17 Ligier JS P320s in the Michelin Le Mans Cup!

After the list of entries for the European Le Mans Series that included 15 Ligier JS P320s, the Michelin Le Mans Cup, the European Series dedicated to LMP3s and GT3s, has just revealed its list of participants. And what do we find? A new record for the number of LMP3s and for the number of Ligiers! Out of the 31 cars that make up the field, 24 are LMP3s including no fewer than 17 Ligier JS P320s.

In 2020, some ten Ligier JS P320s took part in the first season of the Michelin Le Mans Cup that included the new-generation LM P3s. This year the figure is 17 Ligier JS P320s entered by 13 different teams that have taken the plunge. Among the Ligier teams are numerous regulars including some outfits that have just finished competing in the Asian Le Mans Series which, this year, took place in Dubaï and Abu Dhabi packed into two weekends on 13-14 and 19-20 February. But there are also recent converts to LMP3 and new arrivals in both the series and the category.

United Autosports has already won the Asian Le Mans Series title with their #23 Ligier JS P320 and the Anglo-American team has entered three JS P320s: #22 for Gerald Kraut and Scott Andrews, #23 with John Schauerman and Wayne Boyd, and #32 driven by Daniel Schneider and Andy Meyrick.

CD Sport, Nielsen Racing and Phoenix Racing, which all raced in the Asian Le Mans Series, are continuing their sporting season in Europe. The CD Sport team competing under Spanish colours has entered its #33 Ligier JS P320 for a second consecutive year with Michael Jensen at the wheel, the only confirmed driver so far. English squad, Nielsen Racing, third in the Asian Le Mans Series, is back again with its favourite lineup of Tony Wells and Colin Noble in #7. German team Phoenix Racing discovered LMP3 and the Ligier JS P320 in the Asian Le Mans Series and is continuing their apprenticeship in the category with their #5 Ligier JS P320.

Cool Racing from Switzerland, which filled the runner-up spot in 2020, is also back with a pair of Ligier JS P320s, #37 with Antoine Doquin and #69 for Maurice Smith. IDEC Sport returns to the series for its second season on the trot with Patrice Lafargue and Dimitri Enjalbert at the wheel of #17. Team Virage that raced in a few rounds in 2020 has entered two Ligier JS P320s in 2021, #16 with Sacha Lehmann and #71 with Rob Hodes and Garett Grist as confirmed drivers. Motorsport98 from Belgium is another returnee to the Michelin Le Mans Cup after taking part in the first two rounds in 2020 with the same two drivers, Eric De Doncker and Dino Lunardi.

Italian squad AF Corse returns with a Ligier JS P320, #31 driven by Kriton Lentoudis and Rui Aguas. Swiss team Racing Spirit of Léman present in 2020 with Cool Racing enters this season in its own name with #25 for Jacques Wolff and Théo Chalal.

Three teams are making their debut in both the LMP3 category and the series. Team Thor becomes the first Icelandic outfit entered for the Michelin Le Mans Cup with their #77 Ligier JS P320. At the wheel are Audunn Gudmundsson, also the first Icelandic driver in the series, and Thomas Ashton. German outfit Frikadelli Racing Team, a GT3 regular, is taking up this new challenge with its #30 Ligier in the hands of Klaus Abbelen and Axcil Jefferies. Another German GT3 team, Black Falcon, makes it debut in LMP3 by entering the #12 for Maik Rosenberg et Donar Munding.

To consult the complete list of entries CLICK HERE.