Victory at the Canadian Tire Motorsport Park
Jeremy Clarke and Tom Dillmann secured the top step of the podium, snatching a 2 h 40 m victory by 9.796 s at the Chevrolet Grand Prix on the 10‑turn, 2.459‑mile Mosport circuit.
The pair, fitted in the #43 ORECA LMP2 07, emerged from pole position to dominate the sprint, surfacing after last year’s earlier‑season crash.
Dillmann, who suffered a fractured vertebra and required surgery in the previous event, expressed that the injury had not altered his ambition to win.
LMP2 Battle: Clarke and Dillmann
Clarke commanded the first twelve minutes, maintaining a 2‑second margin over Misha Goikhberg.
At 10 minutes, John Farano’s off‑track excursion in turn 3 damaged the #8 ORECA LMP2 07, prompting its removal of the field under caution.
Kept in the lead after the restart, Clarke extended a lead over Goikhberg, yet concussion occurred during an earlier caution when the damaged car’s rear was replaced with a wall.
During a subsequent pit cycle, George Kurtz of Crowdstrike Racing by APR vaulted from seventh to first, and Goikhberg surrendered the pole.
After pits, Dillmann took the helm from Clarke; Alex Quinn replaced Kurtz, and Dane Cameron swapped places with Hyett. Dillmann reclaimed the overall lead as the race progressed.
GTD Pro Clashes
Neil Verhagen started cleanly for GTD Pro, with Max Esterson—RLL Team McLaren—challenging early, and Alexander Sims hovering in third.
The lead battle saw a late‑night contact between Lorenzo Patrese (Conquest Racing) and Benjamin Pedersen (Vasser Sullivan) in turn 10; Pedersen held the position as Patrese fell to fourth.
Ben Barnicoat seized the top spot from Jack Hawksworth, keeping the Lexus RC F GT3 in front for most of the sprint.
Hindman of Wayne Taylor Racing maintained a 0.4‑second advantage over Philip Ellis (Winward Racing) later in the race, before Ellis surged through the field to claim the GTD class.
Pit Strategies and Cautions
Tobi Lutke’s crash into the turn‑8 barriers triggered a second caution and a wave of intervals that reshuffled several top lapped positions.
Later, a 30‑minute rhythm was adopted across the field to conserve fuel, with Dillmann maintaining a 3.1‑second lead over Quinn.
A 22‑minute caution allowed Cameron to pit clean, re‑emerging untroubled by traffic while Dillmann’s rapid fuel stop preserved his advantage.
Race Outcome and Future Implications
Inter Europol Competition ended with a commanding finish: Clarke and Dillmann’s, ORECA LMP2 07’s dominance echoed across all classes, with 10‑turn Mosport finally yielding a 9.796‑second margin over Crowdstrike Racing by APR.
JV5 Racing’s Ben Barnicoat and Jack Hawksworth continued their winning streak in GTD Pro after back‑to‑back victories at Watkins Glen, while Winward Racing reclaimed the GTD crown.
The emotional victory for Dillmann, who triumphs over a prior back‑injury, underscores the resilience of the series, setting a high bar for the remainder of the season.
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