Le Mans Cup

International sports car racing endurance series
Le Mans Cup
CategoryEndurance racing
CountryInternational
Inaugural season2016
Prototype ClassesLMP3
GT ClassesGT3
Tyre suppliersMichelin
Drivers' championLMP3:
Spain Julien Gerbi
France Gillian Henrion
GT3:
France Valentin Hasse-Clot
France Arnold Robin
Teams' championLMP3: Poland Team Virage
GT3: Switzerland Racing Spirit of Léman
Official websitelemanscup.com
Current season

The Le Mans Cup, previously the GT3 Le Mans Cup and currently known as the Michelin Le Mans Cup under sponsorship, is an international sports car racing endurance series inspired by the 24 Hours of Le Mans race and organized by the Automobile Club de l'Ouest (ACO).

History

The GT3 Le Mans Cup was created in 2016 after the GTC category was dropped from the European Le Mans Series. The new tournament was designed primarily to increase the number of amateur drivers.[1][2][3] The teams' champion automatically receives an invitation to take part in the following 24 Hours of Le Mans in the LMGTE Am category.[4]

From the 2017 season, the series adopted a new format with LMP3 and GT3-class cars competing in their respective categories, with the ACO aiming to create a secondary division of LMP3-racing and promoting the best teams from the Le Mans Cup to the European Le Mans Series.[5]

A new LMP3 specification with higher power engines was introduced for the 2020 season; this was found to consume more fuel than predicted, forcing pit stop and stint time rule changes.

The Le Mans weekend originally had a one-hour format in 2017, and has had two 55-minute races every year since 2018. The remaining races originally had a two-hour format, later shortened to 1h 50min for the 2022 season, to enable removal of this second mandatory pit stop.

Drivers Championships

LMP3 Drivers

Season Drivers Team Poles Wins Podiums Points Clinched Margin
2017 Belgium Jean Glorieux
Spain Alexander Toril
Luxembourg DKR Engineering 5 4 5 114 6 of 7 24
2018 Germany Jens Petersen
Netherlands Léonard Hoogenboom
Luxembourg DKR Engineering 0 3 4 103 6 of 7 11,5
2019 Germany Laurents Hörr
France François Kirmann
Luxembourg DKR Engineering 4 2 5 100 7 of 7 8,5
2020 Germany Laurents Hörr Luxembourg DKR Engineering 1 3 6 120 7 of 7 15
2021 United Kingdom Anthony Wells
United Kingdom Colin Noble
United Kingdom Nielsen Racing 0 2 3 75 7 of 7 4
2022 France Tom Dillmann
Germany Alexander Mattschull
Switzerland Racing Spirit of Léman 0 3 5 97 7 of 7 24
2023 Spain Julien Gerbi
France Gillian Henrion
Poland Team Virage 1 2 3 73 7 of 7 4

GT3 Drivers

Season Drivers Team Poles Wins Podiums Points Clinched Margin
2016 Russia Aleksey Basov
Russia Viktor Shaytar
Russia SMP Racing 3 4 5 121 5 of 6 14
2017 Italy Fabio Babini
Italy Emanuele Busnelli
Italy Ebimotors 0 2 5 104.5 7 of 7 2
2018 Italy Giacomo Piccini
Italy Sergio Pianezzola
Switzerland Kessel Racing 4 5 5 138 7 of 7 55
2019 Italy Giacomo Piccini
Italy Sergio Pianezzola
Switzerland Kessel Racing 1 4 6 130 7 of 7 21
2020 Italy Rino Mastronardi Italy Iron Lynx 5 4 7 132 6 of 7 15
2021 Switzerland Nicolas Leutwiler Switzerland Pzoberer Zürichsee by TFT 1 2 6 107 7 of 7 10
2022 Denmark Kasper H. Jensen
Denmark Kristian Poulsen
Denmark GMB Motorsport 0 2 5 109 7 of 7 16
2023 France Arnold Robin
France Valentin Hasse-Clot
Switzerland Racing Spirit of Léman 1 1 5 97 7 of 7 20

Teams Championships

LMP3 Teams

Season Team Car Poles Wins Podiums Points Clinched Margin
2017 Luxembourg DKR Engineering Norma M30 5 4 5 114 6 of 7 24
2018 Luxembourg DKR Engineering Norma M30 0 3 4 103 6 of 7 11,5
2019 Luxembourg DKR Engineering Norma M30 4 2 5 100 7 of 7 8,5
2020 Luxembourg DKR Engineering Duqueine M30 - D08 1 3 6 120 7 of 7 31
2021 United Kingdom Nielsen Racing Ligier JS P320 0 2 3 75 7 of 7 4
2022 Switzerland Racing Spirit of Léman Ligier JS P320 0 3 5 97 7 of 7 24
2023 Poland Team Virage Ligier JS P320 1 2 3 73 7 of 7 4

GT3 Teams

Season Team Car Poles Wins Podiums Points Clinched Margin
2016 United Kingdom TF Sport Aston Martin Vantage GT3 0 2 5 107 6 of 6 11
2017 Italy Ebimotors Lamborghini Huracán GT3 0 2 5 104.5 7 of 7 2
2018 Switzerland Kessel Racing Ferrari 488 GT3 4 5 5 138 7 of 7 55
2019 Switzerland Kessel Racing Ferrari 488 GT3 1 4 6 130 7 of 7 21
2020 Italy Iron Lynx Ferrari 488 GT3 5 4 7 132 6 of 7 40
2021 Italy Iron Lynx Ferrari 488 GT3 6 5 7 148 6 of 7 41
2022 Denmark GMB Motorsport Honda NSX GT3 Evo22 0 2 5 109 7 of 7 16
2023 Switzerland Racing Spirit of Léman Aston Martin Vantage AMR GT3 1 1 5 97 7 of 7 20

See also

References

  1. ^ Release, News (4 May 2016). "Villorba Corse to enter 2016 Michelin GT3 Le Mans Cup". {{cite web}}: |first= has generic name (help)
  2. ^ "History - Michelin Le Mans Cup".
  3. ^ Ltd., Crash Media Group. "ACO launches Michelin GT3 Le Mans Cup - Sportscars News".
  4. ^ "Prize fund revealed for new GT3 Le Mans Cup".
  5. ^ "LMP3 Cars Added to Michelin Le Mans Cup for 2017 - Sportscar365".

External links

  • Official website
  • Official ACO website
  • v
  • t
  • e
Current championshipsFormer championshipsCurrent races
FIA WEC (2024)
ELMS (2024)
AsLMS (2023–24)
  • 4 Hours of Sepang
  • 4 Hours of Dubai
  • 4 Hours of Abu Dhabi
Former races
FIA WEC
ELMS
AsLMS
ILMC
Current car classesFormer car classes
  • v
  • t
  • e
LMP3 championships (2015–present)
European Le Mans Series
Asian Le Mans Series
V de V Endurance Series
Le Mans Cup
Road to Le Mans
British LMP3 Cup
24H Proto Series
FRD LMP3 Series
IMSA Prototype Challenge
Prototype Challenge
Ultimate Cup Series
Prototype Cup Germany
IMSA VP Racing SportsCar Challenge
Prototype Winter Series
Engines
Nissan
VK50VE
VK56DE
Generation I
Cars and Constructors
Generation II
Cars and Constructors