The inaugural Asian Le Mans Series will commence on August 4th at Inje Speedium in South Korea with a strong grid of Asian and international teams. Included in the team line-up are: 2013 24 Hours of Le Mans LM P2 winners France’s OAK Racing with a Morgan LM P2; China’s first team to enter the 24 hours of Le Mans this year KCMG, also with a Morgan LM P2; GT Asia Championship contender Hong Kong’s Craft Racing AMR with a Aston Martin Vantage GT3 and 2013 24 Hours of Le Mans double podium GT team Italy’s AF Corse Ferrari with a Ferrari 458 GT3.

 
The inaugural Asian Le Mans Series will commence on August 4th at Inje Speedium in South Korea with a strong grid of Asian and international teams. Included in the team line-up are: 2013 24 Hours of Le Mans LM P2 winners France’s OAK Racing with a Morgan LM P2; China’s first team to enter the 24 hours of Le Mans this year KCMG, also with a Morgan LM P2; GT Asia Championship contender Hong Kong’s Craft Racing AMR with a Aston Martin Vantage GT3 and 2013 24 Hours of Le Mans double podium GT team Italy’s AF Corse Ferrari with a Ferrari 458 GT3.

These teams will be joined by former Super Trofeo Asia’s Italian team BBT, who will be racing a Lamborghini Gallardo GT3. Japan’s Taisan Racing will enter a Porsche 996 GT300, a Ferrari 458 GTE, and will also be racing a Porsche 911 GT300 in Round 2 of the 2013 Asian Le Mans Series at Fuji Speedway. Taiwan’s AAI will be racing in a McLaren GT3. In addition organisers are in final negotiations with several LM P2, LM PC and GTC teams. With top Prototype and GT teams racing against each other competition for the three invitations to the 2014 24 Hours of Le Mans will be fierce.

Amongst the Series’ drivers are: former Formula One and current FIA WEC driver Japan’s Kamui Kobayashi racing for Taisan Ken Endless; 2013 24 Hours of Le Mans driver China’s Ho-Pin Tung for KCMG; GT superstar Italy’s Andrea Bertolini for AF Corse Ferrari, as well as previous 24 Hours of Le Mans and FIA WEC driver Germany’s Stefan Mücke and GT Asia Driver’s Championship contender Hong Kong’s Frank Yu who will both be driving for Craft Racing AMR.

As well as the first round of Asian Le Mans Series, the Porsche Carrera Cup Asia, Audi R8 LMS Cup and Ferrari Challenge will take place as support races for Asian Le Mans Series in South Korea, as part of a weekend of premier-quality motor racing.

The grid will be further bolstered in Round 2 of the 2013 Asia Le Mans Series at Fuji Speedway on September 22nd by the entry of 8-10 SuperGT 300 cars that will compete within the Asian Le Mans Series race.

Asian Le Mans Series Managing Director Mark Thomas: “We are very pleased with what we have achieved so far in getting the Asian Le Mans Series off the ground. Starting a new series, in a region where there is not yet a great widespread motorsports culture, was always going to be a challenge as these things take time. However we have managed to secure a solid number of great teams and partners for this season. We are looking forward to a very exciting and successful first season, and building a strong foundation, upon which we will grow and develop in the years to come.”

Photos: LAT Photographic