Asian Le Mans Series
Encyclopedia
The Asian Le Mans Series is an Asian sports car racing
endurance series created by the Automobile Club de l'Ouest
(ACO) and based in Asia
. It is the successor to the defunct Japan Le Mans Challenge
which folded in 2007 after its second season. The ACO aims to attract teams from the American Le Mans Series
, the European Le Mans Series
and the Japanese Super GT
.
A teasing race was to be held at Shanghai
, China
on November 1–2, 2008 but was later cancelled. The inaugural season's race, the 2009 1000 km of Okayama
, was held on 30 October and 1 November 2009 at Okayama, Japan
with one 500 km race per day. It was the only event of the inaugural season. A second Asian Le Mans Series event, scheduled for the Shanghai International Circuit
, China
, on 7 and 8 November was cancelled by the ACO due to economic circumstances. The winning teams in each of the four categories (LMP1, LMP2
, GT1 and GT2
) earned automatic invitations to the 2010 24 Hours of Le Mans
.
(JSPC) in 1992 there was no major endurance series involving sports-prototypes in Asia, although there was a grand tourer
championship in the All Japan Grand Touring Car Championship
(JGTC). Plans for a new endurance championship were initially conceived by Don Panoz
and backed by the ACO in 2000 with plans for an Asian-Pacific Le Mans Series, modeled after his American Le Mans Series
and planned European Le Mans Series
for 2001. Two previews of this event were held: the 1999 Le Mans Fuji 1000km
at the Fuji Speedway
in Japan
and the 2000 Race of a Thousand Years
at the Adelaide Street Circuit
in Australia
, with plans for a third event at the Sepang International Circuit
in Malaysia in 2001. However, the European Le Mans Series suffered from a lack of entrants during its debut season, and was eventually canceled along with the Malaysian endurance event.
The ACO attempted to develop their own championship modeled on their own Le Mans Endurance Series
in 2006 with the development of the Japan Le Mans Challenge
, overseen by the Sports Car Endurance Race Operation (SERO). It too lacked competitors and was canceled after its second season.
Sports car racing
Sports car racing is a form of circuit auto racing with automobiles that have two seats and enclosed wheels. They may be purpose-built or related to road-going sports cars....
endurance series created by the Automobile Club de l'Ouest
Automobile Club de l'Ouest
The Automobile Club de l'Ouest , sometimes abbreviated to ACO, is the largest automotive group in France. It was founded in 1906 by car building and racing enthusiasts, and is most famous for being the organising entity behind the annual Le Mans 24 Hours race...
(ACO) and based in Asia
Asia
Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population...
. It is the successor to the defunct Japan Le Mans Challenge
Japan Le Mans Challenge
The Japan Le Mans Challenge was an endurance sportscar series based in Japan built around the 24 Hours of Le Mans that began in 2006. It was run by the Sports Car Endurance Race Operation sanctioning body and ran under the rules laid out by the Automobile Club de l'Ouest...
which folded in 2007 after its second season. The ACO aims to attract teams from the American Le Mans Series
American Le Mans Series
The American Le Mans Series presented by Tequila Patrón is a sports car racing series based in the United States and Canada. It consists of a series of endurance and sprint races, and was created in the spirit of the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Teams compete in one of five classes: LMP1, LMP2 and LMPC...
, the European Le Mans Series
Le Mans Series
The Le Mans Series is a European sports car racing endurance series based around the 24 Hours of Le Mans race and run by the Automobile Club de l'Ouest . The series was originally named the Le Mans Endurance Series, but changed its name prior to the 2006 season...
and the Japanese Super GT
Super GT
The Super GT series, formerly known as the All-Japan Grand Touring Car Championship or JGTC , is a grand touring car race series promoted by the GT-Association...
.
A teasing race was to be held at Shanghai
Shanghai International Circuit
The Shanghai International Circuit is a motor racing circuit, situated in the Jiading District of Shanghai, People's Republic of China. The circuit is best known as the venue for the annual Formula 1 Chinese Grand Prix, which was first hosted in 2004....
, China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
on November 1–2, 2008 but was later cancelled. The inaugural season's race, the 2009 1000 km of Okayama
2009 1000 km of Okayama
2010 1000 km of ZhuhaiThe 2009 1000 km of Okayama was the inaugural event of Automobile Club de l'Ouest's Asian Le Mans Series. It was held at the Okayama International Circuit, Japan and feature two 500 km races held on 30 October and 1 November 2009. The winning teams in each of the...
, was held on 30 October and 1 November 2009 at Okayama, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
with one 500 km race per day. It was the only event of the inaugural season. A second Asian Le Mans Series event, scheduled for the Shanghai International Circuit
Shanghai International Circuit
The Shanghai International Circuit is a motor racing circuit, situated in the Jiading District of Shanghai, People's Republic of China. The circuit is best known as the venue for the annual Formula 1 Chinese Grand Prix, which was first hosted in 2004....
, China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
, on 7 and 8 November was cancelled by the ACO due to economic circumstances. The winning teams in each of the four categories (LMP1, LMP2
Le Mans Prototype
A Le Mans Prototype is a type of sports prototype race car most notably used in the 24 Hours of Le Mans, American Le Mans Series and Le Mans Series...
, GT1 and GT2
Grand tourer
A grand tourer is a high-performance luxury automobile designed for long-distance driving. The most common format is a two-door coupé with either a two-seat or a 2+2 arrangement....
) earned automatic invitations to the 2010 24 Hours of Le Mans
2010 24 Hours of Le Mans
The 2010 24 Hours of Le Mans was the 78th running of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, also known as the Grand Prix of Endurance. The race took place on 12–13 June 2010 at the Circuit de la Sarthe, Le Mans, France, and was organised by the Automobile Club de l'Ouest . Fifty-six cars participated in the...
.
History
Following the cancellation of the All Japan Sports Prototype ChampionshipAll Japan Sports Prototype Championship
The , abbreviated as JSPC, formed by the Japanese Automobile Federation, was a domestic championship which took place in Japan for Group C and IMSA GTP prototype cars and also featured cars that were eligible for touring car racing in its earlier years...
(JSPC) in 1992 there was no major endurance series involving sports-prototypes in Asia, although there was a grand tourer
Grand tourer
A grand tourer is a high-performance luxury automobile designed for long-distance driving. The most common format is a two-door coupé with either a two-seat or a 2+2 arrangement....
championship in the All Japan Grand Touring Car Championship
Super GT
The Super GT series, formerly known as the All-Japan Grand Touring Car Championship or JGTC , is a grand touring car race series promoted by the GT-Association...
(JGTC). Plans for a new endurance championship were initially conceived by Don Panoz
Don Panoz
Dr. h.c. Donald Panoz is an American entrepreneur who made his name in pharmaceuticals and has since become a successful owner of various motorsport ventures.- Early life :...
and backed by the ACO in 2000 with plans for an Asian-Pacific Le Mans Series, modeled after his American Le Mans Series
American Le Mans Series
The American Le Mans Series presented by Tequila Patrón is a sports car racing series based in the United States and Canada. It consists of a series of endurance and sprint races, and was created in the spirit of the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Teams compete in one of five classes: LMP1, LMP2 and LMPC...
and planned European Le Mans Series
European Le Mans Series
The European Le Mans Series was a sports car endurance series based around the 24 Hours of Le Mans that was created in 2000 and ran its only season in 2001 before being cancelled. It was created by Don Panoz as an expansion on his successful American Le Mans Series run by IMSA...
for 2001. Two previews of this event were held: the 1999 Le Mans Fuji 1000km
1999 Le Mans Fuji 1000km
The 1999 Le Mans Fuji 1000 km was an endurance race backed by the Automobile Club de l'Ouest , who ran the 24 Hours of Le Mans, and the Japan Automobile Federation , who ran the JGTC race series...
at the Fuji Speedway
Fuji Speedway
is a race track standing in the foothills of Mount Fuji, in Oyama, Suntō District, Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan. It was built in the early 1960s and hosted the first Formula One race in Japan in 1976. In the 1980s, Fuji Speedway was used for the FIA World Sportscar Championship and national racing...
in Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
and the 2000 Race of a Thousand Years
2000 Race of a Thousand Years
The 2000 Race of a Thousand Years was an endurance race and the final round of the 2000 American Le Mans Series season. It was run on the Adelaide Street Circuit in Australia on New Year's Eve, 31 December 2000...
at the Adelaide Street Circuit
Adelaide Street Circuit
The Adelaide Street Circuit is a temporary street circuit in the East Parklands adjacent to the central business district of the city of Adelaide in South Australia....
in Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, with plans for a third event at the Sepang International Circuit
Sepang International Circuit
The Sepang International Circuit is a racing circuit in Sepang, Selangor, Malaysia. It is located near Kuala Lumpur International Airport, approximately 60 km south of the capital city Kuala Lumpur. It is the venue used for the Formula One Malaysian Grand Prix, A1 Grand Prix as well as the...
in Malaysia in 2001. However, the European Le Mans Series suffered from a lack of entrants during its debut season, and was eventually canceled along with the Malaysian endurance event.
The ACO attempted to develop their own championship modeled on their own Le Mans Endurance Series
Le Mans Series
The Le Mans Series is a European sports car racing endurance series based around the 24 Hours of Le Mans race and run by the Automobile Club de l'Ouest . The series was originally named the Le Mans Endurance Series, but changed its name prior to the 2006 season...
in 2006 with the development of the Japan Le Mans Challenge
Japan Le Mans Challenge
The Japan Le Mans Challenge was an endurance sportscar series based in Japan built around the 24 Hours of Le Mans that began in 2006. It was run by the Sports Car Endurance Race Operation sanctioning body and ran under the rules laid out by the Automobile Club de l'Ouest...
, overseen by the Sports Car Endurance Race Operation (SERO). It too lacked competitors and was canceled after its second season.
Champions
| Season | LMP1 Team | LMP2 Team | FLM Team | GT1 Team | GT2 Team | GTC Team |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LMP1 Drivers | LMP2 Drivers | FLM Drivers | GT1 Drivers | GT2 Drivers | GTC Drivers | |
| 2009 2009 1000 km of Okayama 2010 1000 km of ZhuhaiThe 2009 1000 km of Okayama was the inaugural event of Automobile Club de l'Ouest's Asian Le Mans Series. It was held at the Okayama International Circuit, Japan and feature two 500 km races held on 30 October and 1 November 2009. The winning teams in each of the... |
 Sora RacingPescarolo Sport Pescarolo Sport is a motorsport team based in Le Mans, France and founded in 2000 by French racing driver Henri Pescarolo. They race in the Le Mans Series and the 24 Hours of Le Mans. In October 2007, Henri Pescarolo purchased Jacques Nicolet's Saulnier Racing and created Pescarolo Automobiles,... |
OAK Racing/Team Mazda Mazda is a Japanese automotive manufacturer based in Fuchū, Aki District, Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan.In 2007, Mazda produced almost 1.3 million vehicles for global sales... France |
Did Not Participate |  JLOC |
 HankookHankook Tire The Hankook Tire group, based in Seoul, South Korea is the seventh largest tire company in the world. Established in 1941 as the Chosun Tire Company, it was renamed Hankook Tire Manufacturing in 1968.... Team Farnbacher |
Did Not Participate |
| Christophe Tinseau Christophe Tinseau Christophe Tinseau is a French racing driver from Orléans.Tinseau began racing professionally in French Formula Renault in 1991. In 1992 he moved to French Formula Three and in 1993 he placed 4th in that championship with 2 wins and finished 10th in the Macau Grand Prix... Shinji NakanoShinji Nakano Shinji Nakano is a racing driver from Japan.His father, Tsuneharu was also a racing driver who competed in the All-Japan Formula Three Championship etc.-Pre Formula One Career:-Formula One Career:... |
Jacques Nicolet Jacques Nicolet Jacques Nicolet is a French businessman and racing driver. He is the Chairman of the Supervisory Board for Alterea SCA, a French real estate investment and development company, which he co-founded in 1994. He was previously a director at the Pierre & Vacances Group between 1984 and 1994... Matthieu Laheye Richard Hein |
Atsushi Yogo Hiroyuki Iiri |
Dominik Farnbacher Allan SimonsenAllan Simonsen (racing driver) Allan Simonsen is a Danish racing driver.-Career highlights:*Le Mans Series*FIA GT3 European Championship*FIA GT Championship*British GT*Australian GT Championship-24 Hours of Le Mans results:-External links:*... |
|||
| 2010 2010 1000 km of Zhuhai The 2010 1000 km of Zhuhai was an auto race held on 5–7 November 2010 at the Zhuhai International Circuit in Zhuhai, China. The 1000 km of Zhuhai was the first race in China to be run under Automobile Club de l'Ouest regulations, and the second race to be held under the guise of the... |
Team Peugeot Peugeot Sport Peugeot Sport is the department of French carmaker Peugeot responsible for motorsport activities.-Beginnings in rallying:Peugeot Sport was formed in 1981 under the name of Peugeot Talbot Sport, after Jean Todt, a World Rally Championship co-driver for Talbot driver Guy Fréquelin, was asked by... Total Total S.A. Total S.A. is a French multinational oil company and one of the six "Supermajor" oil companies in the world.Its businesses cover the entire oil and gas chain, from crude oil and natural gas exploration and production to power generation, transportation, refining, petroleum product marketing, and... |
OAK Racing |
Hope Polevision Racing | Larbre Compétition Larbre Compétition Larbre Compétition is a French auto racing team founded in 1988 by Jack Leconte. Based at the Circuit du Val de Vienne in La Vigeant, Larbre has had considerable success in the Porsche Carrera Cup, French GT Championship, and international FIA GT Championship... |
BMW BMW Bayerische Motoren Werke AG is a German automobile, motorcycle and engine manufacturing company founded in 1916. It also owns and produces the Mini marque, and is the parent company of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars. BMW produces motorcycles under BMW Motorrad and Husqvarna brands... Team Schnitzer Schnitzer Motorsport Schnitzer Motorsport is a motorsport team based in Freilassing near Munich, Germany. From the early days of its establishment, the team has operated an automobile racing squad for BMW, and has remarkable results in touring car and sports car racing scenes.... |
 KK Performance |
| Franck Montagny Franck Montagny Franck Montagny is a French motor racing driver. He briefly raced for the Super Aguri Formula One team in 2006.-Early career:... Stéphane SarrazinStéphane Sarrazin Stéphane Sarrazin is a Peugeot factory racing driver from France. He participated in 1 Formula One Grand Prix for Minardi, debuting on April 11, 1999 at the Brazilian Grand Prix. He was a replacement for Luca Badoer, who had injured his wrist. He suffered a big spin in the race coming up to the... |
Jacques Nicolet Jacques Nicolet Jacques Nicolet is a French businessman and racing driver. He is the Chairman of the Supervisory Board for Alterea SCA, a French real estate investment and development company, which he co-founded in 1994. He was previously a director at the Pierre & Vacances Group between 1984 and 1994... Frédéric Da RochaFrédéric Da Rocha Frédéric Da Rocha is a retired French footballer who played as a midfielder.-Career:From 1996 to 2009 he was a key player for Nantes. He was an attacking midfielder and winger who was renowned for his technique. In the summer of 2009, he joined newly promoted Ligue 1 side Boulogne... Patrice Lafargue |
 Steve Zacchia Shan Qi Zhang Jeffrey Lee |
Patrick Bornhauser Laurent Groppi Laurent Groppi Laurent Groppi is a French racing driver.He won the Formula Campus by Renault and Elf in 2003 and the Championnat de France Formula Renault 2.0 in 2006...  Pedro LamyPedro Lamy José Pedro Mourão Lamy Viçoso, OIH, better known as Pedro Lamy , is a professional racing driver from Portugal. He is notable for being the first Portuguese driver to score a point in a World Championship event, in the 1995 Australian Grand Prix, for Minardi... |
Jörg Müller Jörg Müller Jörg Müller is a Dutch-born German race driver.- Racing career :In 1989 Müller won the titles in German Formula Opel Lotus Challenge and in European Formula Ford 1600.... Dirk Werner |
Marchy Lee Marchy Lee Marchy Lee Ying-Kin is a racing driver from Hong Kong. He was the first Formula 3 driver from Hong Kong. He won the 2004 Formula BMW Asia championship and competes regularly in Asian motorsport events.- Early career :...  Alex YoongAlex Yoong Alexander Charles Yoong Loong , is a Malaysian race car driver of European and Asian parentage. His mother, Joanna Bean, is from England. His father, Hanifah Yoong Yin Fah , a Malaysian Chinese, is a former racer and manager of the Shah Alam circuit between 1988 and 1998... Matthew MarshMatthew Marsh (racing driver) Matthew Marsh is a British racing driver who now resides in Hong Kong.-Merdeka Millennium Endurance Race:... |