Lights out in France as Tom Gamble gets set for European Le Mans Series opener this weekend

Racing driver Tom Gamble is in France and ready to kick-start his season in the LMP2 class of the European Le Mans Series (ELMS) this weekend, reports Paul Horton.

Gamble, who finished runner-up in the ELMS LMP2 championship in 2021 after taking the ELMS LMP3 title in 2020, is raring to go as he sets his sights on the championship title again.

“I am really looking forward to the new season and getting started up,” said Gamble.

“There is a long way to go until the end of the season in October.

“We had a P2 finish last season and it would be nice to go one step higher (the championship title) this time round.”

Twenty-year-old Gamble, from Epperstone, travelled to Le Castellet near Marseille earlier this week with his United Autosports teammates Brit Phil Hanson and Duncan Tappy.

He said the opening weekend would be made even more special due to the location of the race.

“ It’s one of my favourite tracks so I’m really looking forward to it,” said Gamble.

“We have all the tools to do the job so fingers crossed it goes well ”

Since arriving at the Circuit Paul Ricard, the silver racer for the American-based team has been committed to testing the #22 Oreca 07 Le Mans prototype, which boasts a 604hp and a V8 Gibson GK428 engine.

No stranger to the car, Gamble and his teammates have put in some fantastic lap times and hope to continue this through to the weekend’s qualifying session on Saturday ahead of the four hours of Le Castellet endurance race on Sunday.

The championship will run until the middle of October and will see Gamble complete a lot of miles on and off the track as he travels Europe.

He will take in six rounds, with each of four-hour endurance races taking place in France, Italy, Spain, Belgium and Portugal.

He races twice in Italy.