It has been a long off-season for the European Le Mans Series, but we’re delighted to be all set for the opening round early next month in Barcelona, where we will field two LMP2s and one LMP3.

The Inter Europol Competition has been busy testing and racing in readiness for the season start, while across the pond, with PR1 Mathiasen Motorsports, the team has also been busy racing in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship.

• Runner-up position in Ultimate Cup
• Sebring frustrates with sixth place finish
• Testing at Imola
• 2024 ELMS season coming right up!
• Introducing Pedro Perino

Runner-up position in Ultimate Cup
Tim Creswick, Alex Bukhantsov and Pedro Perino took part in last Sunday’s opening round of the Ultimate Cup Series at Paul Ricard.

It was a race of two halves, with the team making the mandated long stops early on and making gains as the race progressed before finishing a fine second.

This was a perfect pre-season programme for the three drivers who are now set for the forthcoming European Le Mans Series.

Sebring frustrates with sixth place finish
Having led the second round of the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship at Sebring on numerous occasions, the #52 trio of Śmiechowski, Tom Dillmann and Nick Boulle, had to be content with a sixth-place finish last Saturday, just 12 seconds behind the LMP2 race winner. >> More here

Imola testing
Inter Europol Competition took advantage of some pre-season testing recently at Imola, home of the third round of the European Le Mans Series. The team fielded both LMP2 and LMP3 machinery for seven of our nine drivers.

Further tests are planned for Circuit Paul Ricard and Spa-Francorchamps before the team trucks head to Barcelona.

2024 ELMS season coming right up!
Inter Europol Competition will embark on further testing over the next few weeks before arriving at Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya well prepared for the start of the European Le Mans Series and Michelin Le Mans Cup.

The pre-season Prologue takes place in the week commencing April 8, before the race week proper starts on Friday, 12 April.

Provisional schedule*
Monday to Wednesday testing
Friday
09:50 – 10:50 LMC FP1
11:50 – 13:20 ELMS FP1
14:40 – 15:20 LMC Bronze test
17:45 – 18:45 LMC FP2
Saturday
10:10 – 11:40 ELMS FP2
12:55 – 13:10 LMC LMP3 qualifying
15:05 – 16:10 ELMS LMP2 & LMP3 qualifying
17:40 – 19:30 LMC Race**

Sunday
09:40 – 10:10 Autograph session
11:30 – 15:30 ELMS 4HBarcelona Race**

*Subject to change, all times CET.
**Races available live and for free on YouTube (no geo-locks) and Radio Le Mans.

Introducing Pedro Perino
Pedro has already enjoyed success this year ahead of the start of the European Le Mans Series.

In what was effectively an extended pre-season test, he finished second in the Prototype Winter Series and then repeated the feat with his teammates recently in the Ultimate Cup Series at Paul Ricard.

Next month, he will line up with Kai Askey and Alex Bukhantsov in the #88 LMP3 in Barcelona.

Q) Pedro, welcome to Inter Europol Competition. Please tell us a bit about yourself in terms of what you like to do away from the circuit, your hobbies and interests, as well as your introduction and journey in motorsport.

“Away from the circuit, I really enjoy surfing! This and racing are things I have grown up with and love to do.

“Surfing is more than a sport; it’s a lifestyle. It allows me to get away from the pressure of racing and the decisions I make on and off track. It’s my peaceful place—where I can turn off the internet and everything. It’s just you and the ocean, nature. It’s something pretty special.

“I also like to play football; I’ve played from a young age, and it was my first dream to be a football player! I also like music; I play the electric guitar, and I like music production.

“I first started racing at the age of seven in Mozambique. It wasn’t proper circuit racing back then, but our circuit was made from old car tyres and tape—it was certainly unique!

“When I turned 11, I moved to Portugal and started doing national karting championships and Rotax trophies. 2019 was the Winter Cup Series in an X30 and then the 60 Academy Trophy which was the first time I raced across Europe. I worked my way up to Italian Formula 4 in 2021/22 where I learned a lot. Then to ELMS in 2023, which was not perfect, but it allowed me to learn more about the way endurance racing works. Now I look forward to ELMS and Ultimate Cup with Inter Europol Competition.”

Q) You already have LMP3 experience from last year, and you competed with us in the Prototype Winter Series and the Ultimate Cup. Tell us about those two events and how important they are in preparing for the new season.

“Racing in the Prototype Winter Series and Ultimate Cup has been very beneficial for me. It was a great opportunity to start working with the team. I finished second in both races, so I have back-to-back podiums. It’s good working with the team. They operate at a high level and also listen to what I have to say to drive forward the car’s performance. It’s been a really positive start.”

Q) You join Kai and Alex this year in the European Le Mans Series. It’s an exciting lineup. Tell us how you have worked with the two drivers so far over the off-season.

“The ELMS lineup definitely looks good. Kai is an experienced racing driver from British F4, and Alex is a great bronze driver. I’ve spent a lot of time working with Alex and I like working with him, good communication between us and it’s great to head into the new season with that level of understanding between us.

“Kai, I have only worked with him once; he’s a good driver, so the three of us will work together to achieve strong results.”

Q) You secured two podiums last year in ELMS; what are your expectations for the coming season?

“Those podiums were at home too! We know we have a good team and lineup, so we are aiming high, and our expectation is to become LMP3 champions. There’s not much point in racing for less, and I think we can do it.”