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🔥 From the Back of the Grid to the Front of the Race: DUQUEINE Team at Barcelona (ELMS 2022)
After a well-deserved two-month summer break, the European Le Mans Series (ELMS) made its grand return on the weekend of August 28, 2022. The fourth round of the season took place on the Circuit de Catalunya in Barcelona, a legendary venue for motorsport. 16 LMP2 cars lined up to race, but it was DUQUEINE Team that stole the show with a spectacular performance.
🔧 A Strong Replacement for DUQUEINE Team: Anders Fjordbach
For this round, Reshad DE GERUS was replaced by talented Danish driver Anders Fjordbach, making his debut race with DUQUEINE Team. During the Thursday collective tests, Anders did everything possible to adapt to the Oreca #30, gathering valuable data for the qualifying session on Saturday. This day, along with the free practice sessions on Friday and Saturday morning, was dedicated to fine-tuning the car’s setup and optimizing performance.
🏁 Qualifying: A Tough Start, But Anything Can Happen
On Saturday, August 27, 2022, at 16:25, the LMP2 qualifying session began in front of eager motorsport fans. British driver Richard Bradley was behind the wheel of the #30 for this session. After facing some difficulties during the session, Richard managed to qualify the Oreca #30 in last place in the LMP2 category. Despite this less-than-ideal position, the experience and resilience of the drivers remind us that anything can happen in motorsport.
🌟 Race 1: An Impressive Comeback by Memo Rojas
The race start was led by Memo ROJAS, a regular at the start of ELMS races for DUQUEINE Team. Starting in 15th place, Memo made a superb start, climbing to 12th position by the end of the first lap. He continued to gain positions during his stint, completing several impressive overtakes. At the end of his stint, Memo handed over the car to Anders Fjordbach in 9th place, a strategic position for the next phase of the race.
💥 Anders Fjordbach: A Remarkable First Race
For his first race with DUQUEINE Team, Anders Fjordbach immediately adapted to the Oreca #30, showcasing great control. In the dense race traffic, he managed to gain positions and maintain his pace despite fierce competition. During his final laps, Anders fought off the #88 AF Corse car, keeping his position. After a pit stop, he handed the car to Richard Bradley in 5th place, a great result for DUQUEINE Team.
🚀 A Beautiful Battle with AF Corse and a 6th Place Finish
The fight with AF Corse wasn’t over for DUQUEINE Team. Richard Bradley and his AF Corse rival put on a beautiful battle during the final laps of the race. Thanks to excellent teamwork and a well-executed pit stop, DUQUEINE Team crossed the finish line in 6th place.
This is what we would call a true “comeback”: starting from the last row in qualifying, DUQUEINE Team proved its ability to recover and compete with the best teams in the ELMS.
👏 A Stunning Performance and a Team on Top
Congratulations to the entire team for this incredible comeback. The collective effort, the drivers’ agility, and the perfectly executed strategy allowed DUQUEINE Team to shine in Barcelona. The next round is already set, with Spa-Francorchamps in Belgium on the weekend of September 23. We can’t wait to see what the team has in store for the next round of the ELMS!
