Cetilar Strikes First With Race 1 Win In Sepang

Cetilar Racing Triumphs at Asian Le Mans Series Opener

Sepang International Circuit, Malaysia – Cetilar Racing clinched victory in the opening round of the 2025/26 Asian Le Mans Series, overcoming a late five-second penalty to secure the win. Antonio Fuoco, driving the #47 ORECA 07 – Gibson alongside Roberto Lacorte and Charles Milesi, navigated challenging conditions, including two Safety Car periods, to finish 2.730 seconds ahead of Algarve Pro Racing’s Tom Dillmann.

During a critical pit stop around a Virtual Safety Car, Cetilar Racing emerged at the front, capitalizing on their rivals pitting under green flags. The penalty, incurred due to an earlier infringement by Lacorte, loomed over Fuoco as he led the pack in the race’s closing stages. Despite the pressure, Fuoco managed to maintain his lead after all LMP2 entries pitted for a splash of fuel.

Key Finishers and Highlights

1. Cetilar Racing (#47 ORECA) – Winner
2. Algarve Pro Racing (#25 ORECA) – Second place, with Dillmann executing a strategic overcut on CrowdStrike Racing’s Malthe Jakobsen.
3. CrowdStrike Racing (#4 ORECA) – Third place, represented strong competition throughout.

Lacorte’s earlier penalty presented a tactical concern, as noted by Milesi: “It was tricky at the end to manage the penalty… but we crossed the line P1.”

Nielsen Racing’s #64 ORECA finished fourth, followed closely by United Autosports, whose strong initial performance dissipated due to a late pit stop miscalculation involving their Bronze-rated driver, Philip Fayer.

LMP3 and GT Series Results

In LMP3, Inter Europol Competition’s #13 Ligier JS P325 – Toyota took the inaugural win of the new Gen3 era, overtaking early race leaders CLX Motorsport. Callum Voisin of High Class Racing’s #94 Ligier finished with a strong charge, just 0.218 seconds behind the winners.

GT racing saw Manthey Racing execute a strategic coup for victory. After pitting for clean air, Loek Hartog clinched the win for the #10 Porsche 911 GT3 Rs, narrowly defeating GetSpeed’s Fabian Schiller by 1.072 seconds. Notably, the race featured significant drama as multiple frontrunners, including the pole-sitting #66 JMR Corvette, suffered setbacks from early-race incidents and penalties.

Conclusion

As the storied Sepang International Circuit continues to host the Asian Le Mans Series, the competition remains fierce. Teams prepare for a follow-up four-hour race scheduled for tomorrow at 13:00 MST. The opening weekend has emphasized the strategic depth within endurance racing, leaving teams and spectators eagerly anticipating the next round of action.

Results Overview

• LMP2 Podium:

  1. Cetilar Racing
  2. Algarve Pro Racing
  3. CrowdStrike Racing

• LMP3 Winner:
  Inter Europol Competition

• GT Podium:

  1. Manthey Racing
  2. Ecurie Ecosse Blackthorn
  3. Manthey Racing (#92 Porsche)

For any updates or changes to results, teams await the final decisions from race stewards impacting the standings.