MT Raceteam delivered a powerful opening weekend in the Ligier European Series 2026 season, as 16-year-old Marcus Terkildsen made an immediate impact at Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya.
With a race win in Race 1 and a strong P2 finish in Race 2, Terkildsen leaves Barcelona as the championship leader with 43 points — a remarkable start to his international career.
From the very beginning, the pace was clear. Marcus secured double pole position with impressive lap times of 1:49.7 in Q1 and 1:48.9 in Q2, setting the benchmark for the rest of the field.
A dramatic Race 1 comeback
Race 1 quickly turned into a high-pressure battle. Multiple safety car periods in the first half made it difficult to find rhythm and build a gap.
In the second half, a pit stop cost valuable time, dropping Terkildsen from P1 to P5. What followed was a standout performance.
“I was very confident. The pace had been amazing all weekend, and I tried to carry that into the race. During the pit stop, we lost around 5 seconds, which cost us four positions, so I had to make them back up at the end — and I had the pace, so I managed to do it.”
With 15 minutes remaining, he began a decisive comeback, executing a series of clean overtakes before reclaiming the lead on the second last lap to secure victory.
Strong recovery and podium in Race 2
Race 2 once again showed strong pace from the start, with Terkildsen in control during the opening phase.
However, a delayed pit stop caused by a starting issue cost approximately 22 seconds, dropping the team to P4. Despite this setback, he fought back to P2.
In the final phase of the race, technical issues limited performance, but the car was brought home safely for another podium finish.
A statement from MT Raceteam
The weekend in Barcelona highlighted both performance and potential.
MT Raceteam demonstrated the ability to compete at the front of an international field, combining speed, racecraft, and composure under pressure. At the same time, the team identified key areas for improvement — particularly in pit stop execution and race reliability.
With a race win, a podium finish, and the championship lead, the foundation for the 2026 season is firmly in place.
👉 Follow MT Raceteam and Marcus Terkildsen throughout the season @mt.raceteam on all socials
