finishing the job and bringing the car home.

When the track dried slightly in the final stints, the German driver was able to put the hammer down and pull away. "That was the moment I could really push them to their limit, which allowed me to maintain and even extend our lead," Schwarze explained, celebrating the massive gap at the finish line. "I am just over the moon to bring it home."

With the championship gap narrowed to just nine points heading into the season finale in Portugal, the Cologne-born driver remains unfazed by the high stakes: "We don't mind the conditions. We are happy with any weather. We just have to give it our all and fight for the championship."