24h Le Mans
Last October, the Automobile Club de l'Ouest announced the creation of a championship strictly for GT3 class cars with as main sponsor and sole tyre supplier, Michelin. Though the final version of the regulations will not be known until January, but the main points have been defined.
The number of rules are about the same as those for the 24 Hours of Le Mans. For the LM GTE classes entered at Le Mans, the Balance of Performance (BoP) will be utilized to standardize cars that may be of an entirely difference design.
Also, the two-driver composition of driver line-ups is not open, as in the two classes (LM P2 and LM GTE Am) that are primarily gentlemen-drivers, with the classification used being the same as the FIA's. Platinum drivers (recognized professionals) are not authorized to race and at least one Bronze driver (the lowest classification) must figure in the driver line-up. The second driver can be a Bronze, Silver or Gold, but only a Bronze driver can take part in the 15-minute qualifying session after which a 10-minute Superpole will be carried out.
Like the World Endurance Championship (WEC), the flagship race of the Michelin GT3 Le Mans Cup will take place at Le Mans, as a curtain-raiser to the 24 Hours of Le Mans and with the LM P3s. Only teams that can enter two cars throughout the season and are entered for the full year will be authorized to compete at Le Mans. Unlike the rest of the season which will be comprised of two-hour rounds, the Le Mans race will be just one hour.
Interested teams may enter between January 11th and March 14th next year, two weeks prior to the official tests on March 19th and 20th at the Paul Ricard circuit at Le Castellet. A round will also take place in the Var since the championship calendar coincides with the European Le Mans Series (ELMS) with the exception of the opening ELMS round at Silverstone, which is not on the GT3 schedule.
In addition to significant prizes (more than 300,000 euros in all, including 100,000 euros for the winner of the championship, 10,000 euros for the winner of each race and 40,000 euros for the least penalized car of the season), an automatic invitation to the following edition of the 24 Hours of Le Mans in the LM GTE Am class will be awarded to the winner of the championship.
Cécile Bonardel / ACO - Translation by Nikki Ehrhardt / ACO
