After a comprehensive series of chats with almost every team in the ELMS and Michelin Le Mans Cup, conducted by the DSC Editor, DSC’s Mat Fernandez, and our colleague David Bristol from Endurance Info here’s as good a taster as is currently available of the 2022 plans, intentions and options for the 2021 grid.
There are some gaps below against the full season list from 2021, in some cases, you’ll read about those teams plans in the days to come, in others we simply didn’t manage to pin down the correct people to get enough confidence to report on their plans.
Across what you will read below, and some other developments elsewhere, that should see the ELMS with 12-16 LMP2 cars in the 2022 season – Potentially 11-12 (or more) in the FIA WEC with IMSA’s LMP2 numbers looking to reach 6-8 cars too.
2021 LMP2 Grid
Algarve Pro Racing/ G-Drive
NB – The current plans outlined below are for Algarve Pro with or without the continued involvement of G-Drive.
The Portuguese-based outfit are planning a two-car entry in LMP2 for the 2022 Rolex 24 Hours with plans also being developed for one of the cars to remain in the US to fulfil a potential programme with the four IMSA enduros.
The team also hopes to step up with a single car LMP2 effort in the 2022 FIA WEC, alongside a continued presence in the ELMS with two LMP2 cars.
They will not though return to the Asian Le Mans Series as defending double Champions.
On the G-Drive front, the picture is not yet clear with Roman Rusinov telling the DSC Editor in Portimao that, “We’re working hard on plans for 2022, we want to work with APR, one of the best teams we have worked with.”
United Autosports
At present United look most likely to find a pair of ORECA 07s in the FIA WEC and likely only a single LMP2 car in the ELMS.
The current two-car commitment to LMP3 in the ELMS is set to be repeated but there is every indication that they could increase their stable in the Michelin Le Mans Cup to four Ligier LMP3s.
Plans for the Asian Le Mans Series are currently unclear with entries still possible, but a combination of logistical costs and complications look set to put a dent in their initial multi-car plans.
Team WRT
Unconfirmed at present but sources suggest strongly that the 2021 Le Mans LMP2 winners and ELMS Champions will double up to a two-car LMP2 effort in FIA WEC in 2022 with a return to the ELMS with a single-car effort also under evaluation.
Duqueine Team
The French team are working up plans to enter the FIA WEC with a single LMP2 and to double up with an entry in the ELMS Pro-AM LMP2 category.
Panis Racing
After a successful season, the team are currently evaluating the possibility of graduating their LMP2 effort into the FIA WEC, if not they will again race a single Oreca in ELMS in 2022.
Ultimate
The first-time LMP2 effort in ELMS is another that could graduate to the Pro-AM class in FIA WEC in 2022.
The team will continue with a single Oreca and an unchanged full-season line-up. If the WEC programme does not come to fruition they will return to the ELMS.
IDEC Sport
The ex ELMS Champions will be back in 2022 with a single LMP2 in the ELMS.
Their commitment in the Michelin Le Mans Cup will double though with the return of their AMG GT3, set to see Patrice Lafargue permanently switch to GT, plus an LMP3 Ligier with an all-new crew to the team.
Cool Racing
The Swiss team will stay in ELMS but will move from the Pro-Am LMP2 class to the full class. That will be in part because bronze-ranked Alexandre Coigny will take a sabbatical from racing in 2022 for business and family reasons, but will undertake a significant test programme ahead of a return in 2023.
In LMP3 plans are still coming together, Cool one of several teams dealt with ongoing issues with their plans by the current FIA Driver Rankings provisional changes, the team will though field two LMP3s in Michelin Le Mans Cup with an ELMS LMP3 programme also possible.
Graff
Graff are targeting two LMP2s in the ELMS and whilst the LMP3 picture in ELMS is currently unclear the French team is looking to field one or two LMP3 in Michelin Le Mans Cup and one or two LMP3s in the Asian Le Mans Series too.
BHK
The UK-flagged, but Italian based squad will return with their LMP2 Oreca, the return of their Ligier LMP3 remains a possibility.
2021 LMP3 Grid (including Michelin Le Mans Cup LMP3 teams)
DKR Engineering
The ELMS Championship winners look set to graduate to ELMS in LMP2 in 2022 with Championship-winning driver Laurents Hörr testing the Duqueine team LMP2 Oreca at Portimao this week alongside a number of other DKR LMP2 hopefuls including Mathieu de Barbuat and Jean Glorieux.
The team’s successful LMP3 efforts will continue in Michelin Le Mans Cup with an imminent decision due on a choice between either the Asian Le Mans Series or the Rolex 24 Hours with another LMP3 Duqueine.
Nielsen Racing
The 2021 Michelin Le Mans Cup Champions are also evaluating a potential move into LMP2 Pro-Am in the ELMS. The team are testing this week in Portimao with a loaned Algarve Pro Racing chassis.
At present their LMP3 plans are fluid but the team are pushing once again for both ELMS and Michelin Le Mans Cup programmes
Inter Europol Competition
The Polish team’s first year LMP2 programme in FIA WEC will continue into 2022 with the squad’s engineering resources further boosted.
There is a potential additional LMP2 effort in ELMS too. The team are targeting a return with a pair of LMP3s in the ELMS as well.
Rinaldi Racing
The team will return with two Duqueine LMP3s with the possibility of one or both moving up from Le Mans Cup to the ELMS.
There are plans afoot too that could see Rinaldi adding a Ferrari 488 GTE Evo to their ELMS representation.
And there is set to be a GT3 Ferrari for the 2022 Asian Le Mans Series for the second time.
RLR MSport
The Bolton, UK-based squad are currently targeting a pair of LMP3s in the ELMS with a further car in the Michelin Le Mans Cup.
Muehlner Motorsport
Plans are still fluid but Bernhard Muehlner is known to be looking to move to LMP2 in 2022, potentially with more than one car. ELMS and IMSA programmes are being evaluated.
The team will likely continue to campaign LMP3 cars too, ELMS, Le Mans Cup and IMSA are the possible targets there.
Eurointernational
News soon of both an Italian GT3 Championship programme, and a rather different entry in a very famous event!
MV2S
The 2021 ELMS debutants have undertaken an evaluation of, but are believed to have rejected, a switch to LMP2 for 2022.
The ELMS programme for one LMP3 car is set to be replaced by a Michelin Le Mans Cup effort with two cars.
Team Virage
There are set to be three LMP3 cars fielded once again, though the mix between ELMS and the Michelin Le Mans Cup has not yet been finalised. One car to EMS and two in Michelin Le Mans Cup is understood to be the targeted option.
Aim 1 Villorba Corse
The Italian squad are set to return with a single LMP3 car, though a switch to a Duqueine chassis is under evaluation.
Team Thor
Very sadly the Icelandic squad look set to be one (year) and out of the Le Mans Cup, Audunn Gudmandsson opting to take a step back down the racing ladder feeling (though this writer disagrees) that he was not at the required level.
2021 GTE Grid
AF Corse/ Spirit of Race
The biggest news here is the AF Corse will enter the LMP2 class of ELMS and FIA WEC in 2022 with a squad built around Francois Perrodo, this is the second time that the double FIA WEC GTE AM Champion has entered LMP2 after a TDS Racing-operated effort in the FIA WEC in 2017 and 2018/19.
The ELMS grid will certainly welcome returning and new customer GTE efforts, the Duncan Cameron-anchored Spirit of Race Ferrari is believed to be a returnee and the #61 AF Corse car fielded for a 2021 one-off for Franck Dezoteux is believed to be a likely full season addition.
Proton Competition
A pair of Porsche 911 RSR-19s apiece in both the FIA WEC and ELMS in 2022 looks very likely.
Christian Ried is sampling an LMP3 Ligier this week in Portugal, though there are no current plans to add a prototype programme to the team, in 2022 at least!
JMW Motorsport
Look set to return though a catch up chat with team owner Jim McWhirter is long overdue. We’ll fix that post-season.
