CrowdStrike Racing by APR has announced today that George Kurtz, Colin Braun, and Malthe Jakobsen will drive the team’s #4 Oreca 07-Gibson LMP2 in the upcoming 2023-24 Asian Le Mans Series season.
Following up on an incredible first-year collaboration which produced an LMP2 Pro-Am class win at the Centenary 24 Hours of Le Mans, multiple wins in the IMSA WeatherTech Sportscar Championship, the Michelin Endurance Cup, and an automatic entry into next year’s Le Mans via Kurtz winning the Jim Trueman Award, CrowdStrike Racing and Algarve Pro Racing will aim to kick off the second year of their partnership with more success.
Algarve Pro Racing is little more than a week removed from winning the 2023 European Le Mans Series LMP2 Championship, securing another automatic invitation to the Grand Prix d’Endurance next year. The Portuguese team is no stranger to success in the Asian Le Mans Series – the winner of three LMP2 Championships in 2016-17, 2019-20, and in 2021, plus the 2017-18 LMP2 Gentleman’s Trophy.
This will be a new challenge for Kurtz, the co-founder and CEO of CrowdStrike, who has rounded into one of the top gentleman drivers in endurance racing in recent years. “We are very excited about participating in our first Asian Le Mans season and are looking forward to experiencing new tracks and facing new competition,” said Kurtz.
“This marks the first time a fully CrowdStrike-branded car competes in a full season in the region, and our team is locked in to perform at the highest level. CrowdStrike Racing by APR earned a Le Mans win and an IMSA Championship already this season, and APR has a history of success in the Asian Le Mans Series. We will keep our heads down and work towards our goal like we would in any race series.”
He’ll be joined by his long-time GT World Challenge America co-driver, fellow Le Mans class winner, and reigning Daytona 24 Hours overall winner Braun – now one of the hottest free agents in the IMSA paddock.
“I’m very excited to be joining CrowdStrike Racing by APR’s entry in the 2023-24 Asian Le Mans Series,” remarked Braun. “Certainly, after a huge win in the Centenary edition of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, we have some good momentum and confidence in our programme.
“The entire team sure knows how to put together a fast car. I’m personally looking forward to learning new circuits, and having Malthe’s experience will be a huge asset. I know George and I will be working hard on the simulator to prepare.”
Rounding out the programme is Jakobsen, the 2022 European Le Mans Series LMP3 Champion and current Peugeot TotalEnergies Junior Driver in the FIA World Endurance Championship. Jakobsen was a race winner in last year’s Asian Le Mans Series LMP2 class.
The young Danish driver also brings experience around Petronas Sepang International Circuit, through his time in Formula 4 – a valuable asset as the Asian Le Mans Series returns to Sepang for the first time since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“I’m delighted to be going back into the Asian Le Mans Series after a successful season last time around, and I’m happy to be doing it with CrowdStrike Racing by APR,” said Jakobsen. “The team won the LMP2 Pro-Am class at the 24 Hours of Le Mans Centenary and has been incredibly fast in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, in which it won the Michelin Endurance Cup and Jim Trueman Cup that will guarantee an entry to the 2024 edition of Le Mans.
“Algarve Pro has also won the European Le Mans Series and I believe the team will provide a competitive package, and there’s even more reason to be optimistic when you consider I have George and Colin as my teammates. I always try to be realistic and not overshoot what’s possible, but I strongly believe we can win the championship and the automatic Le Mans entry, which is the main driving force.”
Feature image © IMSA
