Each two person crew must feature at least one bronze rated driver, with the second driver being rated as a bronze, silver or gold. Platinum drivers are not permitted to race in the Michelin Le Mans Cup.
But what is a bronze rated driver? The FIA rate a driver based on their experience and age using clearly defined guidelines to place a driver in the correct category.
A bronze driver is defined as an amateur driver who meets at least one of the following criteria:
- any driver who was over 30 years old when his/her first licence was issued, and who has little or no single-seater experience;
- any driver over 30, previously categorised as Silver, but with no significant results (titles, pole positions or race wins);
- any driver under 30 years old with a licence issued for the first time during the year of his first categorisation.
On the entry list for the open round of the 2018 Michelin Le Mans Cup there are 58 drivers, 31 of whom are in the bronze category, 22 silver and 5 gold. Two cars, the no88 Ebimotors Porsche 911 and the no69 StileF Squadra Corse Ferrari F458 have two bronze drivers making up their driver crews. The rest of the grid is either bronze-silver or bronze-gold.
The bronze drivers have the opportunity to take part in the bronze drivers test at each event, giving them more track time to get used to the circuit. Bronze drivers must take part in qualifying for each race and each driver must drive for a minimum of 55 minutes in the race.
If an amateur driver doesn’t meet the criteria for a bronze rating then they will be considered for a higher category.
SILVER is an amateur driver satisfying at least one of the following criteria:
- A driver aged under 30 and not satisfying the criteria of categories Platinum and Gold;
- A driver who has finished in 1st place in the general classification of regional or major national championships or international series, or has won a major endurance race;
- A driver who has won a non-professional drivers' series* (Ferrari Challenge, Maserati Trophy, Lamborghini Supertrophy, Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge) or a regional, national or international single-make lower category series organised by a Manufacturer (not including Series which are restricted only to Bronze drivers);
- A driver who has competed competitively in high-level international karting competitions;
- is a driver, otherwise categorised as Bronze, whose average lap time is consistently as fast or faster over the majority of the season than the average lap time of Silver drivers competing in the same event of the season
- A driver whose performances and achievements, despite not being covered by one of the definitions above, may be considered as Silver by the FIA.
GOLD is an amateur or professional driver in FIA international and national series satisfying at least one of the following criteria:
- satisfies one criterion from platinum;
- has finished in the top 3 in the general classification of a secondary international single-seater series * (A1 GP, GP3, Renault V6, Superleague, Eurocup FR2.0, Firestone Indy Lights);
- has won the general classification of a regional or national single-seater series * (F3, FR2.0, Atlantic Championship up to and including 2009, Euro V8 Series);
- has finished in the top 3 in the general classification of the Porsche Supercup / DTM / BTCC / Super GT series or won a major national Porsche Carrera Cup;
- has finished in the top 3 in the general classification of the International V8 Supercars Championship;
- has won a major GT series* (FIA GT, Blancpain GT Series (Pro), FIA GT1 World Championship, FIA GT3 European Championship, ADAC GT Masters, British GT Championship, GT Asia) or GT category of a major Sportscar series* (ILMC, ELMS, ALMS, Asian Le Mans Series, LMP2 WEC, IMSA Sportscar Championship) with driver(s) of a lower or the same categorisation;
- has raced in championships counting towards Article 5.1.7(a) of Appendix L of the International Sporting Code with racing wins, podiums and pole positions;
- is a driver, otherwise categorised as Silver, whose average lap time is consistently as fast or faster over the majority of the season than the average lap time of Gold drivers competing in the same event of the season
- is a driver whose main professional activity is based around motor sport, and whose performances and achievements, despite not being covered by one of the definitions above, may be considered as Gold by the FIA.
