Le Mans Cup

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).

Le Mans Cup
CategoryEndurance racing
CountryInternational
Inaugural season2016
Prototype ClassesLMP3
GT ClassesGT3
Drivers' championLMP3:
Anthony Wells
Colin Noble
GT3:
Nicolas Leutwiler
Teams' championLMP3: Nielsen Racing
GT3: Iron Lynx
Official websitelemanscup.com
Current season

The GT3 Le Mans Cup was created in 2016 after the GTC category was dropped from the European Le Mans Series. Aiming to increase the number of GT3 entries, the ACO created a new six-event competition (five two-hour events and a one-hour race at Le Mans), designed primarily for amateur drivers and leading to more competitive races.[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.

For 2022 the race length was shortened from two hours to 1h 50m, to enable removal of this second mandatory pit stop.

All events consist of two-hour races except the round at Le Mans, where there was a one-hour race in 2017 and have been two 55-minute races every year since 2018.

Champions

LMP3 Drivers
Season Drivers Team Poles Wins Podiums Points Clinched Margin
2017 Jean Glorieux
Alexander Toril		 DKR Engineering 5 4 5 114 6 of 7 24
2018 Jens Petersen
Léonard Hoogenboom		 DKR Engineering 0 3 4 103 6 of 7 11,5
2019 Laurents Hörr
François Kirmann		 DKR Engineering 4 2 5 100 7 of 7 8,5
2020 Laurents Hörr DKR Engineering 1 3 6 120 7 of 7 15
2021 Anthony Wells
Colin Noble		 Nielsen Racing 0 2 3 75 7 of 7 4

LMP3 Teams
Season Team Car Poles Wins Podiums Points Clinched Margin
2017 DKR Engineering Norma M30 5 4 5 114 6 of 7 24
2018 DKR Engineering Norma M30 0 3 4 103 6 of 7 11,5
2019 DKR Engineering Norma M30 4 2 5 100 7 of 7 8,5
2020 DKR Engineering Duqueine M30 - D08 1 3 6 120 7 of 7 31
2021 Nielsen Racing Ligier JS P320 0 2 3 75 7 of 7 4

GT3 Drivers
Season Drivers Team Poles Wins Podiums Points Clinched Margin
2016 Aleksey Basov
Viktor Shaytar		 SMP Racing 3 4 5 121 5 of 6 14
2017 Fabio Babini
Emanuele Busnelli		 Ebimotors 0 2 5 104.5 7 of 7 2
2018 Giacomo Piccini
Sergio Pianezzola		 Kessel Racing 4 5 5 138 7 of 7 55
2019 Giacomo Piccini
Sergio Pianezzola		 Kessel Racing 1 4 6 130 7 of 7 21
2020 Rino Mastronardi Iron Lynx 5 4 7 132 6 of 7 15
2021 Nicolas Leutwiler Pzoberer Zürichsee by TFT 1 2 6 107 7 of 7 10

GT3 Teams
Season Team Cars Poles Wins Podiums Points Clinched Margin
2016 TF Sport Aston Martin Vantage GT3 0 2 5 107 6 of 6 11
2017 Ebimotors Lamborghini Huracán GT3 0 2 5 104.5 7 of 7 2
2018 Kessel Racing Ferrari 488 GT3 4 5 5 138 7 of 7 55
2019 Kessel Racing Ferrari 488 GT3 1 4 6 130 7 of 7 21
2020 Iron Lynx Ferrari 488 GT3 5 4 7 132 6 of 7 40
2021 Iron Lynx Ferrari 488 GT3 6 5 7 148 6 of 7 41

See also

References
  1. Release, News (4 May 2016). "Villorba Corse to enter 2016 Michelin GT3 Le Mans Cup".
  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".
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