The Asian Le Mans Series continues to go from strength to strength, attracting some of the world’s top endurance racing teams. A hotly contested season, full of thrilling racing is anticipated.
Retaining the hugely popular races in the in UAE, the coming season will see an expanded calendar, growing to five races including a return to Southeast Asia and the Sepang International Circuit.
At least 36 cars will line up for the opening round of the Championship – the biggest grid ever for the Asian Le Mans Series at the Sepang International Circuit. The teams and drivers are showing their continued interest in the Series, with full season entries being capped due to paddock space and layout constraints at Sepang. Capacity is greater at the Dubai Autodrome Circuit and the Yas Marina Circuit, as was evident with the record 48 car grid last season. Teams are still able to enter on a race-by-race basis for the UAE rounds and it is expected that the grid will grow for those rounds.
The full entry list, including drivers will be released closer opening race of the season at the start of December.
Pierre Fillon, President of the Automobile Club de l’Ouest:
“The Asian Le Mans Series goes from strength to strength. Next season’s grid is the perfect illustration, with no less than 10 LMP2 on the starting grid. In the GT class the array of constructors knows no bounds: eight in all! Such a healthy field sets the scene for another spectacular season, beginning in Sepang on the 2nd of December. We are looking forward to returning to Southeast Asia.”
Frédéric Lequien, ALMEM and LMEM CEO:
“The Asian Le Mans Series continues to be a very attractive programme with another big grid of existing and new teams! The return to Southeast Asia, and the expansion to five races were both important steps in the growth of the Series. The strong number of LMP2 and GT entries especially shows the popularity of the Series.”
Stéphane Ratel, SRO Motorsports Group Founder & CEO:
“I must congratulate the ACO, Colin Ong and his team for compiling such a strong entry for the 2023/2024 Asian Le Mans Series. The return to Southeast Asia is an important milestone in the championship’s post-pandemic development but also one that teams and drivers from the region have clearly embraced. SRO’s more recent hands-on experience across the continent has and will continue to play a role within the series’ organisation, but we are also eager to build on the current momentum beyond the upcoming campaign.”
- 2023 LMP2 Champions DKR Engineering are back to defend their title.
- 2022 LMP2 and 2019/2020 LMP3 Champions, Nielsen Racing are back with one full season LMP2 entry.
- Algarve Pro Racing will also return with one full season entry. The team were champions in the 2016/2017, and supported G-Drive Racing in their back-to-back titles in 2019/2020 and 2021.
- ARC Bratislava (2018/2019 LMP2 Am Champions) will return with a single entry in LMP2.
- 2022 LMP3 Champions, CD Sport will return for their fourth season in the Asian Le Mans Series.
- The first non-Asian team to win the GT Class of the Asian Le Mans Series, Herberth Motorsport, returns with their Porsche 911 GT3 R and will be supporting the Pure Rxcing entry.
- Optimum, who supported 2022 GT Champions Inception Racing, return with two McLaren 720S GT3s.
Increased teams from the region entered:
The 2023 – 2024 Asian Le Mans season will see the series return to racing in Southeast Asia for the first time since 2020. This season will see seven entries from the Asian Pacific region, with one entry (Al Manar Racing by GetSpeed) from the Middle East.
Japanese team, D’Station Racing who have recently also been competing in the FIA WEC, will again be on the grid with their Aston Martin Vantage AMR GT3. Long standing entrant, Malaysian team Viper Niza Racing returns for their 5th season, also with an Aston Martin.
After an extended time away from the Series, Hong Kong based team Craft Bamboo Racing will field a Mercedes AMG GT3 EVO.
New teams, EBM (Earl Bamber Motorsport) from New Zealand, and Triple Eight from Australia will also join the Series. EBM may be a new team on the grid, but team owner Earl Bamber is certainly no a stranger to ACO racing, winning the 2015 24 Hours of Le Mans on debut. The team have entered two Porsche 911 GT3 Rs.
At least eight different GT manufacturers on the grid:
The GT class continues to attract significant competition amongst brands, with at least eight different manufacturers set to line up on the grid this season. With greater capacity in the UAE paddocks, there may be even more manufacturers on the grid when the Asian Le Mans Series races returns to Dubai and Abu Dhabi.
2 x Audi R8 LMS GT3 EVO 2
3 x Aston Martin Vantage AMR GT3
2 x BMW M4 GT3
4 x Ferrari 296 GT3 *Asian Le Mans Series debut
1 x Lamborghini Huracan GT3 EVO 2
2 x McLaren 720S GT3
5 x Mercedes AMG GT3 EVO
4 x Porsche 911 GT3 R
New Teams:
The Asian Le Mans Series continues to attract new teams. This season will see eight teams making their Series debut. Proton Competition, Duqueine Team, EBM, Sainteloc Racing, Project 1, Team Motopark, Triple Eight, and GR Racing will all compete in the Series for the first time.
Invitations to race at the 24 Hours of Le Mans:
Arguably the most sort after invitation in motorsport, an invitation to enter the 24 Hours of Le Mans will be offered to the LMP2 and GT class winners of the 2023/2024 Asian Le Mans Series.
New for the 2023/2024 Asian Le Mans Series, the LMP3 class winner will receive priority when entering the 2024 Road To Le Mans – a support race held during the 24 Hours of Le Mans race weekend and a very important step on the pathway to racing in the main event.
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