There are three British teams – Vector Sport, United Autosports and Nielsen Racing – and five British drivers competing in the top class of the European Le Mans Series at Silverstone.
ELMS race winner Ben Hanley is competing in the no22 United Autosports Oreca. Jamie Chadwick is already a two-time race winner in her debut season with IDEC Sport and Tom Blomqvist is racing with CLX Pure Rxcing.
Nick Yelloly won the LMP2 category at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in June with Inter Europol Competition with his teammates Jakub Smiechowski and Tom Dillmann.
Ollie Gray travels to Silverstone for his home race on the back of two wins in Imola and Spa-Francorchamps and is leading the championship with his French teammates Esteban Masson and Charles Milesi in the no48 VDS Panis Racing Oreca-Gibson. With a 20-point lead there is a chance Gray could clinch the title at his home race on Sunday afternoon at the end of the Goodyear 4 Hours of Silverstone.
We spoke to Nick Yelloly and Ollie Gray on the ELMS return to Silverstone after a break of six years.
What do the two drivers think of the return to Silverstone?“I'm obviously ecstatic to be going back to Silverstone,” said Gray. “I think it's one of the most iconic tracks ever, and it will be my home race as well, which is going to be really special and maybe a special helmet on the way for it as well. It's not only one of the most iconic, it's one of the best tracks to race. It's going to be great for the ELMS and I think there'll be a lot of people there for the weekend and it'll be great to be racing around there as well.”
Nick Yelloly said: “I’ve spent actually a lot of time there, but just over the road at Aston Martin, doing their simulator work, I don't drive the circuit that much. I think the last race I would have done there would have been maybe in the GT World Challenge in 2018 or in Porsche Super Cup. It's been a while since I've raced there. I've driven around there and been fortunate enough to drive around there a test not that long ago in a LMP2 and it was good fun. I’m really looking forward to it.”
Ollie Gray has been to Silverstone more recently, racing in the FIA Formula 3 Championship and also taking two pole positions and a win in British F4 in 2022. “I've got a half decent track record around Silverstone. So, hopefully we can keep it up for this year and bring some good points from the weekend.”
What do the drivers think of the Silverstone track as they have both tested there in an LMP2 car? “I think the last time I drove something with a high downforce, like really high downforce, I was fortunate enough to drive an F1 car there,” Yelloly said. “It was a bit different to that, different reference points, but still really good fun.
“I think compared to when we were testing there, the track conditions will be vastly different,” he continued. “Just like at Spa, it's very fast and flowing, so it should really suit an LMP2 car, and it'll allow for good racing, which is nice.”
“I think everyone says this, but Maggots-Becketts-Chapel, I think it's like the most iconic couple of corners in the world,” Gray enthused.“I think it's up there with Eau Rouge at Spa, it’s just amazing.
“We tested there a few weeks ago and driving it in the LMP2 car is really special. It's really, really nice. All the high speed sections, even the slow speed, it's really, really cool, and I'm excited to go racing there.”
The Goodyear 4 Hours of Silverstone is Round 5 of the 2025 European Le Mans Series and will take place on the 12-14 September.
