Vector Sport RLR rookies shine despite tough end to Road to Le Mans

The 2026 Michelin Le Mans Cup Road to Le Mans (10-12 June) ended in retirement for Vector Sport RLR, but the team’s rookie driver pairing of Geronimo Gomez Azza and Enea Frey impressed by achieving measurable racecraft and pace improvements.

Switzerland’s Frey – a current Formula Regional European Championship competitor – stepped in for multiple LMP3 Champion Colin Noble at the blue-riband Road to Le Mans event.

The 17-year-old’s innate speed was immediately evident because, while a red flag stoppage and consecutive slow zones meant unhindered qualifying laps were at a premium, the LMP3 debutant still swept to tenth on the grid (3m51.681s).

As the Road to Le Mans’ traditional dual-sprint format was replaced by a single three-hour enduro – the longest Le Mans Cup race in history – both Gomez Azza and Frey faced the lengthiest stints of their careers to date.

Vector Sport RLR selected Gomez Azza as its starting driver, and super-quick reactions to the lights enabled the Colombian to slip by no fewer than four opponents as the multi-class field barrelled towards the Dunlop Esses for the first time.

The opening tour of the 13.6km Circuit de la Sarthe wasn’t without drama, as the #15 Ligier JS P325 LMP3 skipped across the grass following a hair-raising kerb-strike at the Ford Chicane.

However, a Full Course Yellow (FCY) provided an opportunity for Gomez Azza to regroup for a big push towards the battle for third involving the #85 R-ace GP and #7 Nielsen Racing, which carried front-end damage.

On lap four, the #7 prototype locked up and opened the door to Gomez Azza at Mulsanne corner, but positions were reversed again when the Vector Sport RLR driver had a lock-up of his own at the next heavy braking zone for Arnage.

It was then that the race began to unravel; both the #8 BWT Muecke Motorsport and #4 Nielsen Racing got the better of Gomez Azza, and 39 seconds were given up while serving a drive-through penalty for a start procedure infringement.  

The time loss dropped Vector Sport RLR to 17th in class, but a points finish looked achievable after the team made gains in its first mandatory timed pit stop on lap ten, before a Safety Car put Gomez Azza within sight of the third-placed runner.

The Colombian teenager rose from 11th to sixth when a handful of teams bailed for pit lane at the restart, and he managed to keep pace with the #8 Muecke Motorsport car until he ceded to teammate Frey, who sadly beached the #15 Ligier in the Indianapolis gravel on his out-lap.

“The Michelin Le Mans Cup Road to Le Mans may not have ended in the way we hoped, but my first experience of Le Mans has still been absolutely incredible,” said Gomez Azza. “As Circuit de la Sarthe is 13.6km in length, it takes time to get accustomed to each of the sectors. It has been one of the highlights of my life, and I’ve learnt more than I could ever have expected.

“Reflecting on race week, qualifying was pretty good because we were close to netting a fifth-place start when a slow zone intruded on what would have been my fastest lap. We also had a strong race car and, while I earned a penalty for a start procedure infringement, the first lap was amazing. I gained five places and then kept pace with those around me, despite being affected by some damaged left-rear bodywork.”

Gomez Azza added: “I believe I did a pretty good job overall, but things like track limits breaches suggest I need to refine my consistency a bit. Nevertheless, I’ve made a big improvement from the previous Michelin Le Mans Cup round in Le Castellet, and the aim is to continue on an upward trajectory.”

Frey said: “My first experience of Le Mans has been great, and it’s really cool to be in among the professionalism of the FIA World Endurance Championship. Qualifying was not easy; setting a timed lap on Circuit de la Sarthe is quite difficult, and it’s my first time in an LMP3 car and my maiden Michelin Le Mans Cup race weekend. All in all, Vector Sport RLR was really on it, and the #15 Ligier JS P325 felt great.”