For thirteen seasons the Le Mans Grand Touring Endurance (LMGTE) category has been providing fans of endurance racing some of the best on track action seen anywhere in the world. This weekend in Portimão marks the final two ELMS races for LMGTE, with one further race in the FIA World Endurance Championship in Bahrain, before the category is consigned to the history books and replaced with LMGT3 in 2024.
Since 2011, when LMGT2 became LMGTE, Aston Martin, Ferrari and Porsche have been battling for ELMS class honours. BMW also joined the European Le Mans Series for one season in 2015 with a MarcVDS run Z4, finishing as Vice Champions with one victory in Estoril. Chevrolet had a one-off race in 2017 at Monza with a Corvette C7-Z06 run by Larbre Competition.
In the past 13 seasons there have been 67 Le Mans Series and European Le Mans Series races held.In 2011 and 2012 the series had two GTE classes, LMGTE Pro and LMGTE Am and in 2013 this became a single class running to LMGTE Am regulations but called simply LMGTE.
In those 67 races Ferrari has won 45 times, Porsche 23 times, Aston Martin 4 times and BMW just once.
During that time, the driver who has accumulated the most wins is Ireland’s Matt Griffin. The 2013 ELMS Champion has stood on the top step 11 times since 2013, with three wins in 2013 and 2014, 2 wins in 2017 and 1 win in 2018, 2020 and 2021. Duncan Cameron has shared the top step of the podium 8 times with his Irish teammate.
Germany’s Christian Ried has been part of the victorious driver line up 10 times, the double ELMS Champion taking wins in 2011, 2013,2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2022 and 2023.
In total 95 drivers have stood on the top step of the podium in the LMGTE category since 2011, with 22 of those drivers competing in the Grand Season Finale of the 2023 European Le Mans Series this weekend in LMGTE, LMP2 Pro/Am and LMP3.
So, what do some of the drivers think of the end of GTE and the move to GT3?
TO READ THE FULL STORY TURN TO PAGE 17 OF THE EVENT PROGRAMME.
