At the end of a dramatic 4 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps, the Russian flagged G-Drive Racing team secured enough points to have an unassailable 33.25 point lead over their nearest rivals with only 26 points available at the final round of the 2018 European Le Mans Series in Portugal next month.
Drivers Roman Rusinov and Andrea Pizzitola have 88.25 points, with their teammate Jean-Eric Vergne, who is on 76.25 points after missing the opening round of the championship at Le Castellet, as the only driver that can catch the champions elect. Which will be impossible for Vergne to do if the trio compete together in Portimão.
A G-Drive Racing liveried car has won the ELMS title for the past three years, with JOTA running the 2016 winning car, Dragonspeed peparing the 2017 championship winning Oreca and TDS Racing the 2018 car.
Roman Rusinov adds the 2018 ELMS title to the FIA World Endurance Championship LMP2 title he won in 2015, also with G-Drive Racing. Andrea Pizzitola can celebrate his first major endurance racing title.
Having won three of the five races in the 2018 ELMS, G-Drive Racing are worthy champions, and they will be wanting to end the season n Portugal with a fourth victory.
Roman Rusinov
“I think I enjoy winning races rather than championships, so I am a little disappointed because today I would’ve liked to have fought a little bit more. But at the end of the day I am more than happy because the Race Director took the right decision to stop the race as it was quite dangerous.
“We won the championship, perhaps not exactly the way we would’ve liked but we’ve achieved some great results through the whole season and the hard work pays. I am happy for G-Drive and I am happy for my teammate Andrea. It’s just a shame for Jean-Eric who is not here with us but we couldn’t have done this without him.”
Andrea Pizzitola
“I am so happy. It has been difficult for me for the past few years learning LMP2; I’ve learnt a lot of things but I’ve never had the opportunity to show my potential. This year G-Drive Racing and TDS gave me this opportunity, so I am very thankful for that. I feel very lucky to be in such a great team, very professional, and we had the best car to fight for the title. So I am very happy for the team and myself today.”
The final race of the 2018 season will be the 4 Hours of Portimão on Sunday 28 October.
Drivers Roman Rusinov and Andrea Pizzitola have 88.25 points, with their teammate Jean-Eric Vergne, who is on 76.25 points after missing the opening round of the championship at Le Castellet, as the only driver that can catch the champions elect. Which will be impossible for Vergne to do if the trio compete together in Portimão.
A G-Drive Racing liveried car has won the ELMS title for the past three years, with JOTA running the 2016 winning car, Dragonspeed peparing the 2017 championship winning Oreca and TDS Racing the 2018 car.
Roman Rusinov adds the 2018 ELMS title to the FIA World Endurance Championship LMP2 title he won in 2015, also with G-Drive Racing. Andrea Pizzitola can celebrate his first major endurance racing title.
Having won three of the five races in the 2018 ELMS, G-Drive Racing are worthy champions, and they will be wanting to end the season n Portugal with a fourth victory.
Roman Rusinov
“I think I enjoy winning races rather than championships, so I am a little disappointed because today I would’ve liked to have fought a little bit more. But at the end of the day I am more than happy because the Race Director took the right decision to stop the race as it was quite dangerous.
“We won the championship, perhaps not exactly the way we would’ve liked but we’ve achieved some great results through the whole season and the hard work pays. I am happy for G-Drive and I am happy for my teammate Andrea. It’s just a shame for Jean-Eric who is not here with us but we couldn’t have done this without him.”
Andrea Pizzitola
“I am so happy. It has been difficult for me for the past few years learning LMP2; I’ve learnt a lot of things but I’ve never had the opportunity to show my potential. This year G-Drive Racing and TDS gave me this opportunity, so I am very thankful for that. I feel very lucky to be in such a great team, very professional, and we had the best car to fight for the title. So I am very happy for the team and myself today.”
The final race of the 2018 season will be the 4 Hours of Portimão on Sunday 28 October.
