24h Le Mans
The Asian Le Mans Series moved into the second half of the 2024-25 season at this weekend’s 4 Hours of Dubai. In LMP2, Algarve Pro Racing proved that they are the team to beat with both cars winning over the weekend, while the battle in LMP3 and GT is more open than ever.
After winning Race 2 at the 4 Hours of Sepang in December, Algarve Pro Racing’s #25 Oreca 07-Gibson followed up by claiming victory in Race 1 of the 4 Hours of Dubai this weekend. Michael Jensen, Valerio Rinicella and Malthe Jakobsen shared the wheel. The Portuguese outfit dominated the LMP2 field throughout the weekend.
In Race 2, it was turn of the #20 Oreca driven by Kriton Lentoudis, Olli Caldwell and Alex Quinn to take the honours. Quinn took advantage of a mistake in traffic by Proton Competition’s Tom Dillmann (#22 Oreca) to snatch the lead a few minutes before the chequered flag.
In the general classification, RD Limited, second in Race 2, lies just three points adrift of Algarve Pro Racing’s #25 Oreca with 69 points, while the win in Race 2 takes Algarve's #20 car up into third place with 63 points.
In LMP3, Bretton Racing won Race 1 with the #26 Ligier JS P320-Nissan on the back of a stellar performance by Jens Reno Moeller, Griffin Peebles and Theodor Jensen, while RLR MSport’s #15 Ligier, driven by Chris Short, Nick Adcock and Ian Aguilera, secured top spot in Race 2.
Ultimate’s car #35 continues to lead the standings with 70 points, but Bretton Racing (#26, 67 points) and High Class Racing (#49, 65 points) will be looking to leap on the slightest error in the season’s final rounds in Abu Dhabi.
Dubai offered two breathtaking battles in GT. In the first leg, the #96 Mercedes-AMG GT3 EVO fielded by 2 Seas Motorsport claimed victory amid the last-gasp drama. Manthey’s leading #10 Porsche 911 GT3 R had to make a quick fuel stop just two minutes from the end, leaving Ben Barnicoat, Anthony MacIntosh and Parker Thompson to clinch the honours.
In Race 2, the #99 Porsche driven by Herberth Motorsport’s line-up of Ralf Bohn, Robert Renauer and Alfred Renauer came out on top following an intense battle with Winward Racing’s #81 Mercedes and EBM’s #89 Aston Martin. Just 12 seconds separated the three cars at the chequered flag.
Winward Racing nonetheless retains the championship lead with 60 points, ahead of Manthey EMA’s #92 Porsche (45 points), 2 Seas Motorsport’s #96 Mercedes and Manthey’s #10 Porsche (both on 43 points).
After four rounds in the six-race season, the suspense is bubbling nicely ahead of the championship climax in Abu Dhabi next weekend. Will Algarve Pro Racing continue to dominate the LMP2 field? Will Ultimate hold off the LMP3 challengers? Who will be crowned GT champions? Who will grab a golden ticket to the 93rd 24 Hours of Le Mans (11-15 June 2025)? The winners of the LMP2 and GT classes will secure their place on the grid for the French endurance classic.
Before turning our attention to Abu Dhabi, let's sit back and enjoy the highlights of both rounds of the 4 Hours of Dubai.
