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🏁 DUQUEINE #30 Kicks Off Their ELMS Season in Style in Barcelona
DUQUEINE Team kicked off the 2023 European Le Mans Series (ELMS) season with an exceptional weekend at the Barcelona Circuit, where the DUQUEINE #30 made a strong debut. With impressive performances from drivers Neel Jani, René Binder, and Nicolas Pino, the team showcased their potential from the very first race.
🏎️ A Promising Prologue: Impressive Performances
From the first collective tests, the DUQUEINE #30 demonstrated its strong pace, with a fast car and perfectly synchronized team. The two-day prologue served as a real preparation test, showcasing the team’s potential for the upcoming season. From the free practices, the team made it clear that they would be contenders for the front positions.
🏆 Qualifying: Provisional Pole and a 3rd-Place Grid Spot
In the qualifying session, Swiss driver Neel Jani delivered an exceptional lap time, securing the DUQUEINE #30 a provisional pole. It was a great achievement, showing that the team had the pace to compete at the highest level. Thanks to an excellent team strategy, Neel Jani finished the qualifying session in 3rd place on the starting grid, setting the team up well for the race.
🚦 The Race Start: René Binder in Action
On race day, René Binder took the wheel of the DUQUEINE #30 for the start. Right from the beginning, René avoided the typical start-line pitfalls and avoided any incidents. However, due to the heavy traffic at the start, he dropped to 5th position. But Binder’s experience and control soon paid off as he regained his position and handed the car over to Nicolas Pino in 2nd place.
⚡ An Impressive First Stint from Nicolas Pino
The young Chilean driver Nicolas Pino, just 18 years old, delivered an impressive first stint. He handled the pressure with remarkable skill, leading the race for much of his stint. His pace was outstanding, allowing the team to maintain a top position. It was a strategic and technical stint that kept the DUQUEINE #30 in contention for the win.
🔥 The Final Battle and Damage to the DUQUEINE #30
In the final part of the race, Neel Jani took over the wheel of the DUQUEINE #30. The battle was intense, but unfortunately, the car suffered damage from debris on the track, which impacted its performance. Despite this, Jani maintained a strong pace, holding his position. The DUQUEINE #30 crossed the finish line in 2nd place overall, delivering a promising result for the season.
🥇 A Promising Result for the Season Ahead
The DUQUEINE Team concluded the weekend with a 1st place in the LMP2 category and a 2nd place overall in the race. This strong start to the season is a very positive sign for what’s to come, especially for the 24 Hours of Le Mans, where the team will be a serious contender. The work of the entire team was exemplary, and they are ready to continue building on this momentum and represent their colors proudly throughout the season.
René BINDER :
Mission accomplished!
We knew that our package was much more competitive this year, but starting our 2023 season with a dominant victory in the LMP2 Pro Class is truly something special.
We have a very professional group of young talents at DUQUEINE, and I also want to take this opportunity to thank our team director, Gilles Duqueine, who has put so much energy and investment into this program. It is an honor to secure the first LMP2 victory for his team, and I hope it won’t be the last of the season.
Neel JANI :
What an excellent start to the season with a class victory and a second place overall!
We were clearly the underdogs, but we proved from the very first race that the DUQUEINE team isn’t afraid to take on challenges this year! The race wasn’t easy for us, as we suffered severe damage to the floor and overheating brakes from mid-race onwards, making it difficult to reach the finish line.
I’m really happy for the whole team, who worked hard throughout the winter. They truly deserved this result, and I’m sure that the taste of victory will bring even more motivation to take on the giants of the FIA WEC at the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
Nicolas PINO :
It was a great way to start the season, proving that all the hard work we’ve put in over the past few months has paid off.
The whole team did an excellent job throughout the weekend, managing to run a clean race and push at the right moments. Now, it’s time to regroup and keep working hard to prepare for the big event—the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
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