The Le Mans Cup, previously the GT3 Le Mans Cup and currently known as the Michelin Le Mans Cup under sponsorship, is an international sports car racing endurance series inspired by the 24 Hours of Le Mans race and organized by the Automobile Club de l'Ouest (ACO).
 | |
| Category | Endurance racing |
|---|---|
| Country | International |
| Inaugural season | 2016 |
| Prototype Classes | LMP3 |
| GT Classes | GT3 |
| Drivers' champion | LMP3: Anthony Wells Colin NobleGT3:  Nicolas Leutwiler |
| Teams' champion | LMP3: Nielsen Racing GT3:  Iron Lynx |
| Official website | lemanscup.com |
 Current season | |
The GT3 Le Mans Cup was created in 2016 after the GTC category was dropped from the European Le Mans Series. Aiming to increase the number of GT3 entries, the ACO created a new six-event competition (five two-hour events and a one-hour race at Le Mans), designed primarily for amateur drivers and leading to more competitive races.[1][2][3] The teams' champion automatically receives an invitation to take part in the following 24 Hours of Le Mans in the LMGTE Am category.[4]
From the 2017 season, the series adopted a new format with LMP3 and GT3-class cars competing in their respective categories, with the ACO aiming to create a secondary division of LMP3-racing and promoting the best teams from the Le Mans Cup to the European Le Mans Series.[5]
All events consist of two-hour races except the round at Le Mans, where there was a one-hour race in 2017 and have been two 55-minute races every year since 2018.
Champions
LMP3 Drivers
| Season | Drivers | Team | Poles | Wins | Podiums | Points | Clinched | Margin |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 114 | 6 of 7 | 24 | ||
| 2018 | 0 | 3 | 4 | 103 | 6 of 7 | 11,5 | ||
| 2019 | 4 | 2 | 5 | 100 | 7 of 7 | 8,5 | ||
| 2020 | 1 | 3 | 6 | 120 | 7 of 7 | 15 | ||
| 2021 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 75 | 7 of 7 | 4 |
LMP3 Teams
| Season | Team | Car | Poles | Wins | Podiums | Points | Clinched | Margin |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | Norma M30 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 114 | 6 of 7 | 24 | |
| 2018 | Norma M30 | 0 | 3 | 4 | 103 | 6 of 7 | 11,5 | |
| 2019 | Norma M30 | 4 | 2 | 5 | 100 | 7 of 7 | 8,5 | |
| 2020 | Duqueine M30 - D08 | 1 | 3 | 6 | 120 | 7 of 7 | 31 | |
| 2021 | Ligier JS P320 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 75 | 7 of 7 | 4 |
GT3 Drivers
| Season | Drivers | Team | Poles | Wins | Podiums | Points | Clinched | Margin |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 121 | 5 of 6 | 14 | ||
| 2017 | 0 | 2 | 5 | 104.5 | 7 of 7 | 2 | ||
| 2018 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 138 | 7 of 7 | 55 | ||
| 2019 | 1 | 4 | 6 | 130 | 7 of 7 | 21 | ||
| 2020 | 5 | 4 | 7 | 132 | 6 of 7 | 15 | ||
| 2021 | 1 | 2 | 6 | 107 | 7 of 7 | 10 |
GT3 Teams
| Season | Team | Cars | Poles | Wins | Podiums | Points | Clinched | Margin |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | Aston Martin Vantage GT3 | 0 | 2 | 5 | 107 | 6 of 6 | 11 | |
| 2017 | Lamborghini Huracán GT3 | 0 | 2 | 5 | 104.5 | 7 of 7 | 2 | |
| 2018 | Ferrari 488 GT3 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 138 | 7 of 7 | 55 | |
| 2019 | Ferrari 488 GT3 | 1 | 4 | 6 | 130 | 7 of 7 | 21 | |
| 2020 | Ferrari 488 GT3 | 5 | 4 | 7 | 132 | 6 of 7 | 40 | |
| 2021 | Ferrari 488 GT3 | 6 | 5 | 7 | 148 | 6 of 7 | 41 |
See also
References
- ^ Release, News (4 May 2016). "Villorba Corse to enter 2016 Michelin GT3 Le Mans Cup".
{{cite web}}:|first=has generic name (help) - ^ "History - Michelin Le Mans Cup".
- ^ Ltd., Crash Media Group. "ACO launches Michelin GT3 Le Mans Cup - Sportscars News".
- ^ "Prize fund revealed for new GT3 Le Mans Cup".
- ^ "LMP3 Cars Added to Michelin Le Mans Cup for 2017 - Sportscar365".