The new LM P2 regulations put in place by the ACO and the FIA will not go into effect until 2017, but Onroak Automotive has already been hard at work so the Ligier JS P217 will be ready in time. The Ligier JS P2's replacement will get an engine sometime in August and hit the track for the first time this September. After a second then a third podium finish in the LM P2 class at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2014 and 2015, Onroak Automotive had to settle for sixth place in LM P2 at this year's 24 Hours of Le Mans despite its win at the Rolex 24 at Daytona and 12 Hours of Sebring thanks to Extreme Speed Motorsports.

Though the JS P217 has not yet been released, the JS P3, a player in the LM P3 class in the European Le Mans Series and Asian Le Mans Series, has done well: the 50th unit will emerge from the workshops in September! But that hasn't stopped Onroak Automotive from continuing to develop the car via test sessions for the sake of reliability.

The JS P3's success has led to increased activity which has caused the constructor founded by Jacques Nicolet to launch a recruiting campaign for technical personnel (engineers, mechanics, technicians and warehousemen) after having completely overhauled the Le Mans location at which is manufacturered the LM P2 series.

Though we'll have to wait until the end of August to see the Ligiers on the track in the ELMS, at Le Castellet, and early September in the World Endurance Championship (WEC) in Mexico, the Ligier JS P2 of Michael Shank Racing will be at the start of the Road America round in Wisconsin for the WeatherTech SportsCar Championship this coming weekend.

Translation by Nikki Ehrhardt / ACO

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Photo: The Greaves Motorsport outfit, best representative among the Ligier JS P2s at the 2016 24 Hours of Le Mans, finished in sixth place in the LM P2 class.