Vector Sport reinstated in 2026 ELMS Imola results after successful appeal

Vector Sport’s #10 Oreca-Gibson has been reinstated in the provisional results of the 2026 European Le Mans Series (ELMS) 4 Hours of Imola after the FFSA National Court of Appeal overturned its post-race disqualification.

The #10 shared by Ryan Cullen, Vladislav Lomko and Pietro Fittipaldi now holds 12th overall and sixth in LMP2 after the Court replaced the disqualification with a five-place classification penalty. The amended result remains provisional and subject to further appeal under the FIA International Sporting Code.

Vector Sport had initially crossed the finish line fifth before other penalties affected its position. Stewards then excluded the car entirely after Fittipaldi entered the pit lane rather than proceeding directly to the designated Parc Fermé after taking the chequered flag.

Stewards disqualify #10 after Parc Fermé infringement

The original decision came several hours after the 4 Hours of Imola on 5 July.

Race Director evidence and circuit CCTV showed Fittipaldi entering the pit lane after receiving the end-of-race signal instead of following the required route to the Parc Fermé area on the main straight. He stopped near the first pit box after recognising the mistake.

Article 15.1.1 of the 2026 ELMS Sporting Regulations requires cars to proceed directly to Parc Fermé after the chequered flag, without stopping or receiving assistance except where marshals provide it when necessary.

During the original hearing, Vector Sport acknowledged that Fittipaldi had taken the wrong route. The team told the stewards that it instructed him not to reverse back out of the pit lane, but did not subsequently contact Race Control, the Technical Delegate or another official for instructions.

The stewards found no mitigating circumstances and disqualified the #10 from the race. Every car previously classified behind it consequently moved up one position.

Vector Sport takes decision to FFSA Court of Appeal

Vector Sport notified officials of its intention to appeal only minutes after the disqualification became official and subsequently brought the case before the FFSA National Court of Appeal.

The Court heard the case in Paris on 24 July. Vector Sport argued, among other points, that Fittipaldi had suffered from dehydration and disorientation after the race in particularly hot conditions and had mistakenly entered the pit lane. The team also argued that no attempt had been made to alter the car or gain a sporting advantage.

However, the Court did not clear Vector Sport of the underlying infringement.

It concluded that the #10 had neither entered the prescribed Parc Fermé area nor followed the route stipulated in the Race Director’s briefing. It also stressed that competitors cannot determine for themselves whether another location should effectively count as Parc Fermé.

The Court therefore upheld that a breach of Article 15.1.1 had occurred, even without fraudulent intent.

Court finds disqualification disproportionate

Where the FFSA National Court differed from the stewards was over the severity of the punishment.

The Court noted that disqualification represents the maximum possible sanction under Article 15.1.1 rather than an automatic penalty for every infringement. It also found no evidence that Vector Sport deliberately attempted to commit fraud, alter the car or allow a prohibited intervention while it sat in the pit lane.

It additionally considered the circumstances surrounding the incident, including the hot weather that could have affected Fittipaldi.

On that basis, the Court described disqualification as disproportionate. It annulled that part of Decision No. 56 and instead imposed a five-place drop in the final classification. Vector Sport will also receive its appeal deposit back.

Vector Sport returns to points-scoring LMP2 position

The amended classification consequently returns Cullen, Lomko and Fittipaldi to the result.

The #10 now sits 12th overall and sixth among the LMP2 entries. Its reinstatement places the car behind the #47 CLX Motorsport LMP2 Pro/Am entry overall and ahead of the #30 Duqueine Team car.

Within LMP2 specifically, Forestier Racing by Panis retains victory with Louis Rousset, Oliver Gray and Esteban Masson. United Autosports remains second ahead of Algarve Pro Racing and IDEC Sport, while Nielsen Racing sits fifth and Vector Sport returns in sixth.

The amended document also retains a separate five-second time penalty for the #10 under Stewards Decision No. 48 before applying the five-place classification drop resulting from the appeal.

Amended provisional 2026 ELMS 4 Hours of Imola classification

1. #29 Forestier Racing by Panis — LMP2 — 126 laps — 4:00:05.880
2. #22 United Autosports — LMP2 — 126 laps — +51.594s
3. #25 Algarve Pro Racing — LMP2 — 126 laps — +59.006s
4. #18 IDEC Sport — LMP2 — 126 laps — +1:04.572
5. #7 Vector Sport — LMP2 Pro/Am — 126 laps — +1:10.028
6. #20 Algarve Pro Racing — LMP2 Pro/Am — 126 laps — +1:14.131
7. #21 United Autosports — LMP2 Pro/Am — 126 laps — +1:15.555
8. #24 Nielsen Racing — LMP2 — 126 laps — +1:16.962
9. #19 Rossa Racing by Virage — LMP2 Pro/Am — 126 laps — +1:22.315
10. #83 AF Corse — LMP2 Pro/Am — 126 laps — +1:23.752
11. #47 CLX Motorsport — LMP2 Pro/Am — 126 laps — +1:27.745
12. #10 Vector Sport — LMP2 — 126 laps — +1:14.881*
13. #30 Duqueine Team — LMP2 Pro/Am — 126 laps — +1:28.529
14. #34 Inter Europol Competition — LMP2 — 125 laps — 1 lap
15. #9 Proton Competition — LMP2 — 125 laps — 1 lap
16. #3 DKR Engineering — LMP2 Pro/Am — 125 laps — 1 lap
17. #99 AO by TF — LMP2 Pro/Am — 125 laps — 1 lap
18. #37 CLX Motorsport — LMP2 — 125 laps — 1 lap
19. #43 Inter Europol Competition — LMP2 — 125 laps — 1 lap
20. #88 Proton Competition — LMP2 Pro/Am — 124 laps — 2 laps
21. #27 Nielsen Racing — LMP2 Pro/Am — 121 laps — 5 laps
22. #28 IDEC Sport — LMP2 — 121 laps — 5 laps
23. #17 CLX Motorsport — LMP3 — 119 laps — 7 laps
24. #33 TF Sport — LMGT3 — 119 laps — 7 laps
25. #62 Team Qatar by Iron Lynx — LMGT3 — 119 laps — 7 laps
26. #5 Rinaldi Racing — LMP3 — 119 laps — 7 laps
27. #8 Team Virage — LMP3 — 119 laps — 7 laps
28. #77 Proton Competition — LMGT3 — 119 laps — 7 laps
29. #75 Proton Competition — LMGT3 — 119 laps — 7 laps
30. #11 Eurointernational — LMP3 — 119 laps — 7 laps
31. #4 DKR Engineering — LMP3 — 119 laps — 7 laps
32. #54 High Class Racing — LMGT3 — 119 laps — 7 laps
33. #31 Racing Spirit of Léman — LMP3 — 119 laps — 7 laps
34. #51 AF Corse — LMGT3 — 119 laps — 7 laps
35. #86 GR Racing — LMGT3 — 119 laps — 7 laps
36. #50 Richard Mille AF Corse — LMGT3 — 118 laps — 8 laps
37. #35 Ultimate — LMP3 — 118 laps — 8 laps
38. #55 Spirit of Race — LMGT3 — 118 laps — 8 laps
39. #74 Kessel Racing — LMGT3 — 118 laps — 8 laps
40. #85 R-ace GP — LMP3 — 118 laps — 8 laps
41. #68 M Racing — LMP3 — 118 laps — 8 laps
42. #57 Kessel Racing — LMGT3 — 117 laps — 9 laps
43. #13 Inter Europol Competition — LMP3 — 109 laps — 17 laps

Not classified:
#23 United Autosports — LMGT3 — 70 laps
#14 TDS Racing — LMP2 Pro/Am — 55 laps
#63 Iron Lynx — LMGT3 — 51 laps
#59 Racing Spirit of Léman — LMGT3 — 51 laps

*The #10 Vector Sport entry carries the five-place classification penalty imposed by the FFSA National Court of Appeal. Its listed elapsed time therefore does not correspond with its final position.

Amended provisional LMP2 classification

1. #29 Forestier Racing by Panis — 126 laps
2. #22 United Autosports — 126 laps
3. #25 Algarve Pro Racing — 126 laps
4. #18 IDEC Sport — 126 laps
5. #24 Nielsen Racing — 126 laps
6. #10 Vector Sport — 126 laps*
7. #34 Inter Europol Competition — 125 laps
8. #9 Proton Competition — 125 laps
9. #37 CLX Motorsport — 125 laps
10. #43 Inter Europol Competition — 125 laps
11. #28 IDEC Sport — 121 laps

*Five-place classification penalty following the FFSA National Court of Appeal decision.

The revised classification remains provisional, with the official document explicitly noting that it remains subject to an appeal under the International Sporting Code.