The A.C.O. has announced details of the 2018/19 Asian Le Mans Series, promising that “it will be bigger and better than the 2017/18 season that delivered record coverage for the teams, drivers and sponsors.”
The biggest change is that there will be two trophies to be won in the LMP2 class – a professional trophy for the outright class winner and an amateur trophy for all-amateur crews. Winners of both categories will receive invitations to the 2019 running of the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
As well as the LMP3 class, which has been growing in popularity, the GT class will be open to GT3 as well as cars from the GT300 class of the Japanese Super GT Championship.
As a result, there will be four invitations to the 2019 24 Hours of Le Mans – two in the LMP2 class, one for the winners of the LMP3 category and an invitation to compete in the LMGTE Am class for the winner of the GT class.
The Series will visit the Shanghai International Circuit, China in November, Fuji Speedway, Japan, in December, Buriram International Circuit, Thailand, in January 2019 and concludes at the Sepang International Circuit, Malaysia at the end of February.
President of the Automobile Club de l’Ouest, Pierre Fillon, is looking forward to the news season.
“The Asian Le Mans Series is a very important championship for the ACO, particularly with regard to the role the Series plays in the development of endurance racing in the region,” said Pierre Fillon. “The significant growth in coverage is opening the sport up to a new audience, whilst it offers local teams and drivers the opportunity to develop before making the step up to the 24 Hours of Le Mans.”