Felix Porteiro has confirmed that he has been ruled out of competing in the 2023 Asian Le Mans Series as a Bronze-ranked driver, following the FIA’s decision to reclassify him as a Silver, retroactive to 2022.
“I’m out,” a hugely disappointed Porteiro told DSC flatly, after being informed of the decision by letters from the FIA.
Porteiro was due to share the #98 LMP2 class Oreca 07 prepared by 99 Racing as their compulsory Bronze rated driver. He was originally classified as a Bronze driver for 2022, which would have allowed him to compete as a Bronze in the 2023 Asian Le Mans Series – as a legacy of the series pre-COVID calendars which extended over two calendar years.
The 39-year-old Spaniard has not raced competitively since 2012. But his prior CV includes three seasons of experience in the FIA World Touring Car Championship, and prior experience in the GP2 Series (now FIA Formula 2 Championship) and Formula Renault 3.5 Series/World Series by Nissan. He has also been managing the Porteiro Motorsport driving school alongside his brother Sebastian in the intervening years.
DSC has learned from multiple paddock sources that concerns were raised with the FIA about his grading several weeks earlier but that the meeting to discuss the matter happened only yesterday.
“I’m upset that they took this long to come to a decision,” Porteiro added. “It is not fair to me, or to the team to have this happen here.”
Porteiro has received two letters from the FIA, one yesterday confirming the change of his current ranking to Silver, the other today backdating that ranking as a result of a reported “prior review”.
It will mean that 99 Racing will need to make a second driver substitution in very short order if they are to participate this season.
Past FIA World Endurance Drivers’ Champion Neel Jani was this week confirmed to replace Ben Barnicoat alongside the controversially listed Nikita Mazepin after the British driver withdrew citing clashing commitments
