Race Report // Circuit de La Sarthe – Mulsanne
Transatlantic Sim Racing – Hypercar & LMGT3
Race Length: 120 minutes
Conditions: Warm, dry, overcast (24°C), dry throughout
La Sarthe once again set the stage for another dramatic chapter in virtual endurance racing, as the final round of the Transatlantic Sim Racing Championship unfolded on the fabled tarmac of Circuit de La Sarthe – Mulsanne. With double points on offer and championships on the line, tension in the paddock was sky-high as clouds gathered overhead, though rain mercifully held off for this double-edged decider.
Podium Results
Hypercar (HY):
🥇1st – Edward Jerome (BMW M Hybrid V8)
🥈2nd – G29 Vince (Ferrari 499P)
🥉3rd – Danilo Lasic (Toyota GR010)
LMGT3:
🥇1st – Madam Man (Ferrari 296 GT3 2023)
🥈2nd – Xander Huizing (Ferrari 296 GT3 2023)
🥉3rd – Si Fillingham (McLaren 720s GT3 Evo)
Championship Standings (Final)
Hypercar Championship:
🥇1st – Danilo Lasic (Toyota GR010) – 248 pts
🥈2nd – Trushal Pindolia (Ferrari 499P) – 178 pts
🥉3rd – Edward Jerome (BMW M Hybrid V8) – 176 pts
LMGT3 Championship:
🥇1st – Madam Man (Ferrari 296 GT3 2023) – 232 pts
🥈2nd – Xander Huizing (Ferrari 296 GT3 2023) – 207 pts
🥉3rd – Si Fillingham (McLaren 720s GT3 Evo) – 204 pts
See the full standings here
The Race Unfolds
In Hypercar, Edward Jerome broke through with a symbolic win for BMW—ending on the top step after a relentless 2-hour push that saw race-long pressure from G29 Vince’s striking Ferrari and the newly crowned champion, Danilo Lasic, in the Toyota. Drama flared from the off as the Ferraris showcased their qualifying prowess, though when it came to outright race pace, Jerome and Lasic both turned up the wick in the stints.
Meanwhile, in LMGT3, “Madam Man” produced a masterclass in execution and race management. With the championship hanging in the balance, even a second-place finish wouldn’t have sealed it, but the Ferrari driver took matters into their own hands, controlling the pace and securing a deserved victory—vaulting past Xander Huizing in the points for the series win.
Unpredictable as ever, the slipstream battles and traffic navigation lit up both categories, but it was the strategy—those crucial fuel numbers, the tire decisions, and risk vs reward calls—that ultimately separated the victors from the vanquished.
Post-Qualifying & Race Interviews
Interview with Mike Landreth (Lamborghini SC63, HY)
Ted: Mike, qualifying P10, but you said you set a new personal best. Give us a recap.
Mike: Cheers, Ted. Didn’t get much low-fuel quali practice in, to be honest, but managed a PB, so I can’t exactly complain. Was a bit shocked considering the lack of prep, actually!
Ted: The race itself looked like a bit of a struggle?
Mike: That’s putting it mildly! I took it easy at the start, probably too easy in hindsight. My setup just… missed the mark on straight-line speed. I was left for dead down the Mulsanne. Took a gamble with the softs hoping attrition would work in my favour, but made the classic mistake of glancing at an in-game message right before the Porsche Curves – bang, loads of damage. Not one for the memory books, I’ll tell you that.
Interview: Ian Paskin // Toyota GR010 // Hypercar
Qualifying: 6th
Race: 5th
Ted Delaney:
Ian, fair to say qualifying was tricky for you today, ending up sixth. Was that down to outright pace or something else?
Ian Paskin:
“Yeah, it went ok but not great. P6 was about the limit at the time, but I was hoping to go a little quicker. My tyres started to go off towards the end, and honestly the Ferraris were just very quick over one lap. Still, I knew I had decent race pace in the car.”
Ted:
The race start was eventful, and I gather there was some confusion at the final chicane. What happened from your perspective?
Ian:
“I probably over-focused on nailing my launch, and in doing so I completely missed that I’d cut the last Ford chicane during the formation—it nearly took Sarah Van Fiepland out. She took avoiding action, but sadly she then got stung by a penalty for slowing and speeding up. Honestly, my mistake there—I've apologised to Sarah and need to improve. The stewards will give me a penalty, but it doesn’t help her. Next time, I’ll keep it much tidier.”
Ted:
On track you moved up, running as high as P4. How did you manage your stints and what set your race apart today?
Ian:
“The first hour was good! I made a late strategy switch, putting a hard front left tyre on to deal with the temperature, and that really paid off. But I was using more fuel, so I had to pit earlier than most. Did some quick maths with the NRG to fuel ratio, tried to stretch it, but still ended up 2-3 laps short so had to do a splash and dash with about 8 minutes to go. Kept it clean but lost some time recalibrating braking points with the new fuel loads. In the end, fifth is an improvement, and I’m happy with the progress over the season.”
Interview with Si Fillingham (McLaren 720s GT3 Evo, LMGT3)
Ted: Si, you looked like you’d done your homework for this one – P4 in qualifying, P3 in the race. How did prep go?
Si: I knew it was crucial, Ted. Put the hours in to be competitive. Xander’s always rapid, but Mims, Bjarne and I were on similar pace, so it was about being in the mix and seeing how things played out.
Ted: Did you have to adapt after quali?
Si: Actually, yes. Mechanics added a click of rear wing for race stability – I thought it was safer to bring it home than push for outright speed. Mims pulled a gap fast, thanks to losing the draft, and with Xander in trouble there was a chance for us. Tried to take some wing off at the first stop, but a slip in the pit lane got me a stop & go penalty for speeding, and that was my race over in terms of a win. Third’s not bad all things considered.
Interview: Bjarne Vaes // BMW M4 GT3 // LMGT3
Qualifying: 4th
Race: DNF (5th in class at the time of retirement)
Ted Delaney:
Bjarne, qualifying seemed a real challenge—take us through it.
Bjarne Vaes:
“To be honest, it was a disaster. I had two laps invalidated for track limits, and the only one that counted was compromised straight away—locked a brake at Turn 1 and another big error in the Porsche Curves. I definitely left several tenths, maybe more, out there.”
Ted:
The race itself—talk us through that first lap drama and what happened after.
Bjarne:
“The start was just as bad—before Turn 1 I was stone dead last. Once the tyres got up to temp though, the pace came back and I managed to catch the front. Got a nice slipstream behind Xander and thought an overtake was on, but then I got too close to the barrier, had contact with him and picked up heavy damage. After repairs in the pits, I was catching back up to the leaders, but then unfortunately lost connection and DNF’d. It was a tough end.”
That’s it from Circuit de La Sarthe! The chequered flag falls on a cracking season, with Danilo Lasic and Madam Man rightfully claiming championship honours. From everyone at Transatlantic Sim Racing, it’s been a privilege—here’s to the next chapter. Back to the studio!