Fans Hail Jensen as Silverstone's Standout Driver After Rain Ends Dominant Run
Theodor Jensen was voted the most outstanding driver in LMP2 by the fans at the Goodyear 4 Hours of Silverstone, after a commanding opening stint in the #37 CLX Motorsport ORECA 07 was undone by rain and a tyre gamble that did not pay off.
The Dane wasted no time. With the track damp after overnight rain but a dry line already forming, Jensen passed pole-sitter Kuba Smiechowski in the #43 Inter Europol Competition ORECA on the opening lap and immediately began pulling away at the head of the 46-car field.
What followed was a masterclass in controlling a race from the front. Lap after lap, Jensen extended his advantage over a highly competitive LMP2 field, building a lead of 45 seconds over the chasing pack. Along the way he set a 1:45.480, the fastest lap of the entire race and more than a second quicker than anyone else managed all afternoon.
Photo: Daniel Coyle
The Weather Turns
Every team had kept one eye on the forecast, and at the start of the second hour the rain arrived. A string of incidents followed as conditions deteriorated, and when a Virtual Safety Car was deployed to recover two stranded LMGT3 cars, the race was effectively reset in the pit lane.
With the intensity of the rain still uncertain, CLX Motorsport opted to fit slick tyres. It was a bold call that could have paid off handsomely had the shower eased. Instead the rain kept falling, and like several other cars that had taken the same gamble, the #37 was forced back into the pits for wet tyres, losing the lead and dropping down the order.
From there, the crew fought back through tricky, changeable conditions. The #37 crossed the line fifth in LMP2, collecting 10 points.
Photo: Daniel Coyle
Recognised by the Fans
The disappointment of losing a race they had controlled was softened by recognition from those watching. Fans voted Jensen the winner of the Goodyear Wingfoot Award as the most outstanding driver in LMP2, a reflection of the pace and control he showed in the opening phase of the race.
"The first part of the race was about as good as it gets," said Jensen. "The car was fantastic on the damp track, and I could just focus on hitting my marks and building the gap. To have a 45-second lead and the fastest lap in a class this competitive tells you how strong our package was."
"The slicks call didn't work out, but that's endurance racing in changeable conditions. You have to make a decision with the information you have, and if the rain had stopped we would have been heroes. It stings to lose a race we were controlling, but the speed is clearly there, and the team did a great job to recover. And to be voted the most outstanding driver in LMP2 by the fans means a lot. Thank you to everyone who voted."
Photo: Daniel Coyle
Portimão Next
The 2026 European Le Mans Series concludes with the 4 Hours of Portimão on Saturday 10 October. Jensen sits 11th in the LMP2 drivers' standings on 30 points, while the #37 is 10th in the teams' classification with three cars within five points ahead of it. With the pace shown at Silverstone, Jensen and CLX Motorsport head to Portugal with a point to prove and the speed to back it up.