The Ligier JS2 R, the new Ligier GT, which was unveiled at the Paris Motor Show last year on 11th October to celebrate the make’s 50th anniversary quickly attracted enthusiasts. Easy to drive, fast and robust it has already spawned two single-make championships: the Ligier JS Cup France and the Ligier European Series, two first-class playing fields for this car designed exclusively for racing.
A few months after its presentation, Ligier Automotive launched its first single-make championship dedicated to its new car, the Ligier JS Cup France organised by Max Mamers Management. On the calendar, seven endurance races ranging from 3h 30m to 6 hours on the most beautiful circuits in France as well as a trip to the iconic Spa-Francorchamps track.
In only its very first season the Ligier JS Cup France has already made a big impact: 25 cars for the first race at Le Mans and 27 for the fourth round at Magny-Cours. “The Ligier JS Cup France is a great success,” says Jacques Nicolet, the President of Ligier Automotive; “It’s ideal for gentlemen drivers who want to enjoy themselves in endurance races. Three free practice sessions of one hour each, 1h 30m for qualifying and races of between 3h 30m and 6 hours run over only two days. It’s a lot of driving! The Ligier JS2 R was designed with this objective in mind: give drivers and teams a car to run without restraint. The car’s very competitively priced, but what’s important is that the running costs are low and the revisions widely spaced. For the 2020 season we’re expecting around thirty Ligier JS2 Rs.”
But Ligier Automotive is determined to go even further. On 19th July, a brand-new championship was announced in collaboration with the European Le Mans Series, the Ligier European Series. It’s a 100% Ligier championship dedicated to the Ligier JS2 R as well as the Ligier JS P4, the futuristic-looking sports prototype that was also launched in 2018 – very much in keeping with the Spirit of Le Mans!
The Ligier European Series is being run by the European Le Mans Series during the same meetings. It will kick off in spring 2020. The series will consist of five rounds with an hour’s free practice, 2×20 minutes qualifying sessions and 2×1 hour’s racing: in all 3h 40m running time split up over two days, Fridays and Saturdays. ”The aim of this series” comments Nicolet, “is to allow gentleman drivers as well as youngsters from the world of karting in particular, to put a foot in the world of motor sport, to enjoy themselves on the greatest circuits in Europe and then should they wish to do so to climb the ladder in Endurance World”.
“These two single-make championships are complementary,” sums up Nicolet. “The formats, the dates and the circuits are different and the Ligier JS Cup France is entirely dedicated to the Ligier JS2 R while the Ligier European Series associates GTs and sports prototypes. We consulted with Benoît Abdelatif, Manager of Max Mamers Management so that the calendars of two series are compatible and allow teams and drivers to participate to both championships.
“Announcements will be made between now and the end of the year to promote this complementarity and to provide specific support for the owners and drivers of the Ligier JS2 Rs. Our aim is to continue the development of single-make formulas based around the Ligier JS2 R and our other racing cars in other countries in Europe to offer drivers and teams that put their trust in us the highest possible number of playing fields. Quick, reliable racing cars are good and with dedicated championships it’s even better!”
In addition to the two single-make formulas, the Ligier JS2 R is eligible, among others, for championships like the Ultimate Cup Series and the 24H Series.
Several test days are organised in the coming months:
Wednesday 11 September on the Magny-Cours GP circuit;
Wednesday 9 October on the Magny-Cours GP circuit;
Wednesday 30 October on the Magny-Cours Club circuit.
Source. Ligier
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