The ELMS and the Paul Ricard circuit, a long story...

All you need to know in numbers about Circuit Paul Ricard’s history with European endurance racing

• 17 years: European endurance racing is the most loyal of all disciplines visiting Circuit Paul Ricard. The series has organised its season launch there each year.
• 8 hours: The very first European endurance race at the circuit was in April 2009 and was the one and only 8-hour race, which was also marked the re-opening of the track to spectators after 10 years of being closed for private testing only.   
• 2 races: Since the new-look ELMS was re-launched in 2013, the French round has always been held at the circuit in the Var region of France.
• No.48: This race track suits the Murphy Prototypes team particularly well.  The Irish team won in 2013 and set the fastest overall lap times at the 2014 and 2015 official tests (Nathanaël Berthon). In 2014 they finished 3rd on the podium and took pole position.
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• 4 podiums: Ferrari reigns supreme here, having won in LMGTE and GTC in both 2013 and 2014.
• 5861 metres:  the length of the track (out of 167 different lay-outs) on which the ELMS teams will run the 4 Hours of Le Castellet.
• 1800 metres: is the length of the Mistral Straight, one of the longest in Europe. Endurance racing teams appreciate being able to race and test on this track as it is the best place to prepare for the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
• 11 corners: this is number of corners that the ELMS drivers will use out of the 21 existing at the Paul Ricard circuit.
• 1:47.837: is the overall best lap time of an ELMS car on the Paul Ricard circuit, set by Nathanaël Berthon in the 2014 qualifying session, at the wheel of the Murphy Prototypes ORECA 03R.
• 4 classes: this is number of categories competing - LMP2, LMP3, LMGTE and GTC.
• European Le Mans Series Race Results 2014

LMP2: NewBlood by Morand Racing - Morgan Judd n°43 - Klien / Hirsch / Ragues

LMGTE: AF Corse - Ferrari 458 Italia n°55 - Cameron / Griffin / Rugolo

GTC: SMP Racing - Ferrari 458 Italia GT3 n°73 - Ladygin / Markosov / Beretta

• European Le Mans Series Race Results 2013

LMP2: Murphy Prototypes –No.18 ORECA 03-Nissan – Hartley / Hirschi

LMGTE: Ram Racing –No.52 Ferrari F458 Italia – Mowlem / Griffin

LMPC: Team Endurance Challenge –No.48 FLM Oreca 09 – Pons / Ayari

GTC: SMP Racing –No.69 Ferrari F458 Italia GT3 – Babini / Shaitar / Ladygin

See you at the Paul Ricard circuit on September 5th/6th for the 4 Hours of Le Castellet, a race which will set the tone for the finale of the 2015 ELMS season in Estoril, Portugal in October.

Provisional entry list HERE

Tickets HERE

Photo in the article ©DPPI 2013 Race Start