Earlier Start for Unchanged 2027 Calendar

The European Le Mans Series will start four weeks earlier next season, but its 2027 calendar will again feature the same six tracks in the same order.

The new campaign will open with a two-day Prologue at Barcelona on Mar. 8-9, before the first six-hour event at the Spanish circuit on Mar. 14, which compares to the current season beginning on Apr. 12.

From then, there will be a gap of nearly two months before the second round at Paul Ricard in early May, before trips to Imola, Spa-Francorchamps, Silverstone and the Portimao finale in October.

Significantly, the Silverstone round will still be in September and the series will not appear on the support bill for the return of the FIA World Endurance Championship to the UK.

Both championships used to regularly appear at the same event prior to Silverstone dropping off the WEC schedule in 2020.

It has also been revealed that the chicane on the Mistral Straight at Paul Ricard will be removed for ELMS’ visit next year, meaning crews will tackle the full 1.8km straight for the first time since 2024.

“There is an old [saying] that if something isn’t broken, don’t try to fix it and with that in mind the 2027 ELMS calendar is all about providing the teams and our partners with a stable platform,” said Frederic Lequein, CEO of ELMS promoter LMEM.

“Since 2013, the European Le Mans Series has grown year on year, with six four-hour races on six of Europe’s leading circuits.

“The 2027 calendar provides the excellent combination of different challenges on historic circuits that are each unique in their characteristics, while providing the top facilities that our teams, drivers, partners and our fans expect when competing at this level of European competition.”

2027 European Le Mans Series Calendar:
Mar. 8-9 — Barcelona Prologue
Mar. 14 — Barcelona
May 2 — Paul Ricard
July 4 — Imola
Aug. 22 — Spa-Francorchamps
Sept. 5 — Silverstone
Oct. 2 — Portimao