ELMS 2025 round-up: Championship battles heat up ahead of Silverstone return
31 July 2025The 2025 European Le Mans Series (ELMS) is delivering a thrilling season of endurance racing as it builds towards its eagerly anticipated Silverstone return this September.
As the grid prepares for the final two races of the season, here’s a full review of the opening four rounds and a look ahead to what’s coming next at Silverstone.
First four rounds of the 2025 ELMS season
Round 1: Barcelona
The season kicked off at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, where IDEC Sport’s Jamie Chadwick, Mathys Jaubert and Daniel Juncadella picked up the first LMP2 victory of the season, while in LMP2 Pro-Am AF Corse’s François Perrodo, Alessio Rovera and Matthieu Vaxivière took not only the class win, but the overall race as well.
In LMP3, CLX Motorsport adapted quickest to the brand-new next-generation prototypes, while over in LMGT3, the all-female Iron Dames squad started strong with a commanding class win in their Porsche 911 GT3 R.
Round 2: Le Castellet
IDEC Sport secured the top spot once again at Paul Ricard, this time taking the overall race victory as well as in their class, having battled through treacherous, changeable conditions early in the race. The LMP2 Pro-Am win went the way of the Nielsen Racing trio of James Allen, Sérgio Sette Câmara and Anthony Wells.
In LMP3, CLX Motorsport claimed a second win in succession to establish an early championship lead, while Richard Mille AF Corse stormed to the top step in LMGT3.
Round 3: Imola
The action continued in Italy, where TF Sport made headlines by securing the first-ever ELMS win for Corvette in LMGT3, bringing the team firmly into title contention after their Round 2 retirement.
In LMP2, the Panis Racing trio of Oliver Gray, Esteban Masson and Charles Milesi edged out Inter Europol competition by eight seconds to take the championship lead. LMP2 Pro-Am was won by AO by TF, also taking the points lead in their category, while LMP3 honours went to CLX Motorsport once again, making it three from three to streak clear in the standings.
Round 4: Spa-Francorchamps
Spa-Francorchamps marked the second half of the season. Panis Racing and Inter Europol Competition comprised the same LMP2 1-2 at Imola, while polesitters Nielsen Racing got its first podium of the season. In Pro-Am, Algarve Pro Racing seized the championship lead with an excellent win.
Meanwhile, in LMP3, Team Virage took maximum points, vaulting up the order to fifth and championship leaders CLX Motorsport recorded their first DNF of the season. Racing Spirit of Leman deployed a shrewd strategy to take the win in LMGT3 and with it, the points lead heading to Silverstone.
2025 ELMS Championship Standings (After Round 4)
LMP2 standings
- VDS Panis Racing – 76 pts
- Inter Europol Competition – 56 pts
- IDEC Sport – 50 pts
LMP2 Pro-Am standings
- Algarve Pro Racing – 66 pts
- AO by TF – 63 pts
- Proton Competition – 53 pts
LMP3 standings
- CLX Motorsport – 79 pts
- Inter Europol Competition – 48 pts
- EuroInternational – 42 pts
LMGT3 standings
- Racing Spirit of Leman – 46 pts
- Iron Dames – 45 pts
- Richard Mille AF Corse – 41 pts
Key storylines
LMP2: IDEC Sport vs. Panis Racing vs. Inter Europol
The battle for LMP2 glory has been fierce all season, with IDEC Sport, Panis Racing and Inter Europol trading wins and podiums. Panis Racing look to have the advantage heading into Silverstone, but a lot can change in the remaining two races.
New-generation LMP3 cars
The new LMP3 cars introduced in 2025 feature several key upgrades over the previous generation, most notably the switch from a 5.6-litre Nissan V8 to a more efficient and quieter 3.5-litre twin-turbo Toyota V6, delivering 470bhp. The new power unit required chassis modifications across Ligier, Duqueine, and Ginetta models, including upgraded cooling systems and revised wiring harnesses.
TF Sport makes history for Corvette
TF Sport’s victory at Imola was a landmark moment for Corvette Racing, marking their first-ever ELMS win. The British team is now second in the LMGT3 standings and will be aiming to eat into Spirit of Race’s advantage at Spa and their home round of Silverstone.
Silverstone returns to the ELMS calendar
After six years away, Silverstone is back on the ELMS schedule. The 4 Hours of Silverstone on 14 September 2025 will bring endurance racing back to the home of British motorsport and will undoubtedly play a pivotal role in deciding this year’s champions.
READ MORE: Everything you need to know about the return of ELMS at Silverstone
What’s coming next in the 2025 ELMS season?
The second half of the ELMS 2025 calendar visits some of the world’s greatest circuits:
- Silverstone (14 September): The 4 Hours of Silverstone brings ELMS back to the UK for the first time since 2019. Fans will be able to cheer on British drivers, including Oliver Gray, Jamie Chadwick, Nick Yelloly, Tim Creswick, Duncan Cameron and many more as they fight for victory on home soil.
- Portimão (18 October): The season finale in Portugal will bring the curtain down on a hugely competitive campaign.
