2013 European LeMans Series Schedule announced

The European Le Mans Series, which finishes the 2012 on a high note at Petit Le Mans this weekend, will have new style of race weekend in 2013 with five high profile meetings in the UK, Italy, Austria, Hungary and France.

Each of the five race meetings will be held over two days, with practice on Friday and qualifying a 3-hour race on Saturday, and will be held alongside another high profile championship or series.

The season will start at Silverstone in the UK on the 13 April, joining the season opener for the FIA World Endurance Championship and making the event a Super Endurance weekend. On 18 May the ELMS will race in the grand surroundings of Imola in Italy with FFSA GT Tour.

Then there is a two month break to allow some of the teams to participate in the 24 Heures du Mans (22/23 June) before the ELMS resumes at the Red Bull Ring in Austria on the 20 July for the first of three events with the World Series by Renault. The next event is just across the border in Hungary with a 3 Hour race on the Hungaroring near Budapest on the 14 September. The 2013 ELMS will conclude in the south of France at Paul Ricard on the 28 September.

There will be classes for LM P2, LM PC, LM GTE Pro, LM GTE Am and GTC.

2013 European Le Mans Series – Provisional Calendar

Pierre FILLON, President of the Automobile Club de l’Ouest: “The ACO are totally involved in the organization of this European championship, which is an important part of endurance racing worldwide. It is for the ACO to guarantee the best possible future for this series, considered to be one of the mainstays of our discipline, and this will be done by the organization from next season through Le Mans Endurance Management (LMEM). The ACO will provide eligible ELMS teams entrance for the 24 Heures du Mans and also a special invitation for the 24h le Mans Test day next June."
Gerard Neveu, CEO of Le Mans Endurance Management (LMEM), said: “Since the ACO announced in August that LMEM would be organizing the 2013 European Le Mans Series we have been working hard to produce a calendar that would have a broad appeal for the teams and drivers.

The five circuits are all high and prestigious profile. The move to two day events and three hour races has been done to help reduce costs. All of the events will be held with other high profile series which will mean a great weekend for the fans while we can share the costs for promotion, entertainment, TV production and other key items needed to run a successful race meeting. In the same week end we will be able to propose to the fans for the first time sprint and endurance races. The track schedule will be very impressive and exciting.

Most of the key personnel who work on the organization of the FIA WEC will also work on the ELMS, bringing consistency and stability to the organization of the ELMS."

Entries for the 2013 European Le Mans Series will open on the 12 December and close mid-January.