Everything you need to know about the return of ELMS at Silverstone

After a six-year hiatus, Silverstone returns to the European Le Mans Series calendar, hosting a four-hour race and the penultimate event of the 2025 season (13-14 September).

Four fiercely contested classes – LMP2, LMP2 Pro/Am, LMP3 and LMGT3 – comprise a massive 42-car grid and will be joined by the equally competitive Michelin Le Mans Cup support series.  

Pierre Fillon, President of the Automobile Club de l’Ouest: “Once again the European Le Mans Series calendar features a selection of circuits, each with a variety of challenges to test both the car and the driver.  The ACO is extremely pleased to see the ELMS returning to the UK for the first time since 2019, giving the British fans a taste of Le Mans at home at Silverstone.

“The ELMS has firmly established itself as the leading European endurance series. With grids of over 40 cars, featuring a great mix of Le Mans Prototypes and GTs, and some of the top drivers and teams from around the world.  It looks like the 2025 season is going to deliver even more.”

Frédéric Lequien, Le Mans Endurance Management (LMEM) CEO: “With six 4-hour races on six of Europe’s leading circuits, five of which have featured for the past few seasons the 2025 ELMS calendar provides the teams and drivers with stability and different challenges, while providing exciting racing for our many fans around the world to enjoy whether in person at the track or watching at home.  

“We are especially pleased to announce the return to Silverstone after six years away, with the UK event having always been well attended in the past.  My thanks go to Stuart Pringle and his team, and we are looking forward to the 4 Hours of Silverstone next September.  

“We look forward to welcoming all our competitors, partners, fans and the media in 2025.”

The categories

LMP2

The Le Mans Prototype 2 class comprises privateer teams independent of constructors, all of whom use one of four chassis from Dallara, Ligier Automotive, Oreca and Riley Tech/Multimatic as well as a 4-litre V8 engine from Gibson Tecchnology.

LMP2 is the leading class in ELMS, and a spot on the grid has become even more sought after since the category was dropped from the World Endurance Championship bill for the 2024 season.

LMP2 Pro/Am

Running the same machinery as the standard LMP2 class, the only differentiator in LMP2 Pro/Am is the driver line-up; each team much feature at least one Bronze rated driver.

LMP3

With the aim of being affordable, mechanically accessible and ultra-competitive, four manufacturers race in the LMP3 class – Ligier, Duqueine Engineering, Ginetta and Adess. This category serves as a proving ground for ambitious endurance drivers, engineers and mechanics of the future.

LMGT3

LMGT3 race cars are based on production road car models categorised as Grand Tourers. Like LMP2 Pro/Am, cars racing in this class must also feature a Bronze-rated driver.

The drivers

The ELMS attracts some of the world’s best drivers year on year, and that is no less evident in 2024. Among others in an incredibly high calibre field, there are several F1 alumni including Robert Kubica, Paul di Resta, Will Stevens and Nelson Piquet Jr.

Many FIA Formula 2 names also feature on the grid such as 2022 F2 champion and Aston Martin F1 reserve Felipe Drugovich, Charles’ brother Arthur Leclerc and 2023 runner-up Frederik Vesti among others.

Past races 

Silverstone was on the calendar in the inaugural season of Le Mans Endurance Series as it was known in 2004. Since then, it has only been off the calendar in 2006, 2012 and after 2019 (the 2020 running was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic).

In that time, fans were not left wanting for on-track action with a thrilling dry-wet-dry race in 2019 that produced tantalising racing for the duration, as well as Sir Chris Hoy taking second in the LMP3 class at the 2015 event.

The 2025 European Le Mans Series Provisional Calendar 

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