With just two races remaining on the 2018 Michelin Le Mans Cup calendar some or all of the four titles could be decide following two hour encounter this weekend at Spa-Francorchamps on Saturday 22 September. There are just a maximum of 52 points still available from the two races in Belgium and Portugal.
LMP3
In LMP3 the title race is led by the no3 DKR Engineering Norma-Nissan of Dutch driver Léonard Hoogenboom and German Jens Petersen who currently have a very comfortable 46.5 point advantage over the no79 Ecurie Ecosse / Nielsen Ligier-Nissan of Scottish duo Colin Noble and Alasdair McCaig. To be declared champions the no3 Norma needs to be at least 26 points ahead of their rivals thanks in part to the three wins in 2018 compared no first places for the no79 Ligier.
Hoogenboom and Petersen need to finish 7th or higher in the race to be declared champions, even if the Noble and McCaig take maximum points. If the no79 Ligier doesn’t take pole but wins the race, the no8 Norma still needs to finish in 7th or better to be declared 2019 champions.
GT3
In GT3 things are a little tighter with 21 points separating the leading no8 Kessel Racing Ferrari 488 of Giacomo Piccini and Sergio Pianezzola on 86 points and the no51 Spirit of Race Ferrari of Christoph Ulrich and Maurizio Mediani on 65 points, with the no71 AF Corse F488 on 60 points.
The no8 Ferrari needs to finish ahead of the two rival cars and be at least 26 points ahead. With three wins in 2018 to one each for the no51 and no71 F488s, a win for the two chasing Ferraris means the title chase will go down to the last round in Portugal.
Victory in Belgium for Piccini and Pianezzola will be enough for the Italian duo to clinch the 2018 driver and team titles and that coveted invitation to the 2019 24 Hours of Le Mans.
Round 5 of the Michelin Le Mans Cup is at Spa-Francorchamps with qualifying taking place at 11h35 on Saturday 22 September followed by the two hour race at 15h50.
