WRT, Kubica win dramatic Red Bull Ring ELMS race
Team WRT drivers Robert Kubica, Louis Deletraz and Yifei Yi took their second consecutive win in the second round of the European Le Mans Series at the Red Bull Ring.

In a race affected by a heavy rainstorm mid-way through proceedings, the championship leading team managed to keep its head to come out on top after four hours.
Logan Sargeant proved to be the big surprise on Saturday with the sportscar rookie taking pole-position on his debut for Racing Team Turkey as he filled in for the absent Harry Tincknell following a date clash with a Mid-Ohio IMSA sportscar race.
Salih Yoluc started the pole-sitting ORECA-07 Gibson, entered in the LMP2-AM class by virtue of the Turkish racer’s bronze rating, and was quickly overtaken by similarly rated John Falb.
The American clung on to the lead for fifteen minutes while United Autosports duo Nico Jamin and Phil Hanson breathed down his neck but as the lead car hit traffic, both Jamin and Hanson found a way through.
The early running was then made by the United cars before the first stops suddenly brought Nyck de Vries and G-Drive racing to the fore with the Mercedes Formula E star benefitting from a quick stop and proving extremely rapid.
De Vries would speed away from the nearest opposition, now coming from Kubica in the WRT car that had steadily made up ground courtesy of a strong opening stint by Ye.

#41 Team WRT Oreca 07 - Gibson: Louis Delétraz, Robert Kubica, Yifei Ye
Photo by: JEP / Motorsport Images
The rhythm race changed completely at the half way point with a heavy shower drenching the Styrian track and bringing out the safety car.
The ensuing melee left only the WRT and G-Drive cars on the lead lap and the final stint battle between G-Drive’s Franco Colapinto and Deletraz was dramatic.
The youngster pushed hard on a drying track to stay ahead of the more experienced Deletraz, taking a lot of risks in the process.
Read Also:
It was not to be for the Argentinean though, as Deletraz capitalised on Colapinto running deep at Turn 3 to pass on the exit and claim a second win in as many rounds.
LMP2-AM and third overall went to G-Drive Racing, with former Formula 1 driver Roberto Mehri proving particularly quick in the changeable conditions and keeping well clear of a charging Logan Sargeant to win together with team-mates John Falb and Rui Andrade.
LMP3 was initially dominated by United Autosports before the rain-induced safety car ended the British team’s challenge.
Victory then seemed to go to Graff Racing until a late penalty for a pitstop infringement handed the win to Cool Racing trio Matt Bell, Niklas Kruetten and Nicholas Maulini, the same team that won the opening round at Barcelona.
The GTE class was dominated by the #80 Iron Lynx Racing Ferrari until the chaotic second half of the race, leaving AF Corse to pick up the pieces.
Francois Perrodo, Alessio Rovera and Emannuel Collard taking victory after fighting back from a drive through penalty early on.
The next race of the European Le Mans Series will take place at Paul Ricard on 6 June.
Results
Cla | Driver | Car | Laps | Gap |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | |
Oreca 07 | 149 | |
2 | |
Aurus 01 | 149 | 21.511 |
3 | |
Aurus 01 | 149 | 1'32.227 |
4 | |
Oreca 07 | 148 | 1 Lap |
5 | |
Oreca 07 | 148 | 1 Lap |
6 | |
Oreca 07 | 148 | 1 Lap |
7 | |
Oreca 07 | 148 | 1 Lap |
8 | |
Oreca 07 | 148 | 1 Lap |
9 | |
Oreca 07 | 148 | 1 Lap |
10 | |
Oreca 07 | 147 | 2 Laps |
11 | |
Oreca 07 | 146 | 3 Laps |
12 | Ben Hayley |
Oreca 07 | 146 | 3 Laps |
13 | Arnold Robin |
Oreca 07 | 145 | 4 Laps |
14 | |
Oreca 07 | 145 | 4 Laps |
15 | |
Oreca 07 | 145 | 4 Laps |
16 | Nicolas Maulini Niklas Kruetten |
Ligier JS P320 | 143 | 6 Laps |
17 | Joey Alders |
Ligier JS P320 | 143 | 6 Laps |
18 | Sebastien Page |
Ligier JS P320 | 143 | 6 Laps |
19 | Ugo De |
Ligier JS P320 | 142 | 7 Laps |
20 | Julius Adomavičius |
Ligier JS P320 | 142 | 7 Laps |
21 | Robert Wheldon Edouard Cauhaupe |
Ligier JS P320 | 142 | 7 Laps |
22 | Cresp Christophe Adrien Chila |
Ligier JS P320 | 142 | 7 Laps |
23 | |
Oreca 07 | 142 | 7 Laps |
24 | |
Ferrari 488 GTE EVO | 142 | 7 Laps |
25 | Alain Berg |
Duqueine M30 - D08 | 141 | 8 Laps |
26 | |
Ferrari 488 GTE EVO | 141 | 8 Laps |
27 | |
Ferrari 488 GTE EVO | 141 | 8 Laps |
28 | James McGuire Duncan Tappy Andrew Bentley |
Ligier JS P320 | 141 | 8 Laps |
29 | |
Ligier JS P320 | 141 | 8 Laps |
30 | |
Ligier JS P320 | 141 | 8 Laps |
31 | |
Porsche 911 RSR - 19 | 141 | 8 Laps |
32 | |
Ferrari 488 GTE EVO | 140 | 9 Laps |
33 | |
Porsche 911 RSR - 19 | 140 | 9 Laps |
34 | |
Ferrari 488 GTE EVO | 140 | 9 Laps |
35 | Ollie Hancock |
Aston Martin Vantage AMR | 139 | 10 Laps |
36 | |
Ligier JS P320 | 120 | 29 Laps |
|
Ferrari 488 GTE EVO | 140 | 9 Laps | |
David Hauser Gary Hauser Tom Cloet |
Duqueine M30 - D08 | 93 | 56 Laps | |
Mike Benham Malthe Jakobsen |
Ligier JS P320 | 38 | 111 Laps | |
Alessandro Bressan |
Ligier JS P320 | 1 | 148 Laps | |
Charles Crews |
Ligier JS P320 | 1 | 148 Laps | |
View full results |
Related video

Kubica didn't expect such an "easy" first LMP2 victory in ELMS opener
Vergne to make ELMS return at Paul Ricard

Latest news
How an Autosport Award winner is forging a path to Le Mans
Tom Gamble claimed Autosport's Young Driver of the Year award in 2018 following a strong season in British F3. But GTs instead of single-seaters is where the 20-year-old's focus has been since, including European Le Mans success with United Autosports. He told Autosport of his ambitions for the future
How an Italian junior formula giant is readying for its Le Mans future
Prema remains a colossus in single-seaters, but the serial Formula 2 and Formula 3 title-winning squad has joined forces with top GT squad Iron Lynx for an attack on sportscars in the World Endurance Championship and European Le Mans Series. Ahead of its debut at the Le Mans 24 Hours, its sights are firmly fixed on LMP2 glory – and a future in Hypercars next year...
Piquet Jr in LMP2 return with United Autosport for 2023 ELMS
Ex-Formula 1 driver Nelson Piquet Jr will return to LMP2 competition next year after signing a deal to contest the 2023 European Le Mans Series with United Autosports.
The Chinese sportscar protege targeting a path to the top with Porsche
Yifei Ye came within one lap of winning the LMP2 class on his Le Mans 24 Hours debut last year, and his eye-catching 2021 has gained Porsche’s interest. With the German manufacturer preparing for a return to the top tier, the Chinese youngster is on the path to join it