Oliver Gray Shines on Le Mans Debut with VDS Panis Racing

Corinthian Sports ambassador Ollie Gray made an outstanding impression on his 24 Hours of Le Mans debut, helping secure a second-place finish in the LMP2 class for VDS Panis Racing, alongside teammates Esteban Masson and Franck Perera.

After a tough qualifying session, the team found themselves starting 11th on the grid in the No. 48 Oreca 07 Gibson – not the position they had hoped for in such a competitive field. But from the drop of the green flag, it was clear they were ready to fight. With intelligent strategy calls, clean execution in the pits, and standout stints – particularly from Ollie and Esteban in the early hours – the team steadily climbed the order.

Ten hours into the gruelling endurance race, their efforts paid off. VDS Panis Racing had carved out a 1 minute 21 second lead, engaged in a relentless back-and-forth battle with the No. 43 Inter Europol Competition car. The pace and consistency from all three drivers had positioned them as strong contenders for the class victory.

However, in the unforgiving world of endurance racing, nothing is certain. A safety car period wiped away their hard-earned advantage, bunching up the field and setting the stage for an intense final phase of the race. Even so, the Panis crew responded with composure. They pushed back into the lead, determined not to let the setback unravel their efforts.

As the race entered its closing stages, Inter Europol’s Nick Yelloly – behind the wheel for the final stints – was hit with a drive-through penalty for pit lane speeding. It was a critical moment. With a clear track ahead and the rival team temporarily set back, victory appeared well within reach for the No. 48.

Then, disaster struck.

With just under 20 minutes remaining, Masson – now in the car – began losing pace. The lead quickly evaporated as Yelloly closed in and overtook. The VDS Panis car had developed a significant mechanical issue, later revealed to be a front-left suspension failure. Masson struggled to keep the car on pace and in control through to the finish.

Despite the heartbreak of seeing the win slip away so late, the team held on for a hard-earned second-place finish, with Masson nursing the wounded car across the line. In the garage, the atmosphere was a mix of disappointment and pride. They had come agonisingly close to Le Mans glory – but still walked away with a podium result against some of the strongest LMP2 teams in the world.

Speaking to Corinthian Sports after the race, Ollie said:

It was a great race overall, we all drove well throughout pulling a minute and a half gap about 10 hours into the race, when a safety car took that away from us. We were then in P2 coming into the closing stages of the race and we had to go full attack to put pressure on the leader and force a mistake which we did.

We found ourselves in the lead with 20 minutes to go when suspension failure stopped us from getting that win.

We can all be proud of the job we did over the last week and we will come back stronger

Ollie’s performance across the 24-hour marathon was nothing short of superb. His stints showcased not only his raw speed but also his composure under pressure, consistency, and racecraft at the highest level. For a debut at one of motorsport’s most iconic and unforgiving events, it was a performance that firmly underlines his potential.

While the result may feel bittersweet, we at Corinthian Sports couldn’t be prouder. The team wore our badge with distinction, and Ollie delivered a race to remember.

Next up on the ELMS European Le Mans Series, the 4 Hours of Imola on Sunday 6th July.