Press Release – January 20, 2021
After a successful initial season, the Ligier European Series, the series that is a mix of sports prototypes, the Ligier JS P4, and GTs, the Ligier JS2 R, sharing the weekend bill with the European Le Mans Series and Michelin Le Mans Cup, will feature several innovations for 2021. An expanded calendar with six meetings at the finest circuits in Europe with more track time. Silver-Silver driver tandems will be accepted, there will be a redesigned paddock with a reserved hospitality area for teams and drivers, and prizes at each race as well as for the top three in each category in the championship. All this guarantees an even more exciting second season than the first.
For its first campaign, the series, intended for gentlemen drivers who would like to enjoy themselves on Europe’s greatest circuits as well as for young talents who want to hone their skills and climb the next layer of the Endurance pyramid, attracted a substantial line-up of on average 15 Ligier JS2 R and Ligier JS P4s despite the difficult health and economic context. The French manufacturer and the ELMS teams in charge of organising the meetings have drawn lessons from year one to adapt and respond even better to the expectations of the drivers and teams for 2021. Here is what is in store for the upcoming season.
A stout calendar with 6 Heats
In 2021, the Ligier European Series will make its way to six circuits, one more than in 2020. And always at the finest tracks in Europe: Barcelona, Red Bull Ring, Monza, Circuit Paul Ricard, Spa-Francorchamps and Portimão.
More track time
More track time as well, but the meeting will remain two-day affairs to combine passion with professional and personal life. A total of four hours of on-track action split between the Friday and Saturday of each meeting: 90 minutes of free-practice, two 15-minute qualifying sessions to determine the starting grid for each race with a 5-minute break between each session, and two one-hour races (race one Saturday morning and race two Saturday afternoon).
Silver, Bronze drivers or Bronze-Bronze, Silver-Bronze, Silver-Silver crews
Behind the wheel of the Ligier JS2 Rs and Ligier JS P4s will be tandems of one or two Bronze or Silver drivers with the possibility in 2021 to have Silver-Silver crews. There will be a larger variety of line-ups while also preserving the sporting aspect with the implementation of a time penalty for the Silver drivers and the Silver-Bronze or Silver-Silver duos.
A redesigned paddock
A Ligier European Series space will be installed in the heart of the paddock with a reserved hospitality area for the drivers and teams of the series. A get together will be held every Thursday evening to allow all the participants to meet up.
The Ligier technical support (chassis, electronics, engine) and the spare parts store, which was present at each round in 2020 will be back and will be set up alongside the teams.
Race and end of season prizes to reward the teams and drivers
The drivers and teams of each category will compete for the Ligier JS2 R Title and the Ligier JS P4 Title.
Thanks to support from Michelin Motorsport, tyres will be offered at the end of each meeting to the teams entered for the full season. Four sets of tyres will be up for grabs. A set of tyres will be awarded to the team that sets the fastest lap time of the meeting in the Ligier JS P4 category and another for the team that sets the fastest lap time of the meeting in Ligier JS2 R. These drivers and teams will be honoured at a gathering in the hospitality of the series. The two other sets of tyres will be given away in a drawing to one Ligier JS2 R team and one Ligier JS P4 team entered for the full season (after removing the teams with the best times from the draw).
In addition to the race awards, the top three drivers or crews of each category in the general classification as well as the top Bronze and Silver driver in each category will be rewarded at the end of the season. The top three crews and the top Silver and Bronze drivers in the Ligier JS P4 category will be offered a test in a Ligier JS P320 and the top three crews and the top Bronze and Silver drivers in the Ligier JS2 R category will be offered a test in a Ligier JS P4 at the end of the 2021 season on a European circuit. The drivers will share the car in question for an entire day with a Ligier team to accompany them.
Prizes from Stand 21 will also be rewarded to the top drivers at the end of the 2021 season.
“Along with our partner Michelin Motorsport, we wanted in 2021 to reward the teams that set the fastest lap time of the meeting and who are not always recognised on the podium”, says Jacques Nicolet, President of Ligier Automotive. “But that’s not all. With the drawing, the idea is that each team will be eligible to win a prize and that we will share a friendly moment together at the prize giving ceremonies. For the top three in each category and the top Bronze and Silver drivers at the end of the season we wanted to offer them the opportunity to try out a faster model from the Ligier range. With these awards, the essence of the series is respected: to allow drivers and teams to ascent the Endurance pyramid.”
A test day on March 4, 2021 on the Magny-Cours F1 track
To allow the competitors in the series to best prepare the 2021 season, a test day will be held this coming March 4th on the Magny-Cours F1 track configuration, in France.
For all information about the series, contact Morgane Tizon (Michelin Le Mans Cup & Ligier European Series Manager) at the following address: entry@ligiereuropeanseries.com
For all information concerning the Ligier JS2 R, the Ligier JS P4 or the March 4th test day, contact: sales@ligierautomotive.com
