Race Report: Asian Le Mans Series – Dubai Pre-Race Update
As the Asian Le Mans Series returns to Dubai, 46 cars are set to compete, following the withdrawal of the EBM Aston Martin due to a lack of a mandatory Bronze-rated driver. Notable driver changes across all three classes have reshaped the grid since the last event in Sepang.
Key Driver Changes:
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LMP2: Bijoy Garg replaces Nick Cassidy in the #43 Inter Europol Oreca. In the #30 RD Limited Oreca, James Sweetnam steps in for Fred Poordad, who is recovering from back pain. Sweetnam, despite a late replacement, expressed optimism about adjusting to the LMP2 car during qualifying.
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LMP3: The #85 R-Ace GP Duqueine will feature a new lineup: Lena Buhler, Danial Frost, and Shahan Sarkissian.
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GT3: Four significant changes include:
- The #28 WRT BMW, now simply Team WRT, replaces its previous lineup with Sergey Stolyarov and Gabriele Piana.
- The #54 AF Corse Ferrari swaps Thomas Floersch and Alessandro Pier Guidi for Nigel Schoonderwoerd and Yelmer Buurman.
- United Autosports’ #59 McLaren sees Andrey Mukozov and Alexay Nesov take over from Mark Rosser and Garnet Patterson.
- The #77 Proton Competition Porsche has Huub van Eindhoven replacing Kiyoto Fujinami.
Track Developments
As teams prepare for the forthcoming races, construction work continues around the circuit, including new residential structures along the front straight and an expansion of the Technopark area inside Turns 1 and 2. These developments signal a major enhancement to the facility in the months ahead.
Upcoming Races
The CrowdStrike Racing by APR team, fresh off an LMP2 victory at the Rolex 24 Hours at Daytona, aims to secure consecutive wins in Race 1. With significant competition expected, teams will eye victory in what promises to be a thrilling series of races.
Fans and participants alike are in for an exciting show as the Asian Le Mans Series resumes in Dubai, with the first race set to showcase the talent and resilience of the competitors.
