The Ligier JS P320 in the ACO championships and in IMSA until 2026

At the end of December 2022, the Automobile Club de l’Ouest announced the prolongation of the current generation of LMP3 cars launched in 2020 in the following ACO championships: European Le Mans Series, Michelin Le Mans Cup, Asian Le Mans Series and in 2021 in the IMSA championships: IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship and the IMSA VP Racing SportsCar Challenge. To enable the teams to amortise their investments, the ACO decided to postpone the introduction of the new generation of LMP3s for two seasons until 2027. So the Ligier JS P320, which won seven championship titles in 2022, isn’t going to stop burning up the asphalt of the circuits anytime soon! 

Mid-January, Parella Motorsports Holdings (PMH) have announced the launch of the Prototype Sprint Series Association, a completely new competition dedicated to sports prototypes in which the Ligier JS P3s and Ligier JS P4s are eligible to race. This year’s calendar comprises eight meetings. On the programme are 3 x 30 minutes running time (divided between free practice and qualifying) as well as 2 x 30-minute sprint races on Saturday and Sunday. The future champion will receive a prize of 10,000 euros among other awards. 

“This series will fill an important void and provide racers with another opportunity to get on track. Whether they’re looking to race close to home for just a weekend or compete for a national championship—there will be a place for everyone,” says Tony Parella, the PMH CEO. 

LR Dynamic Events, Ligier Official Partner in Italy, attended the FX Gala Awards in Venice on 14 January, the ceremony bringing down the curtain on the Formula X Racing Weekend. On this occasion, the dates of the new SuperSport FX Series championship, for which the Ligier JS P4s and the Ligier JS2 Rs are eligible, were unveiled. “This championship in Italy will provide an opportunity for numerous drivers and teams to discover the Ligier universe, and will then enable them to get their foot in the world of professional racing in the Ligier European Series,” said Luca Riccitelli, founder of LR Dynamic Events. 

The 2023 FX SuperSport Series calendar:

1 – 2 April: Autodromo nazionale di Monza

29 – 30 avril: Vallelunga circuit 

27 – 28 May: Red Bull Ring

9 – 10 September: Mugello circuit

11 – 12 November: Misano Marco-Simoncelli circuit