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ACO
Otojatim- The Beginning Rounds Of Asian Le Mans 2024/25 were kick off in two different condition. Took in Sepang International Circuit, Malaysia, the monsoon weather on 7-8 December made great challenge for 45 cars in the field. However, the treacherous weather conditions gave better racing scene in two different rounds.
On 1st round, Endurance racing debutant team RD Limited got the weekend off to a great start with Fred Poordad, James Allen and Tristan Vautier winning the opening race of the 2024/25 Asian Le Mans Series in Sepang. The early part of the race saw four Safety Car periods but then it settled down and some great racing ensued throughout the field.
The race went down to the wire with Vautier fending off a determined challenge by Matthieu Vaxiviere in the no83 AF Corse Oreca-Gibson. Vaxiviere closed the gap in the dying minutes of the race, passing Vautier on the final lap, only for the RD Limited Oreca to retake the lead on the final corner. The two cars were side by side as they crossed the line, with just 0.055s the winning margin after four hours of racing.
The LMP3 battle was won by the no35 Ultimate Ligier-Nissan, with Matteo Quintarelli bringing the car home just ahead of the no49 High Class Racing Ligier of Anders Fjordbach, who had challenged the Italian all the way to the chequered flag. The GT battle was won by the no57 Car Guy Ferrari 296 GT3, with Daniel Serra bringing the car home at the head of a Ferrari 1-2-3.
Meanwhile in 2nd round, Reigning LMP2 Champions Algarve Pro Racing took maximum points in the second race of the 4 Hours of Sepang weekend, with Malthe Jakobsen, Michael Jensen and Valerio Rinicella standing on the top step of the podium after the race was red flagged in the final hour of the race due a thunderstorm that swept through Sepang.
As the weather changed from dry and sunny for the first hour, to a rain shower in hour two and then a full-on storm in the final hour, the choice of tyres was critical but a tricky one to call. Algarve Pro Racing chose slicks which turned out to be the right choice in the end.
The LMP3 victory went to the no35 Ultimate Ligier for the second time in Sepang with Stephane Lemeret, Bence Valint and Matteo Quintarelli securing a maximum 52 points from the two Malaysian races. The no81 Winward Racing Mercedes-AMG was victorious in GT, with Rinat Salikhov, Gabriele Piana and Jules Gounon celebrating on the top step of the podium.