LMP3: Victory for United Autosports at End of Drama Filled Race at Monza

The fact there were so many caution periods meant the teams were forced to change strategies, some several times, which meant the final run to the flag had everyone wondering who would be standing on the top step of the Monza podium after the chequered flag was flown.

At the chequered flag it was the no22 United Autosports Ligier-Nissan driven by Gerald Kraut and Scott Andrews that took the win, to take the first Michelin Le Mans Cup victory for the Anglo-American team.

1. The race started with the no5 Phoenix Racing Ligier of Finn Gehrsitz starting from pole position, the 16-year-old keeping the lead at the start keeping the no11 WTM Powered by Phoenix Ligier of Thorsten Kratz behind him.
2. Kratz had his own problems as the no37 Cool Racing Ligier of Antoine Doquin and the no21 Muehlner Motorsport Duqueine of Freddie Hunt were challenging for the position.
3. Lap 3 saw the first Safety Car period after the no17 Idec Sport Ligier of Patrice Lafargue spun coming out of Ascari, hitting the barrier on the outside of the track and stopping in the middle of the circuit. The cars following had to try and avoid the stationary car but the no16 Team Virage Ligier of Matthias Luthen spun and hit the barriers hard, spearing across the track and collecting the no20 Grainmarket Racing Duqueine of Mark Crader. All of the drivers were OK but the SC period lasted 16 minutes to clear the cars and the debris.
4. At the restart the race saw the no5 Ligier pull out a lead once again as Gehrsitz pulled away as the no11 and no37 cars battled for 2^nd place and no21 Muehlner Motorsport and no12 Black Falcon cars battled for 4^th.
5. ·On lap 13 the no12 Black Falcon Ligier passed the no21 Duqueine of Freddie Hunt for 4^th spot.
6. On lap 16 Hunt dived down the inside of the no12 Ligier at T1, getting ahead but was unable to stop before hitting the no37 Cool Racing Ligier, a move he later received a drive through penalty.
7. Meanwhile the no30 Frikadelli Racing Team Ligier of Klaus Abbelen spun at T7 and rejoined but was going slowly towards the pitlane. The Ligier stopped at pit entry and the second Safety Car period was declared, which last 10 minutes.
8. The no5 and no11 cars pitted from 1^st and 2^nd, promoting the no37 Cool Racing into the lead.
9. The race had not long resumed when the no15 RLR M Sport Ligier of Mike Benham locked up on the entry to Parabolica and ended up beached in the gravel trap. This brought out a Full Course Yellow to recover the car, which lasted 4 minutes.
10. Another Safety Car period followed at the top of the hour when the no18 Muehlner Motorsport Duqueine stopped on the outside of T2 with a wheel at an angle.
11. Another 10-minute SC period followed which saw many of the competitor pit.