RLR MSport struck out of Silverstone podium push after unlocking game-changing pace

RLR MSport unlocked game-changing pace and stability from its Ligier JS P325 LMP3 prototype, which fought for pole position and had podium potential until it was involved in a multi-car crash midway through the 2025 European Le Mans Series (ELMS) 4 Hours of Silverstone (12-14 September).

The team’s Bronze-rated drivers, Michael Jensen and Nick Adcock, initially struggled to get a handle on an edgy rear-end in testing, but RLR MSport delivered a more stable platform that was unanimously hailed as the best car they have had all season.

Runner-up and less than a tenth off the pace in Free Practice 1, sixth in Bronze Collective Testing and third in FP2, RLR MSport showed well throughout the build-up to the ELMS’s Silverstone round.

Rapid rookie Gillian Henrion made an instant impression in Qualifying; pole position changed hands several times and the margins were tiny in the closing stages of the 15-minute session, Henrion holding P1 by just three thousandths of a second with two minutes to go but getting pipped at the very last.

It was an impeccable performance in tricky conditions to net a front row start for the 4 Hours of Silverstone, but rain was sure to play a role in the race and weather warnings prompted organisers to move the start-time forward by an hour in an attempt to avoid the worst of the conditions.

On Sunday, Jensen held position as the field streamed through Copse corner but was fifth in the queue when a Virtual Safety Car (VSC) was implemented and RLR MSport chose to burn one of two regulation timed pit stops.

Eighth at the resumption of green flag racing, Jensen recorded personal best lap times and kept the gap to the ninth-placed #35 Ultimate relatively stable while managing LMP2 and LMGT3 traffic.

A red flag stoppage brought RLR MSport and Jensen closer to the class leaders and the team appeared to be in good shape at the first driver-change.

However, two LMP2 cars treated the #15 Ligier as a pinball on the Hanger Straight during Adcock’s out-lap, the contact causing debilitating rear-end and steering damage that necessitated a repair stop.

The incident caused a second red flag and RLR MSport’s mechanics were frustrated by parc ferme rules that prevented them starting work until the ELMS field got rolling.

Replacement parts were readied and the team leapt into action as soon as the Safety Car restart procedure commenced, and the mended prototype returned to the racetrack in super-quick time, albeit with a six-lap deficit to the main pack.

As predicted, conditions deteriorated after halftime, but there were no further LMP3 casualties and RLR MSport languished in a lonely ninth place until Race Control called time on the red flag-extended 4 Hours of Silverstone with only eight minutes on the clock.

“RLR MSport did a fantastic job to get the car back out on-track after the crash, but we were six laps down and there was very little that could be done to improve on ninth place,” said Jensen. “We’re wondering what could have been because Gillian (Henrion) was super-quick in his race stint and we have had pace all week, the car performing better than it has all season. A podium was achievable, so we look forward to the next race in Portimao”

Adcock said: “I’m very disappointed. I had only just left the pits on the lap that I had the incident with two LMP2s; I had a car on both sides, the one to my right coming off the grass and colliding with me, sending me into the other prototype on the left. The steering was at 90 degrees and we also had damage at the rear, but all credit to RLR MSport’s mechanics for giving us a car we could race in no time at all. It wasn’t perfect, but we had pace. There’s no doubt that we had a top three car today.”

Henrion said: “We improved the car a lot and had the pace to fight for pole position this week at Silverstone, which bodes well for the final round in Portimao. I hope it continues in this way. Unfortunately, one LMP2 pushed our car into another during Nick’s stint. The repair needed a lot of time and RLR MSport did a great job to get us back into the race really quickly. The steering wasn’t quite right but we still ran at a strong pace, so it looks great for Portimao.”