[ELMS] ELMS 2014 Season

[Victor_RO]

Okay, we have a calendar for 2014, 4-hour races instead of 3, let's kick things off with news of entries: SOFREV-ASP entering three cars in the ELMS next year, split over GTE and GTC, and have also requested a Le Mans entry.

[Simmi]

Some great talent behind the wheel of the Sebastien Loeb Racing Oreca in testing.

Oli Webb, Kevin Estre, JK Vernay and Andy Zuber.

Would be great to see them put a full season together and finally go to Le Mans.

http://www.endurance-info.com/fr/ver...n-loeb-racing/

[FstrthnU]

http://www.endurance-info.com/fr/lel...es-et-fia-wec/
Kessel Racing entering the 2014 ELMS. 1 Ferrari 458 GT2 and 2 Ferrari 458 GT3s

[Beetle]

http://www.endurance-info.com/en/jot...-mans-in-2014/
It looks like Jota Sport will again be racing in LMP2 next year, with Simon Dolan confirmed and Oliver Turvey likely.

[Beetle]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2014_E..._Series_season
Just put together the 2014 ELMS page on Wikipedia. Perhaps we can collaborate, FstrthnU?

[FstrthnU]

http://www.endurance-info.com/fr/mik...m214-continue/
The Tiga LM214 is apparently going to be run in the 2014 ELMS, not stated by which team

[Coach Ep]

We could see one of the former Gulf Racing Middle East Lola´s returning to action: http://sportscar365.com/elms/u-s-tea...-lmp2-program/

[speculation mode] I (also) suspect the team concerned is Level 5 (they were actively looking to run a customer program) with Mr. Tucker himself being the American pilot that is referred to. If so, it would make sense if Marino Franchiti is the second European driver (or is he occupied otherwise already?). [end/speculation mode]

The article also leaves the door open for DKR to compete again. We could even see yet another team headed by Stéphane Raffin joining the battle.

Looks like the ELMS - and especially the P2 class - is having some sort of revival this season!

[Simmi]

Originally Posted by Coach Ep

We could see one of the former Gulf Racing Middle East Lola´s returning to action: http://sportscar365.com/elms/u-s-tea...-lmp2-program/

[speculation mode] I (also) suspect the team concerned is Level 5 (they were actively looking to run a customer program) with Mr. Tucker himself being the American pilot that is referred to. If so, it would make sense if Marino Franchiti is the second European driver (or is he occupied otherwise already?). [end/speculation mode]

Obviously there's not a lot of info, but I get the sense this isn't big enough for Level 5. I don't see why they'd need to make a deal like this. I think it's a team tied in with a U.S. pay driver possibly, not necessarily owned by one.

[Coach Ep]

Originally Posted by Simmi

Obviously there's not a lot of info, but I get the sense this isn't big enough for Level 5. I don't see why they'd need to make a deal like this. I think it's a team tied in with a U.S. pay driver possibly, not necessarily owned by one.

You´re probably right if this

***It’s understood there’s another TUDOR Championship team that’s also trying to put the pieces in place for a Le Mans program before the Jan. 14 entry deadline. If the undisclosed program materializes, it would mark their debut in the twice-around-the-clock French endurance classic.

refers to the same team. It would certainly rule out Level 5.

(from http://sportscar365.com/imsa/tusc/ro...kend-notebook/)

[Ginaro Zukovsky]

Well, going through the teams who haven't been to Le Mans before and who are likely to get eligible cars: ESM, Falken, TRG-AMR, Riley? Plus almost all of the Porsche GTD teams.

[KA]

The article suggests it's a current American GT team, which doesn't suggest Level 5 to me (unless we count their GTD Ferrari programme this year).

If it was Level 5, they've already got plenty of LMP2 machinery of their own, so buying/leasing the ex-Gulf Middle East Lolas doesn't seem to make much sense- unless the plan is to save the hassle of shipping cars across the Atlantic by using cars which are already in Europe.

Either that, or whoever is funding this has already done a deal on the Lolas and is just hiring L5 to run them...

I'd tend to agree with Simmi that we need to look at the ranks of the paying drivers in GTD to see who's behind the US end of this

[Koenigsegg]

RLL or Turner perhaps. Because of that French BMW dealership tie in.

[The Badger]

I reckon Murphy will return to ELMS .

[isynge]

Given some of the comments made by Level 5 after their accident at Spa in 2011 I would be very surprised to see them running a Lola anywhere...

[Juntos]

You can count with a couple of GT3 teams (the losers).

[Coach Ep]

Another possible, part-time P2 entry: http://sportscar365.com/wec/adess-ag...-for-lmp2-car/

[911targa]

Crubile Sport to race ELMS full season after purchasing Paul Miller's 2012 widebody RSR, driver line up remains unchanged

Perrodo and Collard will also race WEC full season, could be with AF Corse or ProSpeed

http://www.endurance-info.com/fr/le-...e-911-gt3-rsr/

[FstrthnU]

http://sportscar365.com/elms/ecurie-...th-bmw-z4-gt3/
Ecurie Ecosse to run the BMW Z4 again

[The Badger]

I hear the AF Corse run Oreca will run ELMS this year .

[Koenigsegg]

Pegasus Racing to enter ELMS with a Morgan LMP2. They also want to do Le Mans.

http://www.endurance-info.com/fr/une...-point-dorgue/

[joeb]

Originally Posted by Koenigsegg

Pegasus Racing to enter ELMS with a Morgan LMP2. They also want to do Le Mans.

http://www.endurance-info.com/fr/une...-point-dorgue/

Good to see them back. I always appreciated their efforts with the Norma.

[Pontlieue]

Laurent Mercier has summed up the ELMS silly season. LMP2 is looking great, with likely more than ten, maybe even up to 15 entries, and also lots of varitey with Orecas, Morgans, and a Zytek, HPD and Tiga each confirmed.

[cmk]

Originally Posted by Pontlieue

Laurent Mercier has summed up the ELMS silly season. LMP2 is looking great, with likely more than ten, maybe even up to 15 entries, and also lots of varitey with Orecas, Morgans, and a Zytek, HPD and Tiga each confirmed.

I'd not be rushing to say all those brands are confirmed. A couple have, as that article implies, a fairly wide gulf to bridge between intent and actuality (see Woodard HPD...).

[TR.]

Originally Posted by cmk

I'd not be rushing to say all those brands are confirmed. A couple have, as that article implies, a fairly wide gulf to bridge between intent and actuality (see Woodard HPD...).

Agreed, wait till the green flag lap of the first round till being excited about what's racing. All of those cars confirmed will not be there!

[Simmi]

Looks very promising. Hopefully the GT ranks will be similarly bolstered. There were certainly plenty of rumours about increased interest - particularly in the GTC ranks.

Roll on Silverstone! What a weekend that will be all in all.