The latest addition to the Masters Historic Racing portfolio, the Masters Le Mans Legends will cater to cars eligible to enter the Le Mans 24 Hours from 1995 to 2011. With Le Mans-eligible race cars featuring at Europe’s premier venues, this new series will give a home to the huge number of cars in existence.
The Masters Le Mans Legends aims to attract sports-racing cars from the International Sports Racing Legends, the FIA Sports Car Championship, European Le Mans Series, American Le Mans Series, Intercontinental Le Mans Cup and Le Mans Endurance Series. With cars eligible from the earlier SR1 and SR2 regulations and then the subsequent LMP1 and LMP2 regulations, there are a vast number of chassis race-ready for this new series.
In addition, there will be categories for IMSA sports cars of the equivalent period and GT1, GT2 from the equivalent period. The eligibility period for the Masters Le Mans Legends is 1995 to 2011.
The series would initially be split into three main eras of cars; 1995-1999, 2000-2005 and 2006-2011. Each era will also be split into four categories — LMP1, LMP2, GT1 and GT2 — to cater for the differing types of cars, giving everyone an opportunity to race for awards.
There will be one race run in 2017, at Spa-Francorchamps on 15-17 September, followed by a full season of five to six events for 2018. Races will be part of the existing Masters Historic Racing structure and calendar. Venues will be confirmed for 2018 based on suitability for the cars, but the intention would be to run as part of the Masters schedule at circuits that currently host WEC and/or Formula 1 machinery.
Ex-Peugeot works driver, Nic Minassian, will head up the new venture as Series Director. With his experience of 17 Le Mans starts, numerous race victories and podiums finishes all over the globe, Nic brings a wide breadth of knowledge, experience and enthusiasm to Masters Le Mans Legends. The administration of Masters Le Mans Legends will be managed from the existing Masters Historic Racing office in the UK.
For more information, visit MastersHistoricRacing.com.
[Source: Masters Historic Racing; photo: Julien Mahiels]
