Akkodis ASP Team's Le Mans masterclass

It is not often you see a team look back at a second and fourth-place finish with such a mix of relief and pride. After a disastrous start to the season in Imola and Spa-Francorchamps, where technical gremlins seemed to haunt every kilometer, the Akkodis ASP Team arrived at Le Mans standing on a precipice. For team founder Jérôme Policand, the French classic was the final joker. A failure there, and the championship would have slipped away.

Instead, the Lexus RC F came alive on the circuit where it has always felt most at home. The team executed a flawless, trouble-free race, even when they had to abandon their 11-lap stint strategy to stay with the pack. While the #33 TF Sport Corvette proved too difficult to overcome—thanks to a clever strategy involving Ben Keating—the #78 Lexus crossed the line in second, effectively saving the team's season. The caution required to finish that race, especially when the #78’s radiator began clogging with tyre marbles, was a masterclass in pragmatism.

Now, the focus shifts to the Rolex 6 Hours of São Paulo. It is a circuit that holds immense history for this squad, having been the site of their first-ever FIA WEC victory just 12 months ago. With the team now sitting third in the LMGT3 standings and feeling confident in their driver line-ups, the atmosphere is electric. It is a poignant time, too, as the team begins to contemplate a future without the Lexus RC F, a car that clearly holds a special place in their hearts.