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GRAND-AM
LE MANS: ACO Supports GRAND-AM, ALMS Merger
Scott Atherton, Don Panoz optimistic of continued link to 24 Hours of Le Mans...
Scott Atherton, right, met with FIA WEC CEO Gerard Neveu, left, during the Six Hours of Silverstone event last month. (Photo: FIA WEC)
The Automobile Club de l’Ouest has voiced its approval of Wednesday’s merger between GRAND-AM and the American Le Mans Series, which will see a unified North American sports car championship beginning in 2014.
While a contract has yet to be worked out between the ACO and the new series, headed by Chairman Jim France, both ALMS founder Don Panoz and current President and CEO Scott Atherton are optimistic of seeing a continued link to the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
"From our very first meeting, from when Jim [France] and I sat down in February, he made the comment that he thought it was an important priority to retain the relationship with the ACO and to retain the link to Le Mans," Atherton said.
"I think we'll all admit that it's easier said that done, but our vision and plan is to retain that relationship. Don [Panoz] had that idea many, many years ago. There are 15 years of equity established in that relationship. We're up to the task."
The ACO, meanwhile, has issued the following statement, citing that it will “play an active role in the development” of the new championship.
“The merger of these two championships, which was carried out with the approval of the Automobile Club de l’Ouest, has become necessary to enable endurance racing to continue to evolve,” said ACO President Pierre Fillon.
“In 2014, this branch of the sport will have a bigger calendar and high-quality fields. Everybody will benefit from this unified series: entrants in North America, drivers and fans.
“This rapprochement proves that Automobile Club de l’Ouest’s assessment of the situation is the right one, and one of its major initiatives is to reinforce the presence of endurance racing on the international scene.
“The foundation consists of three continental series: the European Le Mans Series, the Asian Le Mans Series and this North-American merger in 2014, which will make the base even stronger together with the FIA World Endurance Championship, while the summit of this pyramid remains the Le Mans 24 Hours.
“I’m happy to meet up with the new team directing this new series in the near future, and to start working with them on this North American Championship.”
Questions remain over the exact class structure of the unified series. Atherton confirmed he expects ALMS GT category to be included, but Panoz has essentially ruled out the top-tier P1 class from being in the show. It’s expected both of GRAND-AM’s Daytona Prototype and GT categories will also continue.
With no P1 category expected, it has pretty much ruled out a potential link-up with the FIA World Endurance Championship, which ran with the ALMS in a combined race at Sebring this year.
"The WEC is basically an event of LMP1 cars and some people who like to travel," Panoz said during Wednesday’s merger announcement. "In our situation, we’re not thinking about an LMP1 type class. We're thinking of Daytona Prototypes, Le Mans Prototypes, maybe even the DeltaWing.
"The [WEC] has their plan and they are pursuing that. But we are American-based. It was the American Le Mans Series and this series we're putting together is the American sports car series. We have to take care of our own business in our own market, addressing our sponsors, our fans, our teams.
“That's exactly what we're going to do. Of course we're going to pay attention to what's going on around us. But we'll be acting responsibly in our own best interest."
For 2013, it’s widely believed the WEC will hold its North American round at the new Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas, potentially as a double-header with the ALMS, which will continue to run separate of GRAND-AM next year ahead of the 2014 merger.
FIA WEC CEO Gerard Neveu released the following statement regarding Wednesday's merger:
“The news that endurance racing in North America will have one voice from 2014 is good news for our sport. The United States is a very important market and anything that strengthens the brand in that part of the world is good news for everyone involved.
"The FIA World Endurance Championship will continue to hold a race in North America and the merger between ALMS and GRAND-AM will introduce more people to our global brand of racing. We’d like to congratulate Don Panoz and Scott Atherton from ALMS and Mr. France and Mr. Bennett from GRAND-AM for reaching this historic agreement. I’d like to wish everyone involved good luck and offer our continued support.”
Next year’s WEC calendar is expected to be unveiled next weekend in Sao Paulo, Brazil.
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
While a contract has yet to be worked out between the ACO and the new series, headed by Chairman Jim France, both ALMS founder Don Panoz and current President and CEO Scott Atherton are optimistic of seeing a continued link to the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
"From our very first meeting, from when Jim [France] and I sat down in February, he made the comment that he thought it was an important priority to retain the relationship with the ACO and to retain the link to Le Mans," Atherton said.
"I think we'll all admit that it's easier said that done, but our vision and plan is to retain that relationship. Don [Panoz] had that idea many, many years ago. There are 15 years of equity established in that relationship. We're up to the task."
The ACO, meanwhile, has issued the following statement, citing that it will “play an active role in the development” of the new championship.
“The merger of these two championships, which was carried out with the approval of the Automobile Club de l’Ouest, has become necessary to enable endurance racing to continue to evolve,” said ACO President Pierre Fillon.
“In 2014, this branch of the sport will have a bigger calendar and high-quality fields. Everybody will benefit from this unified series: entrants in North America, drivers and fans.
“This rapprochement proves that Automobile Club de l’Ouest’s assessment of the situation is the right one, and one of its major initiatives is to reinforce the presence of endurance racing on the international scene.
“The foundation consists of three continental series: the European Le Mans Series, the Asian Le Mans Series and this North-American merger in 2014, which will make the base even stronger together with the FIA World Endurance Championship, while the summit of this pyramid remains the Le Mans 24 Hours.
“I’m happy to meet up with the new team directing this new series in the near future, and to start working with them on this North American Championship.”
Questions remain over the exact class structure of the unified series. Atherton confirmed he expects ALMS GT category to be included, but Panoz has essentially ruled out the top-tier P1 class from being in the show. It’s expected both of GRAND-AM’s Daytona Prototype and GT categories will also continue.
With no P1 category expected, it has pretty much ruled out a potential link-up with the FIA World Endurance Championship, which ran with the ALMS in a combined race at Sebring this year.
"The WEC is basically an event of LMP1 cars and some people who like to travel," Panoz said during Wednesday’s merger announcement. "In our situation, we’re not thinking about an LMP1 type class. We're thinking of Daytona Prototypes, Le Mans Prototypes, maybe even the DeltaWing.
"The [WEC] has their plan and they are pursuing that. But we are American-based. It was the American Le Mans Series and this series we're putting together is the American sports car series. We have to take care of our own business in our own market, addressing our sponsors, our fans, our teams.
“That's exactly what we're going to do. Of course we're going to pay attention to what's going on around us. But we'll be acting responsibly in our own best interest."
For 2013, it’s widely believed the WEC will hold its North American round at the new Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas, potentially as a double-header with the ALMS, which will continue to run separate of GRAND-AM next year ahead of the 2014 merger.
FIA WEC CEO Gerard Neveu released the following statement regarding Wednesday's merger:
“The news that endurance racing in North America will have one voice from 2014 is good news for our sport. The United States is a very important market and anything that strengthens the brand in that part of the world is good news for everyone involved.
"The FIA World Endurance Championship will continue to hold a race in North America and the merger between ALMS and GRAND-AM will introduce more people to our global brand of racing. We’d like to congratulate Don Panoz and Scott Atherton from ALMS and Mr. France and Mr. Bennett from GRAND-AM for reaching this historic agreement. I’d like to wish everyone involved good luck and offer our continued support.”
Next year’s WEC calendar is expected to be unveiled next weekend in Sao Paulo, Brazil.
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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