The 2026 European Le Mans Series (ELMS) will conclude with a maximum 47-car field at the 4 Hours of Portimão, with all four class championships still undecided heading into the final round.
A total of 140 drivers representing 30 teams and 29 nationalities will compete at the Autódromo Internacional do Algarve on Saturday 10 October. The field features 11 LMP2 entries, 12 LMP2 Pro/Am cars, 10 LMP3 entries and 14 LMGT3 competitors.
The finale follows a rain-affected Silverstone round that reshaped each championship battle. United Autosports took sole control of LMP2, AF Corse moved ahead in LMP2 Pro/Am, CLX Motorsport retained its LMP3 advantage and Team Qatar by Iron Lynx emerged with the LMGT3 lead. However, none secured their respective titles, leaving four championships and several automatic 24 Hours of Le Mans invitations to be decided in Portugal.
United Autosports takes 13-point LMP2 lead to Portimão
United Autosports enters the finale in the strongest position in the outright LMP2 championship. Grégoire Saucy, Griffin Peebles and Ben Hanley hold 85 points in the No. 22 Oreca 07-Gibson, giving them a 13-point advantage over reigning champions Forestier Racing by Panis.
Louis Rousset, Esteban Masson and Oliver Gray remain the only drivers capable of denying the United Autosports trio the championship. With 26 points available across qualifying and the race, the No. 29 crew must overturn its deficit during the final weekend.
United Autosports has already secured one of the two automatic invitations to the 2027 24 Hours of Le Mans. However, the battle for the second invitation remains open.
Forestier Racing by Panis currently holds the advantage and can secure the invitation by finishing fifth or higher. Nevertheless, Silverstone winners Algarve Pro Racing remain in contention with Matthias Kaiser and Jake Hughes.
Alex Lynn will join them in the No. 25 Oreca for the finale, replacing Ben Barnicoat after the latter helped APR win the rain-hit Silverstone race. The Portuguese team sits third in the standings on 54 points and will compete on home soil.
IDEC Sport’s No. 18 crew and the No. 34 Inter Europol Competition entry also remain in contention for the second Le Mans invitation, although neither can win the ELMS title.
Meanwhile, Pipo Derani will replace Jack Aitken in the No. 24 Nielsen Racing Oreca alongside Ed Pearson and Roy Nissany.
Eight crews remain in LMP2 Pro/Am contention
LMP2 Pro/Am provides the most open championship battle entering Portimão, with eight crews retaining a mathematical opportunity to secure the title.
Only six points separate the leading four entries after Silverstone. AF Corse occupies first place with 67 points as François Perrodo and Matthieu Vaxivière pursue their third class championship in four seasons alongside Antonio Fuoco.
However, their advantage remains narrow. TDS Racing moved into second with 62 points after Steven Thomas, Sami Meguetounif and Scott Huffaker II completed a perfect Silverstone weekend and collected 26 points.
Algarve Pro Racing follows just one point behind on 61. Michael Jensen, Enzo Trulli and Malthe Jakobsen will therefore enter their team’s home round with a realistic opportunity to finish the season at the top of the standings.
The No. 30 Duqueine Team crew of Giorgio Roda, Richard Verschoor and Doriane Pin also sits on 61 points, creating a tie for third heading into the title decider.
Vector Sport remains within range on 53 points, while Rossa Racing by Virage follows with 51. Defending champions AO by TF sit on 45 points and must win to retain any chance of successfully defending their crown.
United Autosports’ No. 21 crew also remains mathematically alive on 44 points after finishing second in class at Silverstone.
Elsewhere, Tristan Vautier will return to Algarve Pro Racing’s wider ELMS paddock competition by joining Jean Glorieux and Marlon Hernandez in DKR Engineering’s No. 3 Oreca. Vautier replaces Maceo Capietto for the finale.
CLX Motorsport holds advantage in three-way LMP3 battle
Three teams can still secure the LMP3 championship, although CLX Motorsport enters Portimão with the clearest advantage.
Paul Lanchère, Alexander Jacoby and Louis Iglesias have helped the No. 17 Ligier JS P325-Toyota accumulate 84 points. Wins at Imola and Spa-Francorchamps, followed by second at Silverstone, leave CLX nine points clear of its nearest rival.
However, R-ace GP significantly reduced that advantage at Silverstone. Fabien Michal, Pierre-Alexandre Provost and Hugo Schwarze claimed their first victory of the season in Britain and now head to Portugal with 75 points.
Rinaldi Racing also retains a mathematical chance. José Fernandes Cautela, Alvise Rodella and Mikkel Gaarde Pedersen sit 25 points behind CLX Motorsport on 59, meaning they require victory and problems for both championship rivals.
The finale will also feature a notable ELMS debut. Oskar Kristensen, nephew of nine-time 24 Hours of Le Mans winner Tom Kristensen, joins Lenny Ried and Ralph Meichtry in the No. 31 Racing Spirit of Léman Ligier.
Reigning Michelin Le Mans Cup LMP3 Pro/Am champion Gillian Henrion will also join the field, replacing Wyatt Brichacek in DKR Engineering’s No. 4 Ligier.
Six LMGT3 entries retain championship hopes
LMGT3 arrives at Portimão with six entries still capable of taking the championship.
Team Qatar by Iron Lynx moved into the lead following its breakthrough victory at Silverstone. Abdulla Ali Al-Khelaifi and Julien Hanses sit on 73 points and will once again share the No. 62 Mercedes-AMG GT3 Evo with Ralf Aron.
However, defending champion TF Sport sits only three points behind. Alec Udell, Blake McDonald and Charlie Eastwood have accumulated 70 points in the No. 33 Corvette Z06 LMGT3.R, meaning victory at Portimão would guarantee them the championship.
Both Proton Competition Porsche entries also remain firmly involved. The No. 77 crew sits third on 62 points, while the No. 75 Porsche follows just one point behind.
Kessel Racing’s No. 57 Ferrari 296 LMGT3 enters the finale 21 points away from the championship lead, while GR Racing sits 23 points behind. Both therefore need victory alongside favourable results elsewhere to claim the title.
Racing Spirit of Léman will also return to its original driver line-up. Clément Mateu rejoins Valentin Hasse-Clot and Marius Fossard in the No. 59 Aston Martin Vantage GT3 Evo following changes during the previous two rounds.
Four championships reach final showdown in Portugal
The Portimão finale will conclude a season in which every championship battle has survived until the sixth and final round.
United Autosports carries the largest outright advantage with its 13-point LMP2 lead, although Forestier Racing by Panis remains capable of defending its crown. In contrast, the LMP2 Pro/Am battle leaves eight crews mathematically alive and only six points separating the leading four.
CLX Motorsport holds a nine-point cushion over R-ace GP in LMP3, while Team Qatar by Iron Lynx and TF Sport enter the LMGT3 decider separated by only three points.
Several teams will also compete for automatic invitations to the 2027 24 Hours of Le Mans, adding another layer to the championship battles.
With 47 cars and 140 drivers heading to the Algarve, the 4 Hours of Portimão will bring the 2026 ELMS season to a close on Saturday 10 October with every class title still on the line.
