A winning end to a closing chapter for TDS at Petit Le Mans

For the second straight year, TDS Racing’s Steven Thomas, Mikkel Jensen, and Hunter McElrea won the LMP2 class at Motul Petit Le Mans – but it’s the end of an era for the French team and its trio of drivers.

The bright yellow No. 11 TDS ORECA 07-Gibson finished 2025 with back-to-back wins at Indianapolis Motor Speedway and Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta, just as they did last year. And with those wins, TDS’ Thomas, Jensen, and McElrea won the LMP2 Michelin Endurance Cup, clinching it in a tiebreaker over Inter Europol Competition.

But during the weekend, Thomas said that he’d be leaving the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship after Petit Le Mans, and that Jensen would also be leaving the team.

Fittingly, a win at Road Atlanta brings this chapter of the Georgia-born Bronze driver’s racing career to a perfect conclusion, close to home, after five seasons in IMSA LMP2 racing and three with TDS Racing.

“This is my final IMSA race, and it was actually really emotional,” Thomas said, after starting off a comeback drive from the rear of the prototype field when the No. 11 car was penalized after qualifying and stripped of pole position. “I was able to put it on pole in my final race, which was super exciting. Then an hour later, they said, ‘No, you failed scrutineering, you're out, you're starting in the back.’

“I started in the back, and it was just so much fun. When I got out of the car, I had done my drive time, and that was the end for me. Racing has been so wonderful to me, but then I handed it to the two best prototype drivers I think around, and I was pretty confident.

“I would say as we got through the night, realizing it was the end for me, but we were ending on this victory – and maybe the best stint I've ever driven. It was like a dream. It was the perfect ending.”

Taking, then losing, pole just added to the storyline for Thomas. Brandon Badraoui/IMSA

Thomas was one of two LMP2 Bronzes who were stepping away from IMSA at the end of the season, joining Gar Robinson, who signed off from sports car racing to pursue a new career in cross-country rallying. But Thomas will continue his circuit racing career in some form, outside of the IMSA WeatherTech series.

“Unless one of you out here can find me a sponsor for next year, this will be the last IMSA race for me,” he admitted. “I’m going to keep racing. I love racing more than anything in the world. I'll be doing much more cheaper amateur racing. I might be able to do some stuff in Europe next year, we’ll see. It's cheaper. But IMSA has been unbelievable. It's been the best experience in my life, honestly.

Jensen revealed that he’d be departing TDS Racing after three seasons alongside Thomas, while also driving for Peugeot in the FIA World Endurance Championship.

“It's just amazing to finish on top,” Jensen said after finishing the race. “It's been three awesome years together with ups and downs. But Steven is not only my Bronze driver, he's also become a great friend and a relationship I really appreciate. We have created memories for life here. That's why emotions are really showing tonight.

“It's just been an incredible end to the season. Steven has done his best driving ever, starting from the back of the field after getting his pole taken away, giving me the car in P1 after two and a half hours.

“It's sad that the story is finishing here, but really appreciating to have been part of this program with Steven and TDS, and Hunter as well.

TDS will continue in IMSA next season as one of 11 confirmed full-season entries in the 2026 LMP2 field, but Thomas and Jensen’s departures will mean an overhauled driver line-up.

McElrea’s plans for 2026 remain uncertain after another successful Michelin Endurance Cup season. The Kiwi nearly missed the Watkins Glen race after being hospitalized for two days before the Sahlen’s Six Hours of the Glen, but returned to the car the day before the race, ensuring that he’d be entered for all five Endurance Cup races and thus get to share the title with Thomas and Jensen.

Asked what comes next with Thomas and Jensen departing, McElrea looked out across the Road Atlanta media center and asked, “Anybody got a drive?”