A Look Ahead: 2009 Asian Le Mans Series

2009 has been a season of financial turmoil and thin ice for professional motorsport around the world, and nothing is more refreshing than seeing a new stage being prepped for top tier sportscar competition.

This year will be the inaugural season of the new Asian Le Mans series. Created by the ACO in the image of the European LMS and the spirit of the erstwhile Japan Le Mans Challenge, this series promises more of the standard 4 class GT & LMP action already enjoyed by fans around the globe.

While optimistic about this untapped racing market, the ACO is not oblivious to the current financial situation, and is offering generous incentives to APLMS entrants. The top LMP & GT teams will receive complementary entries into the 2010 24 Hours of Le Mans, and the ACO has also offered all European and American teams free transport of their cars & equipment to the events in Japan.

There are two races scheduled for this season. In true LMS fashion, they will be 1000km events, however the track time will be separated into two points bearing three hour races for each event. The first event will be held in Japan at Okayama International, and the second held in China at the Shanghai GP circut, also visited by Formula One. An abstract schedule with dates can be found at the end of the article.

The official entry list contains 31 cars, attracting well established teams from the ALMS, LMS, FIA GT and Japanese Super GT (Formerly JGTC). Some highlights include the SORA racing Peugeot 908 HDi, the student entered Courage of Tokai University (An engineering university in Tokyo), and the LMP2 runner up for the 2009 24 of Le Mans campaigning a the fan favorite Porsche RS Spyder.

GT1 will see 24 hour entrants Luc Alphand Racing's Corvette and Team JLOC's Lamborghini Murcielago, as well as long time FIA GT entrant Larbre competition's Saleen S7R. GT2 favorites are the Felbermayer-Proton & IMSA Matmut Porsche GT3 RSRs and AF Corse Ferrari 430GT, one of only two Ferraris in the field. A full entry list will follow this article.

In short, the ACO sees potential in the growing Asian endurance racing market, and sports car fans all over the world get a new, professional endurance racing series. Despite the current fiscal climate and the toll it has taken on the sport as a whole, the silver lining of 2009 is undoubtedly the Asian Le Mans Series.

Authors Note:

Some critical information, such as television broadcast schedules and driver information was not available at the time of this writing. Please check back frequently as this and other breaking news will be posted as it emerges, along with race analysis and other relevant information for the 2009 APLMS series.

OFFICIAL 2009 SEASON SCHEDULE

Rounds 1 & 2: 1000km of Okayama, Okayama Japan, October 30th - November 1st

Rounds 3 & 4: 1000km of Shanghai, Shanghai China, November 7th - November 8th

OFFICIAL 2009 SEASON ENTRY LIST (by class & subject to change)

LMP1
Sora Racing - Pesacarolo Judd
Sora Racing - Pesacarolo Judd
Sora Racing-Pescarolo Sport - Peugeot 908 HDi FAP
Tokai University YGH Power - Courage Oreca LC70
Team Oreca Matmut AIM - Oreca 01 AIM
Team Oreca Matmut AIM - Oreca 01 AIM
Signature-Plus - Courage-Oreca LC70 Judd
Speedy Racing Team Sebah - Lola Aston Martin

LMP2
OAK Racing - Pescarolo Mazda
OAK Racing - Pescarolo Mazda
NAVI Team Goh - Porsche RS Spyder
KSM - Lola Mazda
Speedy Racing Team Sebah - Lola Judd

LMGT1
Luc Alphand Aventures - Corvette C6.R
Team Nova - Aston Martin DBR9
JLOC - Lamborghini Murcièlago R-GT
Larbre Competition - Saleen S7-R

LMGT2
Drayson Racing - Aston Martin Vantage GT2
Team Felbermayr-Proton - Porsche 997 GT3 RSR
Team Felbermayr-Proton - Porsche 997 GT3 RSR
Team Hong Kong Racing - Aston Martin Vantage GT2
Hankook-Team Farnbacher - Ferrari F430 GT2
Team Daishin - Ferrari F430 GT2
Robertson Racing LLC - Ford GT
Endurance Asia Team - Porsche 997 GT3 RSR
Hankook-KTR - Porsche 997 GT3 RSR
IMSA Performance Matmut - Porsche 997 GT3 RSR
AF Corse SRL - Ferrari F430 GT2
China Racing FYI - Porsche 997 GT3 RSR