Le Mans Auto Invite Procedure Revised for ELMS

Photo: MPS Agency

As many as seven auto-invites to the 24 Hours of Le Mans will be awarded to European Le Mans Series competitors in 2020, as one of several changes to the sporting regulations for the continental championship next year.

The number of LMP2 and GTE invites to the French endurance classic will now be on a sliding scale depending on the number of full-season entries.

Three invites will be awarded in LMP2 should there be between 18-23 full-season entries, while two would be granted for a 12-17 car class grid and only one if there’s fewer than 12 cars.

GTE sees the sliding scale at three invites (12-15 cars), two invites (8-11 cars) and one invite for eight or fewer entries.

Previously, the top two finishing teams in both classes were awarded auto-invites, regardless of the grid count.

The LMP3 class remains unchanged with only a single auto invite for the class champion, to be used in LMP2, regardless of the class entry count.

IDEC Sport (LMP2), G-Drive Racing (LMP2), Luzich Racing (GTE), Dempsey-Proton Racing (GTE) and Eurointernational (LMP3) were awarded invites for the 2020 enduro based on this year’s criteria.

Among the other changes to the 2020 ELMS sporting regulations include a pass-around under safety car periods, the allowance of an innovative car to compete in order to “promote new technologies” and revised driving times.

There will also be a standardization of regulations to those used in the FIA World Endurance Championship in order to be “clearer” for competitors.

Organizer LMEM, meanwhile, will organize collective tests at Monza, Paul Ricard, Spa-Francorchamps and Portimao on the Thursday prior to each race event.

The testing sessions will not be mandatory for teams.

John Dagys

John Dagys is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of Sportscar365. Dagys spent eight years as a motorsports correspondent for FOXSports.com and SPEED Channel and has contributed to numerous other motorsports publications worldwide. Contact John