Algrave Pro Racing has confirmed its LMP2 Am Trophy LMP2 line-up for the 2018/19 Asian Le Mans Series season.
As previously revealed on DSC, the team’s Ligier JS P2 will race with High Class Racing’s Anders Fjordbach, South African born Mark Patterson and American Chris McMurry for the 2018-19 Asian Le Mans Series to front Algarve Pro Racing’s bid for the newly-introduced Amateur Trophy and an invitation to the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
27-year-old Fjordbach, a two time VLN SP9 champion, has spent the last two years in the European Le Mans Series’ (ELMS) headlining LMP2 division racing in High Class Racing’s Dallara P217 with Dennis Andersen, and came to an agreement to race with Algarve Pro after discussions following the ELMS 4 Hours of Silverstone.
“I’m really happy to be joining Algarve Pro Racing and to be entering the Asian Le Mans Series for the first time,” said Fjordbach. “I’ve always looked to Asia with interest and I have been given the perfect opportunity to make my debut in the Far East with Chris and Mark.
“We hope to win the LMP2 Amateur Trophy and secure the invitation to the 24 Hours of Le Mans for Algarve Pro Racing and Mark. We will have to perform from the very start of the season because there are only four races, but we will improve quickly if we all work together. The quality of the field is very high and paddock rumours suggest more star names are looking to enter. I expect the competition to be as tough as the ELMS, but I think we can compete well.”
66-year-old Patterson meanwhile, raced with Algarve Pro Racing in the 2016-17 Asian Le Mans season, and is currently competing with it in the ELMS’ LMP2 class.
“It’s great to have extended my relationship with Algarve Pro Racing for another run at the Asian Le Mans Series, which only continues to grow in stature. This season promises to be the best yet, as the Automobile Club de l’Ouest has done a great job at expanding the championship and attracting a lot of good teams and drivers. I’m pleased to be racing with Chris again and it’s great to have Anders as a partner for the first time. We will be a good line-up with a very real shot at winning the Amateur Trophy.”
Fellow Bronze-rated driver McMurry, now aged 53, participated in nearly 100 American Le Mans Series races between 2001 and 2013. In that time, the Phoenix, Arizona-domiciled racer achieved numerous top results in both LMP1 and LMP2, including a win in the 2005 12 Hours of Sebring and a memorable podium at Petit Le Mans in 2013.
“For the last five or six years I’ve been focused solely on helping my son Matt get his driving career launched, and with that now well on its way, I decided to dust off the helmet and give it another run before too much more time passes,” said McMurry. “I’ll be giving it my all. For the team, for Anders, and especially for Mark, who has been a good friend across the years and who, like Matt, has age-related 24 Hours of Le Mans records in mind.”
The 2018-19 Asian Le Mans Series gets underway at the Shanghai International Circuit in China on 23-25 November.
