High quality field set for the 2023-2024 Asian Le Mans Series

A record audience watched the thrilling racing of the 2023 Asian Le Mans Series, and the coming season promises even better!

 

The opening round at the Sepang International Circuit will feature 39 cars and 117 drivers from around the globe fighting for victory.  The drivers will include winners of the 24 Hours of Le Mans - the pinnacle of endurance racing, along with many regulars from the FIA World Endurance Championship. The list also features exceptionally talented drivers backed by leading GT manufacturers, along with highly experienced and successful amateur drivers.

 

LMP2:

2023 Drivers’ Champions Salih Yoluc and Charlie Eastwood will return to defend their title, this time with TF Sport.  

 

2023 Teams’ Champions, DKR Engineering, will feature FIA WEC Hypercar driver Tom Dillmann, Laurents Hörr and Alexander Mattschull.

 

Newly crowned FIA WEC LMP2 champion, Louis Deletraz will make his Asian Le Mans Series debut with 99 Racing, joining Ahmad Al Harty and Nikita Mazepin.

 

2022 24 Hours of Le Mans LMP2 Pro/Am winner, and fresh from testing the Proton Competition FIA WEC Porsche Hypercar in the rookie test in Bahrain, Rene Binder will join Julien Andlauer, who will make his LMP2 debut, and Giorgio Roda in the #22 Proton Competition LMP2.

 

Last time the Asian Le Mans Series raced in Sepang, it was the Thunderhead Carlin Racing LMP2 that took the win. One part of the driver line-up was Harry Tincknell who is back for the 2023/2024 Asian Le Mans Series. This time the multiple 24 hours of Le Mans winner will be in the #55 Proton Competition LMP2. He will be joined by Paul-Loup Chatin, IMSA's 2023 LMP2 Champion, and PJ Hyett.

 

For Nielsen Racing, Sepang brings back good memories, they were well on their way claiming the LMP3 title. This time they are fighting for outright victory with Ian Loggie (2022 GT Am Champion), Alejandro Garcia (ELMS LMP3 Champion), and Ferdinand Habsburg (2021 LMP2 Champion).

 

Back for their 9th season with the Asian Le Mans Series, ARC Bratislava will again enter LMP2 with Jonas Ried, Mathias Beche and Team Principal Miro Konopka behind the wheel.

 

 

 

LMP3:

Malaysian team Viper Niza will return to the LMP3 class for the 2023/ 2024 Asian Le Mans Series.  Team owner Douglas Khoo will be joined by his regular co-driver and fellow Malaysian, Dominic Ang. The pair will be joined by Australian Josh Burdon who is no stranger to the Series.

 

Making their debut in the Asian Le Mans Series in 2021, CD Sport finished 1st and 2nd in the 2022 LMP3 Championship, they are back for a 4th season with Michael Jensen, Nick Adcock and Fabien Lavergne.

 

 

GT3:

Some of the world’s best GT drivers will be on the grid in the 2023/2024 Asian Le Mans Series, representing the eight different manufacturers. The quality field will include Fabian Schiller, Marco Mapelli, Davide Rigon, Rob Bell, Matteo Cairoli, Jules Gounon, Tom Gamble, Ben Barker, Luca Stolz, Klaus Bachler, Dan Harper, and Jonny Adam. 

 

Indonesian racer, Sean Gelael will return to the Asian Le Mans Series in the Project 1 BMW M4 GT3 in the highly competitive GT class. Most recently Sean has been racing for Team WRT in the FIA WEC, finishing 4th in LMP2 and the last time he raced in the Asian Le Mans Series he finished 2nd with JOTA in LMP2.

 

A return to Asia attracts more Asian driver talent!

 

Not only is the Series returning to Asia, but there will also be some very talented drivers from the Asia Pacific region on the grid.

 

Young Singaporean driver Danial Frost will make his LMP3 debut with COOL Racing in Sepang at what is almost a home race for him. He competed in the IndyNXT series in 2023, winning the opening race in St Petersburg.

 

Silver rated Chinese driver Kerong Li will be joined by Malaysian racer Adrain D’Silva, and the hugely talented Kiwi racer, Earl Bamber in the #84 EBM Porsche 911 GT3 R.

 

FIA WEC and Asian Le Mans Series regulars, Satoshi Hoshino and Tomonobu Fujii will return with D’Station Racing for their 5thseason with an Aston Martin Vantage AMR GT3.

 

Another Series regular from Japan, 2018/2019 GT champion, Kei Cozzolino will also return in the #82 AF Corse Ferrari 296 GT3.

 

Series debutants, Triple Eight from Australia will feature His Highness Prince Jefri Ibrahim from Malaysia will be joined by his Fanatec GT World Challenge Australia and Asia teammate Broc Feeney. Broc is currently racing in the Australian Supercars Championship.  The pair will be joined by the platinum rated German racer, Luca Stolz. 

 

Hong Kong racer Antares Au returns for a 4th season with Herberth Motorsport. He will be joined by Tim Heinemann and Matteo Cairoli.

 

Free entry!

 

The Sepang International Circuit has confirmed that entry, including access to the grandstands, at the opening round of the 2023 / 2024 Asian Le Mans Series will be FREE of charge.

 

Biggest ever Asian Le Mans Series Grid at the Sepang International Circuit:

 

39 cars are set to do battle around the Sepang International Circuit in the opening round of the 2023 /2024 championship, this will be the biggest ever Asian Le Mans Series grid in Malaysia!

 

Schedule:

Free Practice 1: 01 Dec 2023 13:30 - 15:00

Free Practice 2: 01 Dec 2023 16:00 - 17:30

Qualifying: 02 Dec 2023 09:50 - 10:30

Race 1: 02 Dec 2023 14:00 - 18:00

Race 2: 03 Dec 2023 14:00 – 18:00

(All times local - GMT+8)

 

The Sepang International Circuit has played an important part in the history and development of the Series! The first time the Asian Le Mans Series raced at Sepang was in 2014 and the Malaysian circuit featured on the calendar every season until 2020. The Asian Le Mans Sprint Cup (for LMP3, GT and GT Cup car) was also held exclusively at the Sepang circuit in 2016 and 2017. 

 

With a length of 5.543 km, the track features 15 turns and 8 straights and the last time we were there, the LMP2 cars were reaching speeds up to 275kph.

 

Broadcast:

The Asian Le Mans Series is one of the most accessible, available for free around the world including on the Asian Le Mans Series YouTube and Facebook pages, and via an extensive list of broadcast partners. There is also a live streaming service with Chinese commentary broadcast on popular streaming sites.  

 

Full broadcast details will be released shortly.

 

Calendar:

Race 1: Sepang International Circuit, Malaysia    2 December 2023

Race 2: Sepang International Circuit, Malaysia    3 December 2023

Race 3: Dubai Autodrome, Dubai                       4 February 2024

Race 4: Yas Marina Circuit, Abu Dhabi               10 February 2024

Race 5: Yas Marina Circuit, Abu Dhabi               11 February 2024