With the arrival of the new LMP3 category in the European Le Mans Series next year, the regulations with regards to driver crew categorisations, minimum and maximum driving times, pitstop times and refuelling rigs have been clarified.
It has also been confirmed that the winning drivers of the LMP3 category in 2015 will also receive an LMP2 test session with a Nissan Junior Team and the winning LMP3 team will receive an automatic entry into the LMP2 category at the 2016 24 Heures du Mans, providing there are more than three full season entries received in this category for the ELMS next season.
Driver Crews
A crew of 3 drivers must be made of as following:
- one Platinum and two Bronze drivers,
- one Gold, one Bronze, and one Silver or a second Bronze
- three Bronze or Silver drivers.
A crew of 2 drivers must be made of as following:
- one Platinum and one Bronze driver,
- one Gold and one Silver or Bronze
- two Bronze or Silver drivers.
Pit Stop Times
Pit Stops for the cars running in the LMP3 category during the race:
Minimum pit stop time (pit entry loop – pit exit loop) for the refueling and/or driver change only: 1 minute 30 seconds**
Minimum pit stop time (pit entry loop – pit exit loop) for any other operation: 2 minutes 30 seconds.**
** Value will be confirmed after having completed LMP3 refueling test
Refueling Towers
Any competitor entering 2 cars in the LMP3 category or entering 1 car in the LMP2 category as well as 1 car in the LMP3 category, must use only one refueling tower.
Driving Time
For the driver line up made of 2 drivers:
- Maximum driving time for a Gold or Platinum driver : 1H40 minutes
- Minimum driving time for a Bronze or Silver driver: 2H20 minutes
If there is no Gold or Platinum driver in the driver line up:
- Minimum driving time for a Bronze or Silver driver: 1h40 minutes
For the driver line up made of 3 drivers:
- Maximum driving time for a Gold or Platinum driver : 1h40 minutes
- Minimum driving time for a Bronze or Silver driver: 40 minutes
Changes to Driving Times in LMP2 and GTC
In addition there have been some changes made to the minimum and maximum driving times in LMP2 and GTC categories, all other driving times are unchanged from 2014.
For the LMP2 category
For the driver line up made of 3 drivers:
If the crew is composed by 2 Platinum or Gold drivers :
- Maximum driving time for a Gold or Platinum driver : 1h30 minutes
- Minimum driving time for a Gold or Platinum driver : 40 minutes
- Minimum driving time for a Bronze or Silver driver: 1h30 minutes
If the crew is composed by 1 Platinum or Gold driver :
- Maximum driving time for a Gold or Platinum driver : 1h40 minutes
- Minimum driving time for a Bronze or Silver driver: 40 minutes
If there is no Gold or Platinum driver in the driver line up:
- Minimum driving time for a Bronze or Silver driver: 40 minutes
For the driver line up made of 2 drivers:
- Maximum driving time for a Gold or Platinum driver : 1H40 minutes
- Minimum driving time for a Bronze or Silver driver: 2H20 minutes
For the GTC category only :
The maximum duration of a stint remains at 50 minutes
For the driver line up made of 2 drivers:
- Minimum driving time for a driver: 1h30 minutes
For the driver line up made of 3 drivers including one Gold or Platinum:
- Maximum driving time for a Gold or Platinum driver : 1h15 minutes
- Minimum driving time for a Silver driver: 45 minutes
- Minimum driving time for a Bronze driver: 1h30 minutes
For the driver line up made of 3 drivers without any Gold or Platinum driver:
- Minimum driving time for Bronze drivers combined (one or more Bronze drivers in the same line up) : 1h30 minutes.
The remaining driving times in the category remained unchanged from the 2014 regulations in 2015
Tyre Manufacturer
In LMGTE and GTC a single tyre manufacturer will be announced before the end of 2014.
Invitation to the 24 Hours of Le Mans
The prize of an automatic invitation to the 2016 24 Heures du Mans is also confirmed with five entries for the European Le Mans Series competitors -
- The 1st LMP2 competitor is invited to the 2016 24 Heures du Mans.
- The 1st and the 2nd GTE competitors are invited to the 2016 24 Heures du Mans.
- The 1st GTC competitor is invited to the 2016 24 Heures du Mans (in the GTE Am category).
- The 1st LMP3 competitor is invited to the 2016 24 Heures du Mans (in the LMP2 category). This is subject to there being more than three cars entered for the full season and each round of the 2015 European Le Mans Series.
Entries for 2015
Teams wishing to enter the 2015 European Le Mans Series can download the entry form on the ELMS website (www.europeanlemansseries.com) from 20 December, the official opening date for the entries in the Series. All entries must be received by the 27 January with the 2015 grid being unveiled in February.