François Perrodo admits he did not expect AF Corse to lead the 2026 European Le Mans Series (ELMS) LMP2 Pro/Am Championship heading into the season-ending 4 Hours of Portimão.
The 2023 and 2024 class champions have accumulated 67 points through the opening five rounds, placing Perrodo, Matthieu Vaxivière and Antonio Fuoco five clear of TDS Racing’s Steven Thomas, Scott Huffaker and Sami Meguetounif. However, only six points cover the leading four crews, leaving the championship finely balanced before the 2026 season concludes at Portimão.
AF Corse has reached the top despite an inconsistent campaign. The No. 83 Oreca has only two podiums, including its victory at Spa-Francorchamps, but rivals have also encountered difficult weekends. That became particularly important at Silverstone, where AF Corse finished seventh while previous joint leader Algarve Pro Racing failed to score.
Perrodo surprised to lead after ‘up and down’ campaign
AF Corse entered Silverstone level with Algarve Pro Racing on 61 points after Perrodo, Vaxivière and Fuoco had won the LMP2 Pro/Am class at Spa-Francorchamps.
Neither championship leader enjoyed a straightforward British round. AF Corse struggled to capitalise during a rain-affected race, while Algarve Pro Racing endured an even more costly afternoon and left Silverstone without adding to its total. The result moved the No. 83 crew into sole possession of the championship lead despite finishing outside the podium positions.
Perrodo admitted the situation had surprised him given how frequently the order has changed during the season.
“I did not expect to be leading the championship,” he admitted. “I mean, I was hoping to be leading the championship, but we certainly did not expect it because, as you said, it’s truly been up and down the whole season. We finished P7 in Silverstone, with a disappointing end of the race, with some tricky tyres to manage. Anyway, it just wasn’t our race, although at one stage it was looking really good.
“But then our direct competitor, which is car 20, also had some issues, and they fell even further down. So, this completely redistributed the cards and now there are four cars within six points now going into Portimão. We’re in the lead, so we can’t complain, but knowing the level of the championship it is going to be an interesting weekend.”
The standings after Silverstone leave AF Corse on 67 points, followed by TDS Racing on 62. Algarve Pro Racing and Duqueine Team are tied on 61, meaning only six points separate first from fourth.
TDS Racing closes to five points after Silverstone victory
TDS Racing arrives as AF Corse’s nearest challenger after producing its strongest weekend of the season at Silverstone.
Thomas took the LMP2 Pro/Am pole position before Meguetounif and Huffaker helped convert that starting position into victory. Huffaker eventually brought the No. 14 Oreca home second overall and first in class, making TDS Racing the fifth different Pro/Am winner in five races. The maximum 26-point haul lifted the crew from sixth in the championship to second. TDS Racing’s Silverstone victory therefore transformed it into AF Corse’s closest challenger.
Victory for either AF Corse or TDS Racing at Portimão would guarantee the championship and the associated automatic invitation to the 2027 24 Hours of Le Mans.
Despite that opportunity, Meguetounif says TDS Racing does not intend to alter its approach.
“We will go to Portimão going for the win because we want those trophies,” said Meguetounif. “I think we deserve more as we only have one trophy so far, so we will go and try and get another one. If that result leads us to win the championship, then of course it will be a big plus.
“We will change nothing, the team is really working well with us, giving us a good car every weekend. We will work with Steven, giving him the best advice, trying to prepare him for a good qualifying, like he did in Silverstone, and maximise our chances.”
Four crews covered by six points
AF Corse and TDS Racing hold the strongest positions, but neither can focus solely on the other.
Algarve Pro Racing sits third on 61 points with Michael Jensen, Malthe Jakobsen and Enzo Trulli. The team will also compete at its home circuit and already has a victory from the opening round at Barcelona.
Duqueine Team enters level with Algarve Pro Racing on 61. Giorgio Roda, Richard Verschoor and Doriane Pin have yet to win in 2026, but their consistency keeps them only six points from the championship lead.
Vector Sport also remains mathematically involved on 53 points, with Cem Bölükbaşı, Jens Reno Møller and Lorenzo Fluxá 14 behind AF Corse after winning at Imola. Rossa Racing by Virage follows on 51, while reigning champion AO by TF retains an outside chance on 45. United Autosports also remains mathematically alive with 44 points.
With 25 points available for victory and another point for pole, eight entries can still mathematically claim the LMP2 Pro/Am championship.
Perrodo expects tough challenge at Portimão
AF Corse may lead the standings, but Perrodo does not consider Portimão one of the team’s strongest circuits.
The Autódromo Internacional do Algarve features 16 corners and significant elevation changes, creating one of the most technically demanding challenges on the ELMS calendar. Perrodo particularly enjoys the commitment required through the opening and final corners, although he expects Algarve Pro Racing and TDS Racing to provide formidable opposition.
He said, “I think Portimão is a nice track. I like the elevation changes and there are a couple of really cool fast corners. I love T1 and the last corner; these two corners are really mega; it’s very technical.
He continued, “I think personally, from AF’s point of view, it’s not our best track. Even though we’ve won there a few times, it’s one of those tracks where we’ve never really managed to match the top teams. For APR it’s their home race, so they usually have a super nice car there, and there’s TDS. So, it’ll be challenging for sure.”
AF Corse nevertheless enters Portugal with the advantage. Perrodo and Vaxivière already know how to close out the LMP2 Pro/Am Championship after winning together in 2023 and 2024, while Fuoco has added another major element to the No. 83 line-up this season.
Their path to another title remains far from straightforward. TDS Racing arrives with momentum from Silverstone, Algarve Pro Racing heads to its home circuit only six points back and Duqueine Team sits level with the Portuguese squad.
The 4 Hours of Portimão will decide the championship on 10 October, with AF Corse carrying a five-point advantage into a finale where the leading four crews remain separated by only six.
