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Le Mans / ALMS
ELMS: Series Revived, Releases 2013 Schedule
Five-round championship, featuring shortened three-hour races, to kick off at Silverstone in April...
The 2013 ELMS schedule was announced last weekend, featuring five rounds. (Photo: John Dagys)
Following a shortened 2012 season that ended with a combined event with the ALMS at Petit Le Mans, the European Le Mans Series announced last weekend its plans for next year, including the format, class structure and 2013 calendar.
Five rounds have been confirmed for next year, which will see a reduced race length of three hours, along with a compact two-day weekend format.
The season kicks off at Silverstone in April as part of a Super Endurance Weekend with the FIA World Endurance Championship before traveling to Imola the following month for a shared event with the FFSA GT Tour.
Following a two-month break for the 24 Hours of Le Mans, the ELMS returns to action in mid-July at the Red Bull Ring, for the first of three shared events with the World Series by Renault. A trip to the Hungaroring in mid-September. followed by the season-ending round at Paul Ricard later that month, makes up the five-round series for 2013.
The class structure will remain unchanged from 2012, with LMP2, LMPC, GTE-Pro, GTE-Am and GTC (GT3) cars being eligible to race.
"It is for the ACO to guarantee the best possible future for this series, considered to be one of the mainstays of our discipline, and this will be done by the organization from next season through Le Mans Endurance Management (LMEM)," said ACO President Pierre Fillon. "The ACO will provide eligible ELMS teams entrance for the 24 Heures du Mans and also a special invitation for the 24h le Mans Test day next June.”
LMEM CEO Gerard Neveu, who is also in charge of the FIA WEC, added:
“Since the ACO announced in August that LMEM would be organising the 2013 European Le Mans Series we have been working hard to produce a calendar that would have a broad appeal for the teams and drivers.
“The five circuits are all high and prestigious profile. The move to two day events and three hour races has been done to help reduce costs. All of the events will be held with other high profile series which will mean a great weekend for the fans while we can share the costs for promotion, entertainment, TV production and other key items needed to run a successful race meeting. In the same week end we will be able to propose to the fans for the first time sprint and endurance races. The track schedule will be very impressive and exciting.
“Most of the key personnel who work on the organization of the FIA WEC will also work on the ELMS, bringing consistency and stability to the organization of the ELMS.”
Entries for the ELMS will open on Dec. 12 and close in mid-January.
2013 European Le Mans Series - Provisional Calendar
April 12-13 Silverstone (UK)*
May 17-18 Imola (ITA)
July 19-20 Red Bull Ring (AUT)
Sept. 13-14 Hungaroring (HUN)
Sept. 27-28 Paul Ricard (FRA)
*Super Endurance Weekend with FIA WEC
John Dagys is SPEED.com’s Sportscar Racing Reporter, focusing on all major domestic and international championships. You can follow him on Twitter @johndagys or email him at
Five rounds have been confirmed for next year, which will see a reduced race length of three hours, along with a compact two-day weekend format.
The season kicks off at Silverstone in April as part of a Super Endurance Weekend with the FIA World Endurance Championship before traveling to Imola the following month for a shared event with the FFSA GT Tour.
Following a two-month break for the 24 Hours of Le Mans, the ELMS returns to action in mid-July at the Red Bull Ring, for the first of three shared events with the World Series by Renault. A trip to the Hungaroring in mid-September. followed by the season-ending round at Paul Ricard later that month, makes up the five-round series for 2013.
The class structure will remain unchanged from 2012, with LMP2, LMPC, GTE-Pro, GTE-Am and GTC (GT3) cars being eligible to race.
"It is for the ACO to guarantee the best possible future for this series, considered to be one of the mainstays of our discipline, and this will be done by the organization from next season through Le Mans Endurance Management (LMEM)," said ACO President Pierre Fillon. "The ACO will provide eligible ELMS teams entrance for the 24 Heures du Mans and also a special invitation for the 24h le Mans Test day next June.”
LMEM CEO Gerard Neveu, who is also in charge of the FIA WEC, added:
“Since the ACO announced in August that LMEM would be organising the 2013 European Le Mans Series we have been working hard to produce a calendar that would have a broad appeal for the teams and drivers.
“The five circuits are all high and prestigious profile. The move to two day events and three hour races has been done to help reduce costs. All of the events will be held with other high profile series which will mean a great weekend for the fans while we can share the costs for promotion, entertainment, TV production and other key items needed to run a successful race meeting. In the same week end we will be able to propose to the fans for the first time sprint and endurance races. The track schedule will be very impressive and exciting.
“Most of the key personnel who work on the organization of the FIA WEC will also work on the ELMS, bringing consistency and stability to the organization of the ELMS.”
Entries for the ELMS will open on Dec. 12 and close in mid-January.
2013 European Le Mans Series - Provisional Calendar
April 12-13 Silverstone (UK)*
May 17-18 Imola (ITA)
July 19-20 Red Bull Ring (AUT)
Sept. 13-14 Hungaroring (HUN)
Sept. 27-28 Paul Ricard (FRA)
*Super Endurance Weekend with FIA WEC
John Dagys is SPEED.com’s Sportscar Racing Reporter, focusing on all major domestic and international championships. You can follow him on Twitter @johndagys or email him at
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