Ryba competed in the 2025/26 Asian Le Mans Series with 23Events Racing where he scored a win in Dubai alongside Terrence Woodward and Ibrahim Badawy, adding a further three podium finishes from the six races to finish third overall.
Matus Ryba has now turned his attention to the Michelin Le Mans Cup and is racing with Lucas Fluxà Cross for Spanish team Brutal Fish by Campos. After a fourth-place finish in Barcelona and securing a podium in Le Castellet, Ryba and Fluxà Cross are currently third in the LMP3 championship standings.
The team are now focused on Road To Le Mans, and we caught up with Matus Ryba as he prepares to make his debut on the Circuit des 24 Heures.
Q: What are your thoughts on the opening two races of the season and what positives are you taking to Le Mans?
Matus Ryba: “We are quite happy with the performance so far considering that it’s the team’s first season and we are still gaining experience. In Barcelona we were missing the few extra tenths to be able to win but it was still a good result. Paul Ricard was bit more dramatic considering that we were leading the race until the last three laps, but then an error while defending cost us the race win. We want to win the championship, so the target in Le Mans is to win like always.”
Q: This is your first season in Le Mans Prototypes. How does the Ligier JS P325 compare to the cars you’ve raced previously?
MR: “The P3 is a pretty fun car to drive but it’s also very tricky because of its weight. I think the best difference between the P3 and single seaters is the number of laps the car can do continuously with high performance and old tyres.”
Q: Next up is Road To Le Mans, which is the jewel in the MLMC crown. Have you ever been to the 24 Hours of Le Mans before?
MR: “I have never experienced the 24h of lemans in person, so I’m sure that racing there the same weekend will be even more exciting.”
Q: Is there any part of the circuit you are particularly looking forward to racing the Ligier JS P325 on?
MR: “I think the final sector in Le Mans filled with high-speed corners and chicanes at the end.”
Q: This year Road To Le Mans is a three-hour race. Will you be approaching this race any differently to the other events?
MR: “The longer the race is the more you need to be sure that the strategy, driving and car performance are in perfect shape. But it’s also more mentally and physically demanding, so these are the points I’m focusing on.”
ABOUT THE ROAD TO LE MANS
2026 will be the first ever 3-hour Road To Le Mans race, a change from the previous two single 60-minute races held last season.
The championship points awarded will be different from previous seasons. Last year the winner of each race received 15 points, with 9 for second and 7 for third. This year the winners of each category will receive 38 points, 27 for second, 23 for third, 18-15-12-9-6-3 and 2 points for 10th place. The holder of pole position will continue to receive an additional championship point. Only full season entries are eligible for championship points.
Qualifying for the Road To Le Mans race will be held on Thursday 11 June and will be a single 60-minute session to determine the grid, starting at 10h15.
The race will be held on Friday 12 June, with the start at 10h00, one day before the start of the 94th edition of the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
MLMC Live Streaming on FIAWEC+ App
The endurance ladder starts here. Watch the Michelin Le Mans Cup live for free on FIAWEC+, with official race coverage, replays and highlights from one of Europe’s most competitive LMP3, LMP3 Pro/Am and GT3 championships. Watch the Michelin Le Mans Cup live for free on https://plus.fiawec.com/en/michelin-le-mans-cup
