The European Le Mans Series season came to a challenging end for Richard Verschoor at Portimão, where a final opportunity to fight for the LMP2 Pro/Am championship slipped away. Heading into the season finale just six points behind the leaders, Verschoor and Duqueine Team had everything to fight for. Despite their determination, the #30 Oreca shared with Doriane Pin and Giorgio Roda could not deliver the result they had hoped for, bringing a season of podium finishes, pole positions and valuable endurance racing experience to a bittersweet conclusion.
One Final Championship Challenge
After five demanding rounds across Europe, the championship battle came down to the final race in Portugal. Verschoor and his teammates arrived at Portimão just six points behind the LMP2 Pro/Am championship leaders. With the title still within reach, every position mattered heading into the final four hours of racing. The weekend began with encouraging pace from Duqueine Team. Giorgio Roda showed his speed in qualifying, securing second position in LMP2 Pro/Am and giving the #30 crew a promising starting point for the championship decider.
A Difficult Finale at the Algarve
The Autódromo Internacional do Algarve is known for its elevation changes, blind corners and demanding layout, making it a challenging venue for the final round of the season. Despite the team’s determination to end the year on a high, the race did not deliver the result Verschoor, Pin and Roda had hoped for.
The #30 Duqueine Team Oreca finished 16th overall, leaving the crew outside the fight for the LMP2 Pro/Am victory. With their championship rivals also battling for crucial points, the result brought Duqueine Team’s title ambitions to an end.
Algarve Pro Racing ultimately secured the 2026 LMP2 Pro/Am championship with Michael Jensen, Enzo Trulli and Malthe Jakobsen.
A Season of Progress and Valuable Experience
Although the final result in Portimão was disappointing, the season provided plenty of reasons to look back with pride. For Verschoor, 2026 marked an important chapter in his transition from single-seater racing to endurance competition. Together with Duqueine Team, he experienced podium finishes, pole positions, championship battles and demanding races at some of Europe’s most iconic circuits. The campaign also included his debut at the legendary 24 Hours of Le Mans, where the #30 Duqueine Team demonstrated front-running pace before a late retirement ended its hopes of a strong finish.
From Barcelona to Portimão, the season offered valuable experience in traffic management, race strategy, teamwork and the unique demands of endurance racing.
Looking Ahead to the Next Chapter
With the European Le Mans Series season now complete, attention turns towards the next steps in Richard Verschoor’s motorsport career. His involvement in the McLaren Driver Development Programme continues to provide opportunities to develop his experience across different racing disciplines, including endurance racing and prototype development.
The 2026 season may not have ended with the championship trophy, but it has laid an important foundation for what comes next.
For Richard Verschoor, the ambition remains unchanged: keep learning, keep improving and continue fighting for victories.
