A Beginner’s Guide To The European Le Mans Series
- therookiereporters
- 2 hours ago
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With the 2026 ELMS season approaching, here is a beginner’s guide to the European Le Mans series.
The European Le Mans Series (ELMS) is a European sports car endurance racing series inspired by the 24 Hours of Le Mans, organized by the Automobile Club de l’Ouest.
At its core, the series is built around the principles of endurance racing. ELMS features four-hour races held across major European circuits, typically forming a season with six rounds – Barcelona, Le Castellet, Imola, Spa-Francorchamps, Silverstone and Portimão.
In 2026, the ELMS grid will include 47 cars across four categories: 11 in LMP2, 12 in LMP2 Pro/Am, 10 in LMP3, and 14 in LMGT3.
The top teams in each class will compete for a major reward; an automatic invitation to the 24 Hours of Le Mans. This invitation will go to the LMP2 champion and runner-up, as well as the champions of LMP2 Pro/Am, LMP3, and LMGT3 at the end of the season.
The Categories
LMP2
Positioned just below the top LMH class in the FIA World Endurance Championship, LMP2 plays an important role in endurance racing by giving teams and drivers a pathway to reach the highest level. The “Le Mans Prototype 2” category is exclusively reserved for private teams that are not affiliated with manufacturers or engine suppliers.
LMP2 cars share several features with LMH machines, such as a carbon monocoque chassis, but are built under strict cost regulations, with a maximum price capped at €483,000.
Driver lineups must include at least one Silver-rated driver, and teams are not allowed to field two Platinum-rated drivers together.
The top two LMP2 finishers earn an automatic invitation to the next edition of the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
LMP2 Pro/Am
In 2021, the LMP2 field featured a dedicated trophy and title for teams running at least one bronze-rated driver, a category known as LMP2 Pro/Am. From the 2023 season onwards, this Pro/Am category has been established as a separate class.
The cars used are identical to those in the standard LMP2 class. Each team must consist of two or three drivers, including at least one Bronze driver, and may not include two Platinum drivers in the same line-up.
The top LMP2 Pro/Am finisher earns an invitation to compete in the next 24 Hours of Le Mans.
LMP3
The LMP3 category was launched by the Automobile Club de l’Ouest (ACO) in 2015 as an entry-level platform for endurance racing. It remains focused on delivering competitive racing within a cost-controlled framework.
It serves as a development ground where drivers, engineers, mechanics, and teams can build experience before progressing to top-tier events like the 24 Hours of Le Mans and the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC).
The top LMP3 finisher will receive an invitation to compete in the following 24 Hours of Le Mans.
LMGT3
The LMGT3 category is a set of regulations established by the ACO and FIA for grand touring race cars competing in their championships.
To compete in LMGT3, vehicles must be produced by an ACO/FIA-approved manufacturer, meet GT3 technical regulations, and fully comply with the category’s specific technical requirements.
Driver lineups in LMGT3 must follow the official driver categorization rules. Teams of two or three drivers are required to include at least one Bronze-rated driver, and may not have more than one driver rated Gold or Platinum.
The top LMGT3 finisher earns an invitation to participate in the following 24 Hours of Le Mans.
Bronze, Silver, Gold, and Platinum
In the FIA’s driver categorization system, ratings run from Bronze up through Silver, Gold and Platinum. Bronze is the entry-level category.
The FIA assigns ratings based on a combination of factors including experience, results, age, etc.
Drivers are only assigned a Bronze rating if they obtain their license for the first time at the age of thirty or older. Therefore, this classification is usually reserved for gentleman drivers.
All drivers beginning their career before the age of thirty are placed in the Silver category.
A Gold-rating can be obtained once a driver has achieved a win in a tier 3 series (Formula 3, NASCAR Cup Series, Super GT, etc.) or placed top three in a tier 2 series (a National Touring Car Championship, National LMP3 Championship, etc.).
A Platinum-rating can be achieved in four ways. Three of these involve season results in FIA championships such as Formula 2 and Formula E. The fourth way a driver can become Platinum is to win a major endurance race such as the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
The Race
Each race weekend is composed of two Free Practice sessions which last 90 minutes. In addition, a Bronze Test session of 30 minutes is held exclusively for FIA-ranked Bronze drivers.
Qualifying is organized as one 15-minute session per category to determine the starting grid for the race. In the LMP2 Pro/Am and LMGT3 categories, only Bronze drivers are permitted to take part in qualifying, while in LMP2 and LMP3 the choice of driver is left to the team.
The weekend concludes with the race, which has a duration of four hours. Driver lineups are composed of two to three drivers per car, and each driver must drive at least 40 minutes during the race. The winner is the car that covered the greatest distance in their category.
Article written by Jana Van Nieuwenborgh
