- A return to Sepang and an expansion to five rounds
- Highly popular UAE races to remain on the calendar
- Joint promotion with SRO Motorsports Group confirmed
The 2023/2024 Asian Le Mans Series will begin with a double header at the Sepang International Circuit. With motorsport in the South East Asia region reigniting, now is the best time to bring the Series back to its traditional home.
The Asian Le Mans Series has a very close relationship with the Sepang International Circuit having raced there in every season until 2020, and the circuit was also home to the Asian Le Mans Sprint Cup. The last time the Series raced there saw the first ever running under lights for the Asian Le Mans Series.
Given the proximity to the Kuala Lumpur International Airport, Sepang is an easily accessible circuit making it an obvious addition to the Series. An earlier finish to the Season also allows teams to combine the Series more easily with other Championships in Asia, Europe, and America.
The return of Sepang to the calendar will see the season expanded to five races, with the hugely popular races in Dubai Autodrome and Yas Marina Circuit also set to feature. Each of the five races will be four hours in length, with the race times and support programmes to be released at a later date.
Race 1 – Sepang International Circuit, Malaysia – 2 December 2023
Race 2 – Sepang International Circuit, Malaysia – 3 December 2023
Race 3 – Dubai Autodrome, Dubai – 4 February 2024
Race 4 – Yas Marina Circuit, Abu Dhabi – 10 February 2024
Race 5 – Yas Marina Circuit, Abu Dhabi – 11 February 2024
An oversubscribed, capacity grid of 48 cars, and record growth in the audience last season shows how popular the Asian Le Mans Series has become with teams, drivers and fans. The ambition has always been to expand the Asian Le Mans Series to a five race Championship, and this format allows the Series to do that in a way that is cost effective, works logistically, and most importantly, delivers thrilling racing.
As always, it will not just be Championship glory that the teams and drivers will be fighting for, there will also be invitations to race at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2024 on the line. The Champions of the LMP2 and GT classes will both be awarded an invitation to race at the iconic event.
The 2023/2024 Season will also mark the first for the Asian Le Mans Series as a joint venture between the Automobile Club de l’Ouest (ACO), Asian Le Mans Endurance Management (ALMEM) and SRO Motorsports Group. This new agreement will see all parties collaborating closely together to ensure the Series continues to grow and deliver exceptional results.
Entries for the 2023/2024 Asian Le Mans Series open today.
Pierre Fillon, Président de l’Automobile Club de l’Ouest: “Over the years, the Asian Le Mans Series has carved itself a special place in the endurance world. This year we are particularly pleased to add two races at the Sepang International Circuit in Malaysia. The return to South-East Asia is excellent news for this increasingly popular championship. See you on the 1st of December for the start of an exciting new season.”
Frédéric Lequien, ALMEM and LMEM CEO: “The Asian Le Mans Series has gone from strength to strength over the past few seasons and we are very excited about bringing the Series back to South East Asia. We are also very much looking forward to the start of our collaboration with SRO. We strongly believe that together we offer the perfect mix for the growth of the Series in Asia.”
Stéphane Ratel, SRO Motorsports Group Founder & CEO: “18 months after the initial announcement was made, we are very pleased to proactively open the latest chapter in our long-standing relationship with the ACO. Following two years of interruptions, in 2022 Benjamin Franassovici and the SRO Motorsports Group Asia team successfully relaunched Fanatec GT World Challenge Asia Powered by AWS and will now contribute to the joint promotion of the Asian Le Mans Series. I am confident this collaboration will lead to bigger developments in the coming seasons as Asia’s motorsport environment continues to develop and grow.”
About the Asian Le Mans Series:
Created by the Automobile Club de l’Ouest (ACO), the Asian Le Mans Series symbolises the Spirit of Le Mans, holding the same shared passion for creating world class endurance racing in Asia.
The Asian Le Mans Series is the reference endurance racing series in Asia. Delivering highly competitive racing on world class racetracks, last season the Series was watched by a global audience of over 68 million. The Asian Le Mans Series is growing year on year and is attracting some of the world’s most successful endurance racing teams, as well as fostering new and emerging talent from the region.
Offering the region’s only direct pathway to the world’s most prestigious endurance race – the 24 Hours of Le Mans, the Series is also the perfect training ground for those wanting to step up the ACO ladder.
Eligible cars include LMP2, LMP3, and GT3.
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Press release distributed on behalf of the Asian Le Mans Series