The 2026 European Le Mans Series (ELMS) will reach its conclusion at Portimão on Saturday, with United Autosports and Forestier Racing by Panis going head-to-head for the overall LMP2 championship.
Ben Hanley, Griffin Peebles and Grégoire Saucy arrive at the Autódromo Internacional do Algarve with a 13-point advantage following another podium at Silverstone. Only reigning champions Esteban Masson, Oliver Gray and Louis Rousset can deny the #22 United Autosports crew the title, while three other teams remain involved in the fight to finish second and claim the remaining automatic invitation to the 2027 24 Hours of Le Mans.
The championship picture changed significantly during the rain-affected penultimate round at Silverstone. United Autosports finished third in LMP2 while Forestier Racing by Panis could only manage ninth, breaking the tie that had existed between the two teams before the British round and giving the #22 crew a sizeable advantage heading into the finale.
United Autosports takes 13-point advantage to Portimão
Importantly, United Autosports heads into Round 6 with 85 points after building its championship challenge around consistency throughout the season. Hanley, Peebles and Saucy have finished on the podium four times in five races, with their sole victory coming at Le Castellet.
The #22 crew opened its campaign with a podium in Barcelona before its Le Castellet victory moved it into the championship lead. Further podiums followed at Imola and Silverstone, while fourth place at Spa-Francorchamps ensured the team has scored strongly at every round.
Silverstone arguably provided one of the most important performances of the season. Difficult conditions briefly dropped the car towards the rear of the LMP2 field, but the trio recovered to third and extended its championship advantage when Forestier Racing by Panis struggled.
Hanley believes that consistency has ultimately put United Autosports in control heading into the final four hours of the season.
“Consistency is always key when going for a championship. Obviously winning in Le Castellet is a highlight, but Silverstone was just as satisfying. With the race being in tricky conditions and at one point being towards the back of the LMP2 group coming back through to P3 was a very nice result. It goes back to the ‘consistency is key’ point.”
The #22 crew now controls its own destiny. A third-place finish or better at Portimão will guarantee the championship regardless of what happens elsewhere.
Forestier Racing by Panis remains only title challenger
Forestier Racing by Panis enters the finale on 72 points and must overturn its 13-point deficit to successfully defend the ELMS title.
Masson, Gray and Rousset have claimed more victories than their United Autosports rivals, winning at Barcelona and Imola. Their campaign has nevertheless included more costly weekends, most notably a technical retirement at Le Castellet and ninth place at Silverstone.
The reigning champions had entered the Silverstone weekend level with United Autosports on 70 points, holding the championship lead on countback because of their two victories. Scoring only two points in Britain transformed that position and leaves the #29 crew needing a significant swing at Portimão.
Masson nevertheless believes reaching the finale with a chance of defending the title represents an achievement after the setbacks the team has encountered.
“Indeed, it was a hard four-hour race in Silverstone for our No. 29 car. However, we’re one of the teams still in contention for the title, so we can be proud of that, especially when considering we had an unfortunate DNF in Paul Ricard due to a technical issue.”
Rather than concentrating on the permutations, Masson wants the crew to maximise its own performance across the final weekend.
“I think the main goal in Portimão will be to be faultless and have the best weekend we can. The clear target is to gather as many points as possible, and we’ll see where that puts us after the four hours of racing we have left.”
United Autosports not changing approach for title decider
Despite carrying the advantage, United Autosports does not intend to adopt a conservative strategy simply to protect its championship lead.
Hanley believes the clearest route to the title remains approaching Portimão in the same way as every other round and targeting victory rather than monitoring Forestier Racing by Panis throughout the race.
“From a driver’s point of view, we still just need to focus on ourselves and approach the weekend with the aim to win. If we do that, we don’t need to think about the other results.”
Securing the title would also complete a significant turnaround for United Autosports after a difficult previous ELMS campaign.
“It would mean a lot. As a group we had a tricky season last year in the ELMS, so it would be a great reward for everyone’s hard work to get back into the championship fight this year.”
Forestier Racing by Panis, meanwhile, has the opportunity to retain the title after Masson and Gray formed part of its championship-winning line-up in 2025. Masson believes claiming consecutive crowns alongside Gray, while adding Rousset to this season’s success, would carry particular significance.
“To win the title back-to-back would obviously be an amazing accomplishment for my whole team and myself. I’m really looking forward to being on track with my teammates Louis Rousset and Ollie Gray. To do the double with Ollie, with whom I shared the car last year, would be great too.”
Second Le Mans invitation remains undecided
United Autosports has already secured one of the two automatic invitations to the 2027 24 Hours of Le Mans available through the overall LMP2 standings. However, the battle for the second remains open between four teams.
Forestier Racing by Panis occupies the strongest position and can guarantee the invitation by finishing fifth or higher. The French team nevertheless faces pressure from Algarve Pro Racing, IDEC Sport and Inter Europol Competition if it suffers another difficult weekend.
Algarve Pro Racing sits third on 54 points, 18 behind the #29 crew, after Jake Hughes, Matthias Kaiser and Ben Barnicoat won at Silverstone. That breakthrough result lifted the Portuguese team into contention at exactly the right moment as it heads to its home race.
IDEC Sport follows on 52 points, while the #34 Inter Europol Competition entry sits another point behind on 51. The standings after Silverstone therefore leave just three points covering the three teams trying to capitalise should Forestier Racing by Panis fail to secure second overall.
The situation adds another dimension to the title battle. Forestier Racing by Panis must attack if it wants to overcome United Autosports, but it also needs to protect the championship position that currently carries the second Le Mans invitation.
Portimão to decide 2026 ELMS champion
The 4 Hours of Portimão will bring the six-round ELMS campaign to an end on Saturday 10 October, with all four championship titles still to be decided.
In LMP2, however, the equation has narrowed to two teams. United Autosports arrives with the points advantage, four podiums from five races and a guaranteed Le Mans invitation, while Forestier Racing by Panis brings two victories and the experience of winning last year’s championship.
United Autosports only needs another podium to remove any uncertainty, but Forestier Racing by Panis has already demonstrated enough outright pace to keep the pressure on if the #22 encounters trouble.
Behind them, Algarve Pro Racing, IDEC Sport and Inter Europol Competition have their own opportunity to transform the season finale by securing second in the standings and the accompanying trip to Le Mans. With 26 points still available across qualifying and the race, the final four hours of 2026 will determine not only the ELMS champion but also which two teams earn coveted invitations to the 2027 24 Hours of Le Mans.
