Japan Le Mans Challenge
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The Japan Le Mans Challenge (JLMC) is an endurance sportscar series based in Japan built around the 24 Hours of Le Mans that began in 2006. It is run by the Sports Car Endurance Race Operation (SERO) sanctioning body and runs under the rules laid out by the Automobile Club de l'Ouest (ACO). It is the first endurance sportscar series in Japan since the demise of the All Japan Sports Prototype Championship in 1992, although the ACO had run a single endurance race since then, the 1999 Le Mans Fuji 1000km.
[edit] Rules
The rules for the events in JLMC are based around the rules used by the ACO for the 24 Hours of Le Mans endurance race in France, similar to those used by the Le Mans Series in Europe and the American Le Mans Series.
Cars are broken into two general classes, known as Le Mans prototype (LMP) and Grand Touring (GT). These classes are further broken down into a larger, more powerful class and a cheaper, less powerful class, creating four classes: LMP1, LMP2, GT1, and GT2. All four classes race at the same time on the same track, with a victor being declared for each class besides the overall race winner. Points based on finishing position are awarded for an overall championship awarded to drivers, teams, and engine builders.
Due to the fact that there are not a large number of teams in Japan with cars that meet 2006 guidelines for car construction, the ACO has allowed JLMC teams run cars as old as 2004-spec.
The ACO plans to grant automatic entry to the 24 Hours of Le Mans for the team that wins the season championship in each class. However, due to the use of older spec cars in the series, no automatic entry will be granted for the 2007 24 Hours of Le Mans. It is hoped that once the series expands, the ACO will grant automatic entry.
The series hopes to gain more international entries once they have established themselves.
[edit] History
- See Also 2006 Japan Le Mans Challenge season
For the initial season, the series got off to a slow start in comparison to its European and American contemporaries. Three 1000km races were scheduled, held at Sportsland Sugo, Twin Ring Motegi, and Okayama Circuit. Unfortunately for the first two rounds, only twelve entries appeared, leaving each class without much competition. Added to this was the difficulty of making some of these brand new machines, especially LMPs, in being able to last 1000km, even if they did not have to drive as hard as they would if they had more competition. Therefore, mechnical difficulties lead to the first two races being won by an ex-Prodrive Ferrari in the GT1 class, which through its proven reliability was able to out perform all LMPs.
However, for the final race at Okayama, twenty entries appeared, allowing for more competition in the classes, and reliability was finally able to win out with the new Mugen Motorsports powered Courage LMP1 finally able to take an overall win.
For 2007, SERO announced that the JLMC schedule will be expanded to 4 races, adding another 1000km race at Fuji Speedway. Also announced was the intention by the ACO for the 2008 season champions to be granted automatic invitations to the 2009 24 Hours of Le Mans, on the assumption that the number and quality of entries in the series will be able to improve.
