Erik Maris

Erik Raymond Jean Alain Maris (born 16 February 1964) is a French businessman, racing driver and navigator.

Business ventures A Graduate of HEC Paris, Maris began working at Morgan Stanley in 1988, before joining Lazard in 1991. During his time at Lazard, Maris specialized in telecommunications and media and became the company's co-head of its consulting practice in late 2009, but was demoted to managing partner the following June by Kenneth M. Jacobs. His tenure at the company lasted until September 2020, when he left following several disagreements with Messier. The following month, Maris joined Advent International, a private equity fund, as an advisory partner. In late 2024, Maris joined Perella Weinberg France as vice-chairman.

Sailing career Maris was introduced to sailing in the late 1960s and competed in the Tour de France à la voile as well as the Admiral's Cup in 1987, before returning to the sport from 2002 to 2012. Five years later, Maris resumed his sailing career as he entered the GC32 Racing Tour, and still competes as of July 2025.

Racing career Maris driving at night during his 24 Hours of Le Mans debut in 2014. Maris made his car racing debut in 2011, in the V de V Challenge Endurance VHC. Two years later, Maris joined OAK Racing to make his FIA World Endurance Championship debut at the 6 Hours of Circuit of the Americas in LMP2. The following year, Maris finished on the A6-Am podium of the Dubai 24 Hour for Spirit of Race, before joining IMSA Performance for the rest of the year to compete in the LMGTE class of the European Le Mans Series, driving a Porsche 997 GT3-RSR. During 2014, Maris also raced at the 24 Hours of Le Mans with the same team in LMGTE Am.

Maris secured his best LMP2 finish of 5th at Silverstone 2015 with OAK Racing.

Maris then returned to OAK Racing and LMP2 competition for 2015, racing with them in the first three rounds of the FIA World Endurance Championship, including the 24 Hours of Le Mans, where he placed eleventh. A season in the LMP3 class of the European Le Mans Series and a third appearance at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, for SO24! by Lombard Racing in LMP2, then ensued, before returning to the French enduro for a fourth consecutive time, now with Eurasia Motorsport, in 2017.

In 2018, Maris switched to IDEC Sport to race in select rounds of the European Le Mans Series in LMP2, as well as joining Ebimotors to race in the LMGTE Am class of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, in which he finished sixth at the wheel of a Porsche 911 RSR. Another part-time season in ELMS with IDEC Sport then followed in 2019, during which he raced at the Road to Le Mans for United Autosports in LMP3, as well as the 24 Hours of Spa for BMW-fielding Boutsen Ginion. Maris then made a one-off appearance in the following year's Le Mans Cup for IDEC Sport in GT3, and also raced for EuroInternational at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in LMP2, before switching his attention to classic races.

Racing record Racing career summary

† As Maris was a guest driver, he was ineligible to score points.

Complete FIA World Endurance Championship results

Complete European Le Mans Series results (key) (Races in bold indicate pole position; results in italics indicate fastest lap)

Complete 24 Hours of Le Mans results YearTeamCo-DriversCarClassLaps 2014 IMSA Performance Matmut Éric Hélary Jean-Marc Merlin Porsche 997 GT3-RSR LMGTE Am 317 34th 13th 2015 OAK Racing Jean-Marc Merlin Jacques Nicolet Ligier JS P2-Nissan LMP2 328 29th 11th 2016 SO24! by Lombard Racing Vincent Capillaire Jonathan Coleman Oreca 03R-Nissan LMP2 328 32nd 14th 2017 Eurasia Motorsport Jacques Nicolet Pierre Nicolet Ligier JS P217-Gibson LMP2 341 15th 13th Ebimotors Fabio Babini Christina Nielsen Porsche 911 RSR LMGTE Am 332 31st 6th 2020 EuroInternational Christophe D'Ansembourg Adrien TambayLigier JS P217-Gibson LMP2 26 DNF DNF

Complete Le Mans Cup results (key) (Races in bold indicate pole position; results in italics indicate fastest lap)

Complete GT World Challenge results GT World Challenge Europe Endurance Cup