APR, Inter Europol and Panis Racing Commit to Ligier LMP2 for 2028

Ligier Automotive has announced the first three teams who will run the Le Mans-based team’s JS P228 LMP2 chassis from 2028. Algarve Pro Racing, Inter Europol Competition and Panis Racing have all committed to the Ligier chassis.

The ACO and FIA first announced in June 2025 that Ligier Automotive and Groupe ORECA SAS has been chosen as suppliers for new LMP2 chassis that will compete from the 2028 season through to 2032. Technical details of the new chassis has yet to be announced but the car will be powered by a Gibson Technology 3.4-ltr twin-turbocharged V6.

Algarve Pro Racing, founded by Stewart and Sam Cox, is one of the leading LMP2 teams and has won two ELMS titles alongside six Asian Le Mans Series championships and two Pro/Am victories at the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

“The story of Algarve Pro Racing in LMP2 started in LMP2 so there is something very special about the opportunity to reunite with the brand for the beginning of this new generation,” said Sam and Stewart Cox.

“Since those early days, APR has grown enormously and we have been fortunate to achieve a great deal of success in LMP2. That makes the decision about our future particularly important to us.

“What has really convinced us to return to Ligier Automotive is the vision and ambition of Jacques Nicolet. He has always had an extraordinary passion for endurance racing and a determination to see Ligier competing and winning at the highest level. Today, we can see that same ambition being carried forward by Pierre and the next generation of Ligier.

“For us, it feels like coming full circle – returning to where the APR LMP2 story began, but this time with everything we have learned and achieved along the way. We are extremely excited about what we can achieve together.”

Inter Europol Competition has won the LMP2 class at the 24 Hours of Le Mans three times in the past four years with an historic 1-2 in class in 2026. Team Manager Sascha Fassbender is excited about the possibilities with the new Ligier JS P228.

“We at Inter Europol Competition are convinced that we have found the right manufacturer in Ligier Automotive. We have great trust in Ligier to build a fantastic race car that will allow us to continue the success story of Inter Europol Competition.

“As a team, we have always demonstrated that we are willing to take a different path and we enjoy taking on new challenges. Together with Ligier, we believe we can bring a fresh dynamic to the LMP2 category.”

Panis Racing, founded ten years ago as a partnership between Olivier Panis and Fabien Barthez is the reigning ELMS LMP2 champion and has finished on the Le Mans class podium on four occasions. Team Owner Olivier Panis has history with the marque founded by Guy Ligier.

“My win in Monaco in 1996 came with a Ligier,” said Olivier Panis. “That name is part of my history and my career. When the opportunity came up to work together again for 2028, it felt like the obvious choice. There is something very strong between Ligier and me – a shared chapter in French motorsport history that we want to keep writing together.

“I believe in this project and in this car to win races and ultimately fight for victory at Le Mans.”

For Ligier Automotive President Jacques Nicolet, the objective is clear; make Ligier the benchmark in LMP2.

“Since the announcement of our selection in 2025, the entire group has been focused on this project,” he said. “We know how much this category means to the teams and drivers, but also to Ligier.

“That is why Ligier Automotive, together with its sister company HP Composites and its 500 employees, is doing everything possible to make a strong return to the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2028 alongside the racing teams that have placed their trust in us.”