Asian Le Mans Series Round 2 – Free practice report from Sepang
The 2nd round of the Asian Le Mans Series has got off to a good start at Sepang, with a 3-car increase on Round 1 in Fuji.
Joining Asian Le Mans Series in the LM P2 category is the #25 Algarve Pro Racing Ligier JSP2; the CN category is also starting to take shape, with Avelon Formula from Singapore and the Atlantic Racing Team from Canada both having brought their Wolf Racing GB08 to join our grid.
The other notable change is for Team AAI, who will be entering a third car in the GT class, the #90 Mercedes AMG SLS GT3; this is to replace the #88 ADESS 03 which won’t be racing after suffering technical issues during the test days earlier this week.
Free Practice 1 saw the #25 Algarve Pro Racing Ligier JSP2 set the quickest lap of the day with Jamie Winslow at the wheel, setting a time of 1:59.248. The #8 Race Performance Oreca 03 R Judd wasn’t too far behind, setting a time of 1:59.858 in Free Practice 2. The #99 Eurasia Motorsport Oreca 03 R Nissan’s best lap of the day was 2:04.829.
I always wanted, as a Malaysian, to race at the Le Mans 24 Hours.
Fairuz Fauzy
The #1 DC Racing Ligier JSP3 was once more quickest in LM P3, with Ho-Pin Tung’s lap of 2:03.495, placing them 3rd overall. Team #89 AAI’s ADESS 03 managed to set their bar at 2:08.711.
Our new arrivals from Sepang onwards, the CN cars mingled with the field, and quickest today was the #69 Atlantic Racing Team Wolf Racing GB08, with a time of 2:07.964, placing them 6th overall in FP2. The 2nd CN, the #21 Avelon Formula Wolf Racing GB08 set their best time of 2:08.233 in FP1.
The GT class’s quickest lap time of the day went to local Fairuz Fauzy, who set a best time of 2:07.503 in the #7 ARC Bratislava Audi R8 GT3. The #91 Team AAI BMW Z4 GT3, with BMW Factory driver Dirk Müller at the wheel, went fastest in FP1, setting the 2nd quickest lap of the day, with a time of 2:08.145.
The best time for the GTAm category was 2:15.474, set by #51 KCMG Porsche GT3 Cup in the morning session.
The only incident to report from this day was a red flag during Free Practice 1, where the #21 stopped on track due broken suspension, but the team managed to repair it in time for FP2.
Tomorrow sees a final 30 minute Free Practice session at 10:45, and then Qualifying takes place at 14:45. See you there!
#25 Algarve Pro Racing Ligier JS P2 - Jamie Winslow: "It’s excellent being at the rejuvenated Asian Le Mans Series, and there are a few more cars and some very good drivers. I’m pretty happy to have gone P1 in the first session. We ran for a few laps yesterday, but had an alternator problem, so we couldn’t do many laps. So this morning was the real test. I did four laps and we went P1. My co-drivers Michael and Dean did a fantastic job and both went quick as well. We’re all enjoying it and enjoying being a part of it."
#1 DC Racing Ligier JS P3 - Thomas Laurent: “It’s been a quick progression. Yesterday, I was setting about the same times as Ho Pin was today, and I’m a little quicker than David is on new tyres. We’ll have to see how it translates into the race of course. We’re not here to be the fastest, but to win the race and to make it to the end. The car is perfect and the track is great. I really feel good in the car. It’s a big jump from karting, but I’m adapting well.”
#69 Atlantic Racing Team Wolf Racing GB08 - John Bryant Meisner: “We had a lot of issues yesterday, and we’ve just been testing. Today it’s the first time it’s actually holding well and we managed to get a few laps done. For me, I’m mostly here to learn the track and get to know the people. It’s my first time racing in Asia, I’ve been in Europe otherwise. It’s been a good day today, continue working with the team, getting to know everyone. I’m happy. This is also the first time I’m driving this car. It’s quite close to a formula car, which it what I’m used to.”
#7 ARC Bratislava Audi R8 GT3 - Fairuz Fauzy: “First of all, I want to thank ARC, Miro Konopka, who has faith in me and wanted me to be his team mate. This is my first time at the Asian Le Mans, and I’ve only ever done sprint, I’ve always wanted to do endurance. This is the first time I’m driving with the Asian Le Mans brand. I’m glad to be part of the series, I think it’s important for me, and for Malaysia as well. I always wanted, as a Malaysian, to race at the Le Mans 24 Hours. Looking at the current state, everyone was always targeting Formula 1, so I think this could be a realistic option for young Malaysians to enter into endurance. This morning was my first time out in the car. I didn’t do any pit practice yesterday, and the tyres this morning were from Fuji.
The times we did this morning were so far off the pace - We were last in FP1, but we kept calm, went through our program, and then for FP2, I had a good set of tyres, and set good lap times. I thought they were slow, because normally in a GT car at this track , you do 2:05-2:06, but I think for some reason, the track is not as quick as before. I’m happy, but now of course, we have the problem of not being able to download the data from the car. Overall I’m happy to be a part of it. I hope that I can do this as an opportunity for next season as well.”
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