Gillian Henrion has certainly made waves in the ELMS paddock since the 21-year-old arrived in 2022.
The former French Karting Cadet Champion and French F4 race winner, switched from single seaters to endurance racing that year, taking the Ligier European Series by storm with Team Virage. Henrion took the JS P4 title with 11 victories from 12 starts, with only the first race in Spa-Francorchamps spoiling his perfect score when he finished second to Natan Bihel.
For the 2023 season he moved up to the Michelin Le Mans Cup, driving once again for Team Virage in the LMP3 category, with Team Principal Julien Gerbi joining the 20-year-old from Nantes. Two wins in Barcelona and Le Castellet, plus a second place in Aragon saw the pair clinch the LMP3 title by 4-points.
This season Henrion and Gerbi stepped up to the ELMS, competing in the LMP3 category with Portuguese driver Bernardo Pinheiro. The Team Virage crew scored two wins in Barcelona and Spa-Francorchamps and second place in Imola to head to the final race of the season in Portimão just two points off the leader and one of three contenders for the LMP3 title.
However, a 6th placed finish at the end of the 4 Hours of Portimão meant that the no8 Team Virage Ligier finished third in the championship, denying Gillian Henrion his third major title in a row. They finished the season on 90 points, 9-points behind the eventual winners, the no15 RLR MSport Ligier of Michael Jensen, Nick Adcock and Gael Julien.
But that is not the end of the 2024 story for Gillian Henrion. He was named the ELMS Rookie of the Year at the Awards Ceremony on Sunday night after the race in Portimão. Henrion will also be heading to Bahrain next month as one of the named drivers for the FIA World Endurance Championship Rookie Test after the WEC season finale, the 8 Hours of Bahrain.
