IEC at the Nordschleife

While preparations continued for ELMS round two at Le Castellet, France, Kuba Smiechowski and Tom Dillmann headed to Germany last weekend to take on the legendary Nürburgring . The duo competed in NLS 3 as part of their process to attain a “ring permit,” swapping LMP2 machinery for a modest BMW M240i, gaining the necessary track time and experience on one of the world’s most demanding circuits. It was a productive outing, with both drivers completing the required race mileage whilst keeping sharp ahead of a busy endurance season.

Round Two – Le Castellet, France

Inter Europol Competition came away from a dramatic and weather-affected second round of the European Le Mans Series at Le Castellet, Circuit Paul Ricard, with a strong result, including the team’s first LMP2 podium of the season. In a race defined by heavy rain, tough conditions, and fierce battles across all classes, all three cars showed resilience, speed, and teamwork throughout the weekend.

Qualifying 

The team had a promising start to the weekend, with #43 securing pole position thanks to an outstanding lap from Nick Yelloly in LMP2. The #34 qualified P5 with Luca Ghiotto in the car, while in LMP3, Reece Gold put in a solid run for #88, resulting in P7 in his first LMP3 qualifying session.

Race

#43 – LMP2
Hopes were high after Saturday’s qualifying performance that pole position could be converted into a victory. A combination of mixed conditions, contact, and penalties conspired to make the task a difficult one, with an eventual P2 a great result for the team, but perhaps a win was entirely possible from the pace shown in the race.

Kuba Śmiechowski, starting on wet tyres, handled the opening stint well despite challenging wet conditions, maintaining the lead from the start and pulling away from the majority of the field who had gambled on a dry tyre start. A series of safety cars and pit stops shuffled the field through Kuba’s stints, but good team choices and strategy kept the car in contention. Some light contact that required a front wing change, the team managed a quick recovery without significant time loss was also negated by the deployment of the safety car.

Nick took over for the second stint in conditions that continued to be unpredictable and challenging, with many incidents happening throughout the field. Unfortunate contact with a rival LMP2 in traffic resulted in a 10-second time penalty, which ultimately would conspire to prevent a push for victory, which was still definitely a possibility.

Handing over to Tom Dillmann to close out the race, taking advantage of a driver change to coincide with a change to slick tyres, Tom pushed hard, making ground and eventually bringing the car home in second place. A great result and strong first points of the season after round 1 in Barcelona’s non-finish to get the title challenge back on track

#34 – LMP2

The #34 chose a split strategy from the sister car, starting on wet tyres in damp conditions from P5 on the grid. Pedro Perino navigated the early laps well despite the wet track, keeping out of trouble where many others employing the same strategy did not. Heavy rain came resulting in an inevitable change to wet tyres before handing over to Jean-Baptiste Simmenauer who continued with a consistent and focused middle stint in conditions that remained very challenging.

Luca took over for the final push, but after contact and resulting brake issues around lap 81, the team was forced to settle for P10, but there were still encouraging signs of pace throughout the race.

#88 – LMP3

The LMP3 trio narrowly missed out on the podium with a solid P4 finish after a strong performance by the 3 drivers despite the conditions.

Tim Creswick started on wets and progressed well moving to P4 and looking comfortable until being spun out by a fellow LMP3 competitor through no fault of his own. Again recovering well until more contact, this time with a GT3 Porsche resulted in a pit visit for a new front nose.
Reece Gold took over during a heavier period of rain and made really strong progress, recovering the lost places from the incidents and bringing the car back into contention with a strong stint.

Douwe Dedecker jumped in for the final stint, making the switch to slick tyres and pushing hard to bring the car home in a hard fought fourth place. A great effort across the board and more valuable points for the #88 crew which sees them in 3^rd place in the championship after 2 rounds.

Michelin Le Mans Cup

Inter Europol Competition continued its Michelin Le Mans Cup campaign this weekend at Le Castellet, France, competing in round two of the championship with the No. 34 Ligier JS P325. The car, driven by Aristotle Balogh and Garett Grist, took on the Pro/Am category under clear skies following a damp start to the day.

Balogh qualified the car P11 in Saturday morning’s session and took the start for the opening stint. Despite a race filled with track limit penalties and intense midfield battles, the team executed a clean and disciplined performance. A smooth pit stop saw Grist take over for the final half of the race, maintaining pace and avoiding the chaos to bring the car home in P10.

What’s up next for Inter Europol Competition

As the 2025 season is well underway, Inter Europol Competition is gearing up for an exciting stretch across Europe’s premier endurance racing series. While the IMSA LMP2 class takes a brief pause, with no LMP2 competing at Laguna Seca.

With the second round of European Le Mans at Le Castellet, France, behind us, looking ahead, the team returns to the ELMS grid in July for the 4 Hours of Imola on the 6th July, but for now, all focus is on Le Mans preparations.

24 Hours of Le Mans Preparations

One of the most iconic races on the motorsport calendar is fast approaching. Inter Europol Competition is preparing for the 93rd running of the 24 Hours of Le Mans. With an experienced driver lineup and strong recent form, the team is ready to challenge at the front in the Pro and Pro/Am LMP2 categories.

May is critical for preparations — from car setups and testing to strategy refinement and driver training.

Introducing Reece Gold

Inter Europol Competition is pleased to have American driver Reece Gold competing in the LMP3 class this season. With experience in both single-seaters and endurance racing, Reece brings speed, a unique energy, and determination to the team. We caught up with him to talk about his racing journey.

Q)Can you tell us about your racing background and how you made your way to endurance prototype racing with Inter Europol Competition?

„I started racing at the age of 5 and gradually worked my way up through the ranks, beginning with karting in America. I won several championships along the way. When I was 13, I transitioned to Formula cars and won the Lucas Oil Formula School Series, which earned me a scholarship to USF 2000, where I finished in third place. After that, I placed second in Indy Pro 2000 and spent two years in Indy Lights, where I achieved a race win and a podium finish. Feeling it was time for a change, I had a great opportunity to join Inter Europol Competition in ELMS. Since making the switch to endurance racing, I am loving it”

Q)What has been the biggest highlight or success in your racing career so far?

„I have two major highlights in my career: finishing 2nd in the USF Pro 2000 series with four wins, and securing a race victory in Indy Lights on the streets of Detroit. While I’ve achieved many other wins, these two stand out as the most significant.”

Q)How did you feel after Round One in Barcelona — what were the main takeaways for you and the team?

„After Barcelona, I felt great. It was my first time in Barcelona, my first time driving a prototype, and my first time in endurance racing with multiple class traffic. I believe I adapted well to these challenges. The team performed excellently; Tim and Douwe did a fantastic job, and securing a podium in our first race together was incredible. I want to thank the team and everyone involved. I’m very happy with how everything came together, especially considering I signed just two weeks before the race.”

Q)What are your personal goals for this season, both on and off the track?

„My personal goals for this season are focused on learning and adapting, as it is my first time in endurance racing. Everything is new to me, so I aim to learn and adapt as much as possible to demonstrate my capabilities and skills, which I hope will open up more opportunities in the future. This year, my focus is on learning and doing my best to showcase what I can achieve.”