Simon Schranz—along with teammate Alex Gardner—clinched the Ligier European Series title in a dramatic showdown!
FARA’s first alumnus in the academy’s history had been penalized for an incident during free practice, and the car sustained enough damage to prevent Schranz and his teammate from participating in qualifying.
The duo started Race 1 from the back of the grid, but Gardner delivered a strong opening stint, making up several places. However, the Australian incurred a drive-through penalty for a collision, forcing Schranz to rejoin at the rear of the field for his stint.
Although the Austrian managed to claw back a few positions, they ultimately came away with just a single point.
Things went much better from the start in Race 2: Schranz, the starting driver, overtook no fewer than six rivals on the opening lap alone. He also benefited from a mistake by title rival Mika Abrahams—who spun out on his own—and handed over his Ligier JS P4 in third place.
Gardner drove a steady race in third until a safety car period seven minutes from the end bunched the field back up. However, there was no restart.
This left Schranz and Gardner tied on 165 points with their rivals, Abrahams and Pharamond. Thanks to a higher number of second-place finishes—both teams had claimed three victories during the season—they secured the championship title.
“We are the 2026 champions! I can hardly believe it. All the hard work has finally paid off. I can’t put into words how grateful I am for everything and everyone who made this possible,” said an overjoyed Schranz.
“Thank you to Group Virage for a fantastic season and for the hard work that went into this project. That is exactly what made the difference.”
We congratulate Simon to winning the title!
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