ELMS 2026 with 23 LMP2 and lots of champions

ELMS

Apr 3

December 18th, we already announced Ferrari will be the best-represented manufacturer in the European Le Mans Series for the 2026 season with 6 Ferrari 296 EVO LMGT3s. The Corvette is one of six manufacturers represented on the grid in 2026, with three Porsche 911 GT3 R LMGT3s, two Mercedes-AMG LMGT3s, one McLaren 720S LMGT3 Evo and one Aston Martin Vantage AMR LMGT3.

We now review both LMP2 categories which will feature 23 LMP2s and lots of previous champions at Barcelona.

11 competitors in LMP2

2025 LMP2 Champions

Reigning LMP2 Driver Champions Esteban Masson and Oliver Gray being joined by Louis Rousset in ELMS LMP2 Team Champions Panis Racing who now team up with Forestier Racing in the #29 Oreca-Gibson..

📷 © Luc Warnotte at Portimao. #48 VDS Panis Raing TDS.

2025 LMP2 Vice Champions

2025 ELMS Vice Champions Kuba Smiechowski, Tom Dillmann and Nick Yelloly are back in #43 Oreca 07-Gibson from reigning 24 Hours of Le Mans champion Inter Europol Competition. Tom Dillman already participated to both IMSA races so far with #43 Inter Europol Competition Oreca with a P2 at Daytona. Inter Europol Competition will also feature #34 with Bijoy Garg and Reshad De Gerus.

📷 © Luc Warnotte at Portimao 2025 (left) and Daytona 2026 (right). #43 Inter Europol Competition Oreca

2025 three times winning Chadwick back in #18 seat

Last year three times race winner Jamie Chadwick also returns with the #18 IDEC Sport Oreca this season with Valerio Rinicella and Laurents Hörr. 2019 champions IDEC Sport will run second car as last year with #28 Oreca driven by Paul Lafargue, Job Van Uitert and Paul-Loup Chatin.

📷 © Luc Warnotte at Portimao 2025 (left) and Barcelona 2025 (right). #18 IDEC Sport Oreca (left) and sister #28 (right)

As last year

Former champions #22 United Autosport and #25 Algarve Pro Racing are back this season as well as #24 Nielsen Racing, #9 Proton Competition, #10 Vector Sport and #37 CLX Motorsport. Note that Jonas Ried’s #9 Proton Competition will be shared by Ford Racing’s official IMSA drivers Sebastian Priaulx and Mike Rockenfeller.

📷 © Luc Warnotte at Barcelona 2025. #9 Proton Competition

Lots of previous champions among 12 competitors in LMP2 Pro Am

Same driver line up of PJ Hyett, Dane Cameron and Louis Delétraz for #99 reigning champions AO by TF. Delétraz is looking a fifth ELMS title.

#99 AO by TF. — 📷 © Luc Warnotte at Spa 2025. AO by TF.

After animating the 2025-2026 ALMS championship, 2024 24 Hours of Le Mans overall winner Antonio Fuoco will co-drive 2023 and 2024 LMP2 Pro/Am Champions #83 AF Corse with François Perrodo and Matthieu Vaxiviere.