The 2024/25 Asian Le Mans Series will feature a maximum grid of 44 cars for the six-race series that starts in Malaysia this December and continues to a conclusion with four races in the UAE in February 2025.
11 LMP2s, 6 LMP3s and a bumper 27 car GT3 field will form the full-season entry and it is apparent that the Series has turned away cars for the first time in a calendar that features races in South East Asia.
All three classes feature Pro-Am line-ups with at least one FIA Bronze-ranked driver.
LMP2
The 11 entries in the LMP2 field include champions both past and present. Reigning champions Algarve Pro Racing will run two cars in defence of their 2023/24 crown, while former champions Nielsen Racing and DKR Engineering will enter a car each.
There are two first-time appearances in the class: Reigning GT3 Champions (and current FIA WEC LMGT3 Championship leaders) Pure RXcing make their class debut whilst the team behind Romain Dumas’ Pikes Peak triumphs RD Limited make their debut too with more storylines potentially to come from that camp!
2024 LMP2 race winners in both the Asian and European Le Mans Series and 2023 Le Mans LMP2 winners Inter Europol Competition field a single car with ELMS and WEC regulars Proton Competition and AF Corse both fielding a pair of Oreca 07 Gibsons apiece.
LMP3
Six Ligier JS P320-Nissans form the junior LMP class entry with single car entries each from 2023 LMP3 Champions Graff Racing, 2018-19 Champions Inter Europol Competition, RLR MSport, 4 Hours of Abu Dhabi race winners Bretton Racing, Ultimate and High Class Racing.
GT3
The 27 car GT grid represents a 17% increase on the 23-car entry last season with several new teams making their Asian Le Mans Series debut in Sepang this December.
The full season grid will be formed of two Aston Martin Vantage AMR GT3, seven Ferrari 296 GT3s, one Lamborghini Huracan GT3 EVO 2, two McLaren 720S GT3, no less than eight Mercedes-AMG GT3 EVOs and seven Porsche 911 GT3 Rs.
2023/24 runners-up and double race winners Triple Eight return to try and win the GT title this season with a Mercedes-AMG GT3.
Italian team AF Corse are entering four Ferrari 296 GT3s, with Swiss team Kessel Racing, Japan’s Car Guy and Hong Kong team Absolute Racing the other three 296s.
Teams running the Porsche 911 GT3 R are, German teams Manthey Racing (1 car), Proton Competition (2 cars – including one numbered #85 – watch this space!) and Car Collection (2 cars), Chinese team Origine (1 car) and San Marino based team Tsunami RT (1 car).
British team Blackthorn will run a single Aston Martin Vantage GT3, as will EBM from New Zealand, a switch from their previous Porsche outings in the Series. Another Kiwi team Prime Speed Sport will run the single Lamborghini Huracan.
Chinese team Climax Racing will be making their Asian Le Mans Series debut with a pair of Mercedes-AMG GT3s, as will Bahraini team 2 Seas Motorsport, who will enter a single car. Other teams running the Mercedes-AMG are American team Winward Racing (2 cars) and German team Getspeed (1 car).
The GT grid is completed by a pair of McLaren 720S GT3s run by British team Optimum Motorsport, who won the 2022 title with Inception Racing.
Pierre Fillon, President of the Automobile Club de l’Ouest: “How pleasing it is to see that the Asian Le Mans Series will have a packed grid this season! Several prestigious teams are planning to enter the championship which is due to begin in Sepang in less than three months’ time. The action will then switch to the United Arab Emirates with four rounds in Dubai and Abu Dhabi. It’s all shaping up to be an exciting campaign. Roll on the opener in Malaysia on 7 December!”
Frederic Lequien, ALMEM and LMEM CEO: “We are extremely pleased to announce a maximum sized grid for the Asian Le Mans Series this year. The series continues to provide a very attractive programme to both existing and new teams, including the welcome arrival of two Chinese teams Climax Racing and Origine. This season the Asian Le Mans Series has expanded to six 4-hour races, and we will continue to work with everyone involved to enable the series to continue to grow and evolve.”
Stephane Ratel, SRO Motorsports Group Founder and CEO: “The Asian Le Mans Series’ very impressive 2024/25 entry list once again underlines motorsport’s ever-increasing popularity across the continent following SRO’s own record-breaking year there. Our partnership with the ACO is not outwardly visible but close collaboration and shared knowledge has undoubtedly contributed towards the success of this region’s two biggest championships, which not only co-exist but actively support each other. Naturally, my eye is drawn to the 27 GT3 entries, some of which are Fanatec GT World Challenge Asia Powered by AWS regulars, but the depth of the prototype classes is also worthy of note. Congratulations to Frederic Lequien and his Asian Le Mans Series team.”
The 2024/25 Asian Le Mans Series calendar will consist of six races, with double headers at Sepang International Circuit (6-8 December), Dubai Autodrome (7-9 February) and Yas Marina Circuit (14-16 February).
