LE MANS PROTOTYPE CHALLENGE : a big step towards a sports prototype

 In LMPC the composition of driver line ups is regulated by categorisation of drivers:  a crew of two or three drivers can only be composed of a maximum of one "Gold" or "Platinum" driver.  The season has therefore seen driver line-ups made up mostly of Silvers or Bronzes. Two teams (one French, one Portuguese), four FLM09s, nine drivers, five different nationalities; such was the profile of the 2013 ELMS LMPC class.  At Silverstone, you had to know how to control your mount …not easy for beginners because the race was held in very difficult weather conditions and and in pouring rain. It was also shortened by 25 % after the 28 cars in the field had spent several laps behind the safety car due to an almost impossible track surface. And, in these conditions, it's the most experienced drivers who know how to play the game the best.  The French duo of Soheil Ayari and Anthony Pons received the winner's trophy, driving the No.48 Team Endurance Challenge FLM09.  They were ahead of the Franco- Swiss duo of Paul Loup Chatin and Gary Hirsch from the same team (No.49 FLM).  Three cars from Team Endurance Challenge also made ​​the trip to Italy and, after a very close race and a great number of laps in the middle of the LMP2 field, the Franco-Swiss pairing took its first win ahead of its rivals of the first hour of the race. At the third round at the Austrian Red Bull Ring circuit, a new team from Portugal – Algarve Pro Racing – made the trip alongside Team Endurance Challenge's three FLM09s. After their victory in Italy, the young duo of Swiss Gary Hirsch and Frenchman Paul Loup Chatin was more than motivated to continue claiming the top step of the podium.  At the end of a very competitive race between the four LMPCs on track, who often found themselves amid the LMP2s, Gary Hirsch and Paul Loup Chatin sealed a further victory in front of the No. 47 of Andorran Alex Loan and Belgian Nicolas Verdonck . On the third step of the Austrian podium was the new Portuguese team, the No.46 FLM09 driven by Briton C O Jones and Dutchman Nicky Catsburg. In Hungary, the battle was between the No.48 and 49 Team Endurance Challenge cars. After a great start by Gary Hirsch in the No.49 from the third row of the grid, despite the very wet track conditions he found himself in fourth position in the middle of the LMP2 field.  The Swiss and his French team mate took a point for pole position and won the penultimate race of the 2013 season ahead of the No.48 of Soheil Ayari and Anthony Pons. For the final round, Hirsch and Loup Chatin needed just two points to be awarded the title of LMPC European Champion.  After an eventful race for the young duo, falling victim to technical problems with the car, the 2013 European Le Mans Series LMPC Trophies for Drivers and Teams were presented to Gary Hirsch and Paul Loup Chatin.  However, the winner's trophy went to Soheil Ayari and Anthony Pons who finished the Paul Ricard race on the top step of the podium.   Final classification LMPC Class:

Team Endurance Challenge        FLM09 n°49        115 points

Team Endurance Challenge        FLM09 n°48        98 points

Team Endurance Challenge        FLM09 n°47        33 points

Algarve Pro Racing Team             FLM09 n°46        16 points