Sports cars: 43 cars registered for the 2024 European Le Mans Series, strong LMP2 growth

Now that LMP2 cars no longer initially appear in the FIA ​​WEC, and are only allowed at Le Mans, many teams have found an alternative in the form of the European Le Mans Series, where there are a total of 22 LMP2 cars in the entry list today for the 2024 season. With ten LMP3 cars And eleven GT3 cars, bringing the total number of cars to 43 cars for next year.

Text: Rene de Boer (X: @renedeboer)
Image: ELMS, diameter

New to the top category are the AO by TF, Iron Lynx-Proton, Nielsen Racing and Vector Sport teams. Robert Kubica drives the former team, while Nielsen Racing also has a driver with a history in Formula 1 in Will Stevens. All four aforementioned teams will field one car in the Pro class, which also applies to Algarve Pro Racing, Duqueine Team, IDEC Sport and Panis Racing. Two-car teams in the premier class include United Autosports (with drivers Ben Hanley and Felipe Albuquerque confirmed respectively), Inter Europol Competition and Cool Racing.

In the LMP2 Pro-Am class, there are entries from DKR Engineering (with Belgian Tom Van Rompuy), Team Virage, Algarve Pro Racing, United Autosports (with Oliver Jarvis, among others), Nielsen Racing, TDS’s Richard Mille, Proton Competition and AF Course. Dutch riders are not yet on the roster, as teams officially only have to register one rider at this time. There are a notable number of teams that have already mentioned their full three-driver lineup by name.

The LMP3 class consists of two Duqueines, from the factory team DKR Engineering and German WTM from Rinaldi Racing, and eight Ligiers, split between the two-car RLM Msport, Team Virage, Eurointernational, Cool Racing, Racing Spirit of Léman, Ultimate and Inter. Europol competition with two cars each. There are no Dutch names here either.

Just like in the WEC, the GTE cars will also make way for the GT3 cars in next year’s ELMS, with a total of 11 cars. Ferrari is the favourite, with entries from Formula Racing, AF Corse, Spirit of Race, Kessel Racing, JMW Motorsport and GR Racing, which comes from Porsche. Grid Motorsport by TF and Racing Spirit of Léman are played by Aston Martin, the latter Swiss team with Frenchman Valentin Hasse-Clot and the American family of your editor’s namesake, Derek DeBoer. There are Porsches from the Proton Competition and Iron Dames, while the Iron Lynx is entered by a Lamborghini.

American Derek DeBoer, here with your editor, who has the same title, will make his debut in the European Le Mans Series next year