The 2019/20 Asian Le Mans Series gets underway at Shanghai International Circuit this week with the grid gathering for the season opener.
As of Friday morning, 24 of the 26 cars were on site, the missing pair the Rick Ware Racing Ligiers for LMP2 AM, their container one of several delayed en route to Shanghai.
At present, it is touch and go as to whether the container, (which is understood to have docked at Shanghai) will be released and delivered in time. That’s particularly tough as the team drivers have arrived at the circuit, Cody Ware and Mark Kvamme being as patient as any driver could be at this point of proceedings.
The potential driver crews for the pair of JS P2 Nissans are #25 Philippe Mulacek/ Michael Zimicki #52 Cody Ware/ Mark Kvamme.
Another team with a container-related drama is Inter-Europol, two of their cars arrived safely but the #33 LMP2 Ligier did not the team forced to air-freight their third P217 together with a substantial amount of support equipment.
The #33 is currently in all-over carbon, the ‘Norwich City’ green and yellow vinyl amongst the missing freight.
Added to the #33 driver line-up is Australian Radical racer, Mitch Nielsen.
As a full grid though the entry looks stunning, the #96 K2 Uchino Oreca looking very smart in all over matt dark grey/ black with overlaid graphics and the pair of Eurasia Ligiers are looking good too, the #36 in a revamped and silvered version of Eurasia’s regular blue, white and orange livery, the #1 in all over black Team New Zealand colours with white graphics.
The T2 Motorsports Ferrari is another machine with a chrome look livery, the #75 car one of three being looked after by AF Corse (with the #51 Spirit of Race and the #7 Car Guy 488 GT3s).
Private Testing on Friday morning daw the session topped by the #45 Thunderhead Carlin Dallara a 1:53.321 edging out the best effort from the #26 G-Drive by Algarve Aurus 01 (1:53.775) and the #34 Inter Europol Ligier (1:53.791).
The fastest LMP2 Am runner was the #59 RLR MSport ORECA 05 Nissan, 1:57.583
Fastest in LMP3 was the #13 Inter Europol Ligier, 2:01.522
Fastest in GT was the #77 D’Station Aston Martin, 2:03.305
