Dubai, UAE – CrowdStrike Racing by APR Takes Victory in Opening Race of Asian Le Mans Series
CrowdStrike Racing by APR, fresh off their win at the Daytona 24 Hours, continued their success by clinching victory in the first race of the Asian Le Mans Series in Dubai. Louis Deletraz’s late charge propelled the Swiss Cadillac Hypercar driver past Nielsen Racing’s Alex Quinn, securing the win after a strategic battle in the LMP2 class.
The race was marked by a chaotic four-hour event, particularly in the LMP2 category, where multiple front-runners faced setbacks during a caution period. A safety car was deployed for over 30 minutes to clear the #11 TF Sport Corvette, which crashed into the barriers after Turn 9. This incident significantly reshuffled the field, affecting the #5 United, #4 CrowdStrike by APR, and #43 Inter Europol ORECA teams, all of whom had to execute emergency pit stops under caution.
“The car was fast, George was strong, Malthe saved tyres, and then we came from P11,” Deletraz reflected on the team’s performance after the race.
Despite holding a formidable position early on, Quinn and Nielsen’s ORECA struggled to maintain pace on older tires post-restart, eventually finishing eighth. Cetilar Racing’s ORECA secured second place, while RD Limited’s unexpected third place was bolstered by last-minute adjustments to its lineup, replacing injured driver Fred Poordad with rookie James Sweetnam.
In LMP3, Inter Europol Competition’s #13 Ligier JS P325 triumphed in a thrilling finish, overcoming Forestier Racing’s Luciano Morano after a series of position exchanges in the final laps. “The traffic plays a big role here… I didn’t give up,” said Henry Cubides, who drove the Ligier to victory.
In GT, Kessel Racing’s #74 Ferrari 296 overcame a stop-go penalty to lead the class, with Dennis Marschall attributing their success to a well-timed strategy. The JMR Corvette finished second, while a late maneuver by Loek Hartog allowed the Manthey Porsche to take third, relegating WRT’s BMW to fourth.
The second race of the weekend is slated to begin at 14:10 local time tomorrow, promising to continue the intense competition witnessed today.
Race Results Overview:
- LMP2: 1. CrowdStrike Racing by APR, 2. Cetilar Racing, 3. RD Limited
- LMP3: 1. Inter Europol Competition, 2. Forestier Racing, 3. 23Events Racing
- GT: 1. Kessel Racing, 2. JMR Corvette, 3. Manthey Porsche
Stay tuned for more updates from the Asian Le Mans Series.
