Racing Reports: VSF Sports Racing Unit proves its mettle at Paul Ricard
- Clara Chion
- 5 mai
- 2 min de lecture
The second round of the Ligier European Series lived up to expectations at the Circuit Paul Ricard. For VSF Sports Racing Unit, this event marks an important milestone in the progress of the competing teams.
A thorough introduction
Friday was devoted to free practice and qualifying, in challenging conditions. Following preparatory work that began with the briefing and trackwalk, Antonin Bernard, Daniel Dallakyan, Maxime Aparicio and Anthony Ghibaudo took to the track to fine-tune their feel for the Ligier JS2 R cars.
These initial sessions allowed the team to fine-tune the set-up and assess the cars’ handling on a circuit where every detail counts. This methodical work was essential in preparing for the rest of the weekend.
Qualifying rounds disrupted, opportunities seized
The first qualifying session was marked by numerous interruptions, with several red and yellow flags disrupting the flow. Under these conditions, it was difficult to put together a clean lap. Maxime Aparicio (#18) and Antonin Bernard (#41) had only one real attempt to set a lap time.
In the second session, Daniel Dallakyan distinguished himself by securing another front-row start (P2) for Race 2. Anthony Ghibaudo, still adapting to the car, placed #18 in 8th position.
Course 1: Efficiency and Management
The #41 crew put in a solid performance. Antonin Bernard drove a controlled first stint before handing over the wheel to Daniel Dallakyan in second place. Dallakyan kept the pressure on the leader whilst securing his position.
In the #18 car, the start of the race was also well managed. After a focused stint, Anthony Ghibaudo found himself in the thick of a tight battle with the LR Motorsport competitors. The strategy was clear: defend without taking unnecessary risks. It was an approach that paid off, securing fourth place overall and victory in the PRO-AM class.
Race 2: a comeback and consistency
The start of the second race brought its fair share of incidents. Daniel Dallakyan was caught up in a collision in the opening laps and had to restart from the back of the grid. He then staged a methodical comeback, lap by lap, climbing up to third place before the handover.
Meanwhile, Anthony Ghibaudo drove a clean and opportunistic stint, avoiding the pitfalls and gaining positions. He handed the car over to Maxime Aparicio in fourth place.
Both crews then maintained a steady pace until the finish. A retirement ahead of them reshuffled the pack: the #41 finished second, with the #18 completing the podium.
VSF well placed in the league
At the end of this race at Le Castellet, VSF Sports comes away with some important points :
Next stop: Le Mans
The season now moves on to an iconic circuit: the Circuit de la 24 Heures du Mans, which will host the third round on 7 June. This presents a new challenge for the VSF Sports teams, in an increasingly competitive environment.
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