APEX RACEWIRE Newsroom
Ligier Secures First Three Customer Teams for 2028 LMP2 Generation
Algarve Pro Racing, Inter Europol Competition and Panis Racing have committed to running the new Ligier JS P228 from 2028.
By Michael de Vries - 2026-08-20T09:46:00.000Z - 2 min read
A trio of established endurance racing outfits has stepped forward to lock in their machinery for the upcoming regulatory cycle in the World Endurance Championship secondary class. Algarve Pro Racing, Inter Europol Competition and Panis Racing have officially committed to fielding the new Ligier JS P228 when the next generation of prototypes hits the track ahead of the 2028 season.
Ligier Automotive secured its place as one of the two designated chassis suppliers for the incoming ruleset, alongside ORECA, and has been developing the JS P228 through its French headquarters and its North American subsidiary since June 2025. The initial customer commitments provide a key early endorsement for the manufacturer as it works to establish the car as a benchmark upon its competitive arrival.
For Algarve Pro Racing, the agreement marks a reunion with a constructor it first partnered with in the category back in 2015. Team principals Stewart and Samantha Cox pointed to the vision and resource commitment shown by Ligier leadership as the driving factor behind their choice to return to the brand after years spent campaigning alternative machinery.
Inter Europol Competition brings a formidable recent record to the partnership, having secured multiple class victories at the 24 Hours of Le Mans and championship honors across various global series. Team management noted that embracing the new French prototype fits with their organisational ethos of seeking out fresh challenges and charting an independent path through the grid.
Panis Racing adds a distinct historical tie to the manufacturer, rooted in the personal racing history of founder Olivier Panis. The French squad, which captured the European Le Mans Series title recently, will lean on VPS Racing to spearhead the operational side of the 2028 project as it extends a decades-long personal association with the constructor.
The rollout schedule will see the JS P228 make its competitive bow in the European Le Mans Series in 2028, followed by appearances in the Asian Le Mans Series for the winter campaign. North American competition will follow in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship once the new technical regulations take effect across the Atlantic in 2029.
These early commitments reshape the competitive landscape of the category well before the current generation of machinery phases out. As development continues behind closed doors, the manufacturer aims to convert these high-profile team acquisitions into race-winning pace on track when the new era officially begins.