Le Mans Endurance Series
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| Country | International |
|---|---|
| Inaugural season | 2004 |
| Prototype Classes | LMP2, LMP3 |
| GT Classes | LMGTE |
| Drivers' champion | LMP2:  Simon DolanLMP2: Harry TincknellLMP2:  Giedo van der GardeLMP3: Alex BrundleLMP3: Christian EnglandLMP3:  Mike GuaschGTE: Andrew HowardGTE: Alex MacDowallGTE: Darren Turner
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| Teams' champion | LMP2:  G-Drive RacingLMP3: United AutosportsGTE: Aston Martin Racing
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| Official website | europeanlemansseries.com |
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The European Le Mans Series (ELMS) is a European sports car racing endurance series inspired by the 24 Hours of Le Mans race and run by the Automobile Club de l'Ouest (ACO). The European Le Mans Series is similar to the American Le Mans Series (ALMS) based in the United States and Canada that was running with ACO and IMSA between 1999 and 2013. ELMS team champions and runners-up receive an automatic entry to the following year's 24 Hours of Le Mans. Originally titled the Le Mans Endurance Series before becoming simply the Le Mans Series in 2006, the series was renamed once more in 2012, reusing a name previously utilized by IMSA in 2001.
When he was allowed to bring the rules and racing formulae of the 24 Hours of Le Mans to North America with the creation of the Petit Le Mans in 1998, Don Panoz attempted to build a series inspired by the Petit Le Mans. The aged IMSA GT Championship was taken over and became the new American Le Mans Series, and met with much success in 1999.
Europe had lacked a major sports prototype series since the demise of the World Sportscar Championship in 1992. Following the success of the ALMS, Panoz attempting to bring sports prototype racing back to Europe. This led to the 2000 American Le Mans Series season, which included two races in Europe as the Nürburgring and Silverstone Circuit, as well as a round in Australia. These races would serve as a precursor to what would become the separate European Le Mans Series in 2001.
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