Road to Le Mans

The Road to Le Mans is a sports car racing held annually at the Circuit de la Sarthe, in Le Mans, France. It serves as a support event for the main race, the annual 24 Hours of Le Mans. The race was first run in 2016, as a one-hour event, forming part of the Michelin GT3 Le Mans Cup, in its inaugural season.[1]

Road to Le Mans
Michelin Le Mans Cup
VenueCircuit de la Sarthe
First race2016
First MLMC race2016
Duration2x 55 Minutes
Most wins (team)Luxembourg DKR Engineering

History

The race was announced on 13 November 2015, a support race for LMP3 cars, competing in series sanctioned by the Automobile Club de l'Ouest, and GT3 cars competing in the Michelin GT3 Le Mans Cup. It would by the Automobile Club de l’Ouest with the collaboration of Le Mans Endurance Management (promoter of the Michelin GT3 Le Mans Cup Series)[2] It was announced to be a non-championship race for the LMP3 cars, while all full-season entrants of the GT3 Le Mans Cup would receive automatic invitations to the race.[2] For the inaugural race in 2016, a total of 39 cars were entered, with 22 LMP3 and 17 GT3 cars. [3] The race was the first time that GT3 and LMP3 cars had competed on the full Circuit de la Sarthe.[4]

In 2017, the race was announced to be returning on the Le Mans support calendar, albeit with a number of changes. The event was expanded to comprise 2x 55 minute long races, with up to 46 cars competing, instead of 42 in the previous year.[5]

Race Winners

Year Race Drivers Team Car Drivers Team Car Duration/Distance
LMP3 GT3
2016 France Alexandre Cougnaud

France Thomas Laurent

China DC Racing Ligier JS P3 13 laps
2017 1 United States Sean Rayhall

United States John Falb

United Kingdom United Autosports Ligier JS P3 Oman Ahmad Al Harthy

United Kingdom Tom Jackson

United Kingdom TF Sport Aston Martin V12 Vantage GT3 13 laps
2 Spain Alexander Toril

Belgium Jean Glorieux

Luxembourg DKR Engineering Norma M30 Oman Ahmad Al Harthy

United Kingdom Tom Jackson

United Kingdom TF Sport Aston Martin V12 Vantage GT3 13 laps
2018 1 Denmark Mikkel Jensen

Netherlands Kay Van Berio

United States EuroInternational Ligier JS P3 Italy Piergiuseppe Perazzini

Italy Marco Cioci

Italy AF Corse Ferrari 488 GT3 13 laps
2 United Kingdom Michael Benham

United Kingdom Duncan Tappy

United Kingdom Lanan Racing Norma M30 Switzerland Christoph Ulrich

Italy Maurizio Mediani

Switzerland Spirit of Race Ferrari 488 GT3 12 laps
2019 1 France Adrian Chila

France Nicolas Schatz

France Graff Norma M30 Denmark Mikkel Mac

France Fabien Lavergne

United StatesLuzich Racing Ferrari 488 GT3 11 laps
2 France François Kirmann

Germany Laurents Hörr

Luxembourg DKR Engineering Norma M30 Denmark Mikkel Mac

France Fabien Lavergne

United StatesLuzich Racing Ferrari 488 GT3 14 laps
2020 1 Belgium Jean Glorieux

Germany Laurents Hörr

Luxembourg DKR Engineering Duqueine M30 - D08 Italy Andrea Caldarelli

Japan Hiroshi Hamaguchi

China Orange1 FFF Racing Team Lamborghini Huracán GT3 13 laps
2 France Edouard Cauhaupé

France Nicolas Maulini

Switzerland Cool Racing Ligier JS P320 Italy Andrea Caldarelli

Japan Hiroshi Hamaguchi

China Orange1 FFF Racing Team Lamborghini Huracán GT3 12 laps
2021 1 United Kingdom Anthony Wells

United Kingdom Colin Noble

United Kingdom Nielsen Racing Ligier JS P320 Finland Rory Penttinen

United States Logan Sargeant

Italy Iron Lynx Ferrari 488 GT3 Evo 2020 12 laps
2 Germany Moritz Kranz

Belgium Ugo de Wilde

Belgium Mühlner Motorsport Duqueine M30 - D08 France Julien Andlauer

Switzerland Nicolas Leutwiler

Switzerland Pzoberer Zürichsee by TFT Porsche 911 GT3 R 13 laps
2022 1 France Tom Dillmann

Germany Alexander Mattschull

Switzerland Racing Spirit of Leman Ligier JS P320 Italy Emanuele Busnelli

Italy Fabio Babini

Italy Ebimotors Porsche 911 GT3 R 12 laps
2 United Kingdom Michael Benham

United Kingdom Duncan Tappy

Switzerland Cool Racing Ligier JS P320 Denmark Kasper H. Jensen

Denmark Kristian Poulsen

Denmark GMB Motorsport Honda NSX GT3 Evo22 11 laps

References

  1. Dagys, John. "ACO Launches Michelin GT3 Le Mans Cup for 2016 – Sportscar365". sportscar365.com. Retrieved 17 July 2019.
  2. "Road to Le Mans as a curtain-raiser to the 2016 Le Mans 24 Hours". www.europeanlemansseries.com. Retrieved 17 July 2019.
  3. "Entry List For The Road To Le Mans Race Revealed – dailysportscar.com". www.dailysportscar.com. Retrieved 17 July 2019.
  4. Kilshaw, Jake. "39 Cars on Road to Le Mans Entry List – Sportscar365". sportscar365.com. Retrieved 17 July 2019.
  5. Kilshaw, Jake. "Updated Road to Le Mans Format Revealed; Extra Race Added – Sportscar365". sportscar365.com. Retrieved 17 July 2019.
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