During 2010 Chris will be racing in the Le Mans Series, the American Le Mans Series (ALMS) and 24 Hours of Le mans. For further detailed information about each of these Championships please click on the tabs below. Use the interactive race calendar for further information and track data.
The Le Mans Series started in 2004 (originally called Le Mans Endurance Series) with the Monza 1000kms race. Run by the Automobile Club de I’Ouest and based around the 24 hours of Le Mans, it is a long distance, team event. Competing are two major car families the Prototype and Grand Touring, with these being further split into LMP1/LMP2 and GT1/GT2 respectively.
The four categories were created to give teams the opportunity to compete according to their means. At the end of the season the winning and second place team for each category is automatically selected for the Le Mans 24 Hours race.
Teams usually consist of two or three drivers and the maximum drivers can do is a triple stint; a stint is between 50 and 75 minutes depending on the track.
The number of races per season is restricted in order to control costs and for 2009 in addition to the two test events there were five races. This year also saw the arrival of Aston Martin Racing and the second night race since its founding at the new Algarve motor circuit.
Created in 1999 in the spirit of 24 Hours of Le Mans, the American Le Mans Series is raced in the United States and Canada.
As with its European counterpart cars are split into the Prototype - LMP1 and LMP2 and Grand Touring - GT1 and GT2. And as per the Le Mans Series the team winners and runners-up are automatically invited to compete in the following year’s 24 Hours of Le Mans.
As with its European counterpart cars are split into the Prototype - LMP1 and LMP2 and Grand Touring - GT1 and GT2. And as per the Le Mans Series the team winners and runners-up are automatically invited to compete in the following year’s 24 Hours of Le Mans.
24 hours of Le Mans is the world's oldest sports car endurance race, held annually since 1923 near the town of Le Mans, Sarthe, France.
Commonly known as the Grand Prix of Endurance, it is organised by the Automobile Club de l'Ouest (ACO) and runs on a circuit that also includes closed public roads, all of which is designed to test the driver’s skill, plus the car’s ability to be fast, but also to last over a 24 hour period.
As with the Series there are four classes of car. The custom-built Le Mans Prototypes (LMP) are the top two classes, LMP1 and LMP2, divided by speed, weight, and power output. And the production-based grand touring (GT) classes, also divided by speed, weight, and power output as GT1 and GT2. Although the top class is the most likely winner of the event, lower classes have won on occasion due to superior reliability.
There must be at least three drivers per team; each restricted to no more than four hours consecutive driving and up to 14 hours total. Other rules include the fact that cars are required to run for at least an hour into the race before they are allowed to refill the car with oil or coolant (not including fuel). Cars are also required to be shut off while they are being refuelled in the pit. Not only because it is safer and less of a fire hazard, but it also provides another test of reliability; testing their ability to restart many times under race conditions. Similarly, mechanics are not allowed to work on the car or its tires during refuelling, which has led teams to adapt innovative ways in which to decrease the time of these lengthy pit stops. As an exception to this rule, drivers are allowed to get out of the car and be replaced by another driver at refuelling.
One of the longest lasting traditions of Le 24 hours Du Le Mans is the waving of the French tricolor to start the race.
The winner is declared by the greatest number of laps completed in 24 hours. The car is required to cross the finish line after the 24 hours, including a set distance within the last hour in order to be classified. Furthermore classified cars are required to have completed at least 70% of the number of laps as done by the winner.
24 Heures du Mans - the first two in each category are automatically selected.
Petit Le Mans - The winner of each category at the end of the race is automatically selected. However, there is no selection in LM P2 as the Dyson-Smith Lola B/09 Mazda that finished first had a wide 2008-type rear wing depriving it of an official selection. No entries in LM GT1 hence no selection.
American Le Mans Series - the winner of each category is automatically selected. Corvette, victorious in LM GT1, is not eligible as the make failed to meet the required number of participations because the C6.Rs raced in only two (Sebring, Long Beach) out of 10 events.
Le Mans Series - the first two in each category are automatically selected. Only one entrant has been selected in LM GT1 as the Larbre Competition Saleen did not race in the whole series.
FIA-GT Championship - the first two in each category are automatically selected.
Michelin Green X Challenge - the winner of the Challenge over the whole of the 2009 Le Mans Series is automatically selected.
Asian Le Mans Series - the winner of each of the 4 Le Mans categories is automatically selected.
Commonly known as the Grand Prix of Endurance, it is organised by the Automobile Club de l'Ouest (ACO) and runs on a circuit that also includes closed public roads, all of which is designed to test the driver’s skill, plus the car’s ability to be fast, but also to last over a 24 hour period.
As with the Series there are four classes of car. The custom-built Le Mans Prototypes (LMP) are the top two classes, LMP1 and LMP2, divided by speed, weight, and power output. And the production-based grand touring (GT) classes, also divided by speed, weight, and power output as GT1 and GT2. Although the top class is the most likely winner of the event, lower classes have won on occasion due to superior reliability.
There must be at least three drivers per team; each restricted to no more than four hours consecutive driving and up to 14 hours total. Other rules include the fact that cars are required to run for at least an hour into the race before they are allowed to refill the car with oil or coolant (not including fuel). Cars are also required to be shut off while they are being refuelled in the pit. Not only because it is safer and less of a fire hazard, but it also provides another test of reliability; testing their ability to restart many times under race conditions. Similarly, mechanics are not allowed to work on the car or its tires during refuelling, which has led teams to adapt innovative ways in which to decrease the time of these lengthy pit stops. As an exception to this rule, drivers are allowed to get out of the car and be replaced by another driver at refuelling.
One of the longest lasting traditions of Le 24 hours Du Le Mans is the waving of the French tricolor to start the race.
The winner is declared by the greatest number of laps completed in 24 hours. The car is required to cross the finish line after the 24 hours, including a set distance within the last hour in order to be classified. Furthermore classified cars are required to have completed at least 70% of the number of laps as done by the winner.
24 Heures du Mans - the first two in each category are automatically selected.
Petit Le Mans - The winner of each category at the end of the race is automatically selected. However, there is no selection in LM P2 as the Dyson-Smith Lola B/09 Mazda that finished first had a wide 2008-type rear wing depriving it of an official selection. No entries in LM GT1 hence no selection.
American Le Mans Series - the winner of each category is automatically selected. Corvette, victorious in LM GT1, is not eligible as the make failed to meet the required number of participations because the C6.Rs raced in only two (Sebring, Long Beach) out of 10 events.
Le Mans Series - the first two in each category are automatically selected. Only one entrant has been selected in LM GT1 as the Larbre Competition Saleen did not race in the whole series.
FIA-GT Championship - the first two in each category are automatically selected.
Michelin Green X Challenge - the winner of the Challenge over the whole of the 2009 Le Mans Series is automatically selected.
Asian Le Mans Series - the winner of each of the 4 Le Mans categories is automatically selected.
