ELMS 2023 – What’s Coming – Who’s Going? Part One – LMP2

Once again in 2022 the Portimao weekend has seen the DSC Editor and our French friend and colleague David Bristol patrolling the paddock to establish the plans at present for the current ELMS crop across all three classes.

Once gain in 2023 the Championship will comprise four classes: LMP2, LMP2 Pro-Am for crews featuring at least one Bronze driver, LMOP3 and, for the final season, GTE.

So what do we expect from the grid next year?

LMP2

Prema Team look set to depart the ELMS for a two-car LMP2 effort in the FIA WEC where there appears to be an active policy of allowing future Hypercar teams a two-car presence whilst multiple current single car teams have told DSC that they have been dissuaded from applying for a second WEC slot.

United Autosports will double up in 2023 to a two-car ELMS LMP2 entry alongside their existing two car WEC effort. The single car IMSA effort will cease we believe.

As has already been announced by the team they will field a two-cr LMP2 effort in the Asian Le Mans Series with one ELMS car (the new Oreca shaken down just yesterday, built around current United LMP3 customer Daniel Schneider.

Algarve Pro Racing 2022’s only two-car team will most likely bring just a single car to the European Series in 2023 alongside other efforts, also likely to be single car, in the FIA WEC and IMSA. Current plans for the Asian Le Mans Series are unclear.

Inter Europol Competition are amongst the group of teams apparently advised that the addition of a second LMP2 to their WEC effort will not be possible in 2023. That will see the return of a single Oreca to the ELMS

AF Corse are likely returnees with the single car effort of Francois Perrodo in LMP2 Pro-Am, likely with two new co-drivers as the Ferrari factory pairing of Alessio Roverra and Niklas Nielsen look set to be called up for Ferrari Hypercar duty. A parallel programme for IMSA’s Michelin Endurance Cup also looks likely now that the initial clash between the ELMS and IMSA season finales has been removed.

Cool Racing will expand to a two-car LMP2 effort in the FIA WEC with a new crew added for the return to the fray of Alexandre Coib=gny, the CLX racing co-oner set to be joined of the season in the ELMS (and with a single LMMP2 in the Asian Le Mans Series) by 2022 ELMS LMP3 Champion Malthe Jakobsen.. The addition of Nico Lapierre to complete the trio has been suggested by several key sources.

Nielsen Racing currently look set for the return of a single-car LMP2 Pro-Am effort to both the European and Asian Le Mans Series in 2023 after taking the latter title in 2022!

Racing Team Turkey look set to return to the ELMS with a single-car effort for Salih Yoluc in LMP2 Pro-Am anger taking the title in 2022, the Turkish driver also looking set to take the bright red Oreca for a first entry at the Rolex 24 Hours. TF Sport are set to continue to operate the team.

TDS Racing have shown sparkling pace at times in the 2022 ELMS and are actively working on a return alongside a no announced two-car effort in IMSA. The return of the Racing team Nederland effort currently seems unlikely in 2023!

Muehlner Motorsport‘s plans ae currently less clear, the team evaluating a number of options, including an expansion to a second car. A single car effort in the ELMS looks very likely to return though and a potential entry at the Rolex 24 at Daytona for th first time in LMP2 sits high on the wish list too.

2022 Championship runners up Panis Racing look set to return with a single car effort too and with an automatic invitation for Le Mans secured with their runner up slot that adds weight to their 2022 plans.

IDEC Sport too look set to repeat their single car effort and will also have an entry for Le Mans in their sights!

Duqueine Team are a team looking at options at present, a return to the ELMS looks most likely but there are whispers of an expansion, and of a potential Asian Le Mans Series entry.

Team Virage have had a tough first season in LMP2 but were testing yesterday with new drivers – They are expected to return with a single car entry.

BHK Motorsport by contrast may decide to call it a day on their LMP2 effort, the current state of trim and power for the ‘stratified’ LMP2s not to their drivers’ liking.

DKR Engineering returned to Le Mans last year with an auto invitation and a rented Oreca from Graff – that car has now been purchased by the DKR team with evaluation of programmes underway, any combination of ELMS, Asian Le Mans Series and the Rolex 24 is possible – or perhaps nothing at all in 2023 in LMP2!

Graff Racing look set not to return to the LMP2 ranks in 2023.

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