Asian Le Mans Series

[isynge]

Originally Posted by Chiana

How much Ligier does this Ligier actually has in it? 'Cause in this class or rebranded "Morgans" and "Alpines" and "Lotuses" and "Caterhams" and "Mazdas" (+ plus engines prepared by other makes) it's becoming increasingly difficult to spot real from fake unless you know what which kind of wolf is hiding in sheep's clothes.

I see exactly where you're coming from, and agree in a lot of cases. I'm a big fan of making your own tradition rather than expropriating someone else's.

That said it seem Jacques Nicolet has put something solid into a partnership with Guy Ligier's old outfit, and for all I wish they'd followed the ancien regime Ligier numbering scheme (i.e. even JS numbers for sportscars, which I know JSP2 almost does, but it's not sequential in the JS line) I can get behind it.

Deep down there's a level of some sadness that one of the real roots of French engagement in sportscar racing (and the progenitor of the Courage/Pescarolo/Onorak/Morgan chassis), Yves Courage, isn't reflected in something like this, but I guess you can never have everything.

[Juntos]

Plausible deniability. Ligier little party in CN class will be spoilt by Tatuus factory effort. And watch out the Wolf (s).

[kurski]

Mitch Gilbert: We have already started looking at other options in Asia and we will be doing some GT Asia Series towards the end of year.

[divxx]

Originally Posted by isynge

Deep down there's a level of some sadness that one of the real roots of French engagement in sportscar racing (and the progenitor of the Courage/Pescarolo/Onorak/Morgan chassis), Yves Courage, isn't reflected in something like this, but I guess you can never have everything.

That reminds me, HPD and ORECA both started with Courage C75's, and there are still parts of their current cars that haven't changed since.

I agree that Courage has been somewhat forgotten lately considering the influence his cars have had on the prototype field. Then again, Zytek started off as the Reynard 02S from back in 2002(!)

[kurski]

The Asian Le Mans Series grid continues to grow, with Eurasia Motorsport announcing this week that it will campaign a LMP2 and CN car in the burgeoning sports car championship this year.

[Graham Goodwin]

At least 4 x LMP2s and 6-7 CNs now expected

[KA]

Eurasia Motorsport LMP2 confirmed for Richard Bradley/Tacksung Kim/John Hartshorne.

The Oreca is apparently an ex-Boutsen-Ginion chassis, run with support from Murphy Prototypes.

So the 4 LMP2s Graham mentioned look like Craft-Bamboo and Oak with Morgan-Nissans, and Eurasia and probably KCMG with Orecas

[Deleted]

Whopping 9 cars on the entry list for the first race @ Inje, proving their momentum is just as dead low as it was last year despite the off season PR talk

LMP2
Oak Racing - Oak Pescarolo Judd
Eurasia Motorsports - Oreca Nissan

CN
ATL Wolf Asia - Wolf GB08
ATL Wolf Asia - Wolf GB08
Craft/Bamboo Racing - Ligier JS 53 EVO-OAK

GT
AAI-RSTRADA - BMW Z4 GT3
AAI-RSTRADA - BMW Z4 GT3
AAI-RSTRADA - Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT3
Ferrari China Team - Ferrari 458 GT3

"Ferrari China Team" - what a lovely title

There are six more on the "full season list", 1 in P2 (Craft/Bamboo Oak-Pesca), 3 in CN (Craft/Bamboo and 2x Tatuus for MSR Corse & PTRS), 2 in GT (Taisan Nissan GTR GT3 and Porsche 996 GT300). NO GTE CARS.

Obviously no coverage or media interest

[carbon_titanium]

yeah, the name "ferrari china team" makes you think to a toyota mr2 modified to look like a 458...

[Deleted]

"So we need to come up with a cool name for our team next"
"Ferrari."
"What?"
"We are racing Ferrari. So we should call it that. Ferrari. Ferrari Team"
"But that would imply we are the Ferrari factory team... and Ferrari itself would probably object. No we need to come up with something personal, something that tells something about us."
"Well we are Chinese."
"So?"
"Let's call it that. China Team."
"No, that sounds stupid..."
"Ferrari China Team."
"Look I think we need to come up with something original. Let's see what's the name of our closest competitor team next weekend. Here it is. AAI RDA... AII RSR... AAI RSTR... AAI-RSTRSwhat the ****?
"I'm telling you. We are team of Chinese racing the Ferrari. That is awesome and people understand it right away"
"Oh whatever. Sign the papers"

[KA]

Originally Posted by Chiana

""I'm telling you. We are team of Chinese racing the Ferrari. That is awesome and people understand it right away"

I guess it might not have been bad idea if they were hoping for some sponsorship from the Chinese Ferrari importer....

9 cars? We knew the grids were going to be small, but that's a really disappointing turnout again for the first round though... Maybe they'd have been better served by just running an AsLMS invitation class at the two Asian WEC rounds...

[Deleted]

Merged grids were the norm for ACO racing few years ago. Shame they feel the need to split them up for no reason now.

Getting rid of the Super GT link was equally dumb

[TheNo1F1Fan]

Originally Posted by Chiana

Getting rid of the Super GT link was equally dumb

Which link? just asking

[Deleted]

Originally Posted by TheNo1F1Fan

Which link? just asking

This

Originally Posted by Sportscar365.com

Q: Was there any consideration to have a joint Super GT race again this year?

“I think Super GT helped us very much last year in terms of the cooperation with their GT300 cars. To be honest, I wouldn’t be against such cooperation in the future because it helps build a grid and grow the name of Le Mans in different markets. But for this year, we will be going alone. Again in Japan next year, we will be looking for a standalone event at Fuji going forward. We want to be the lead event, where and when that can be possible. That’s our goal ultimately. Sometimes we have to make stepping stones towards that goal.”

[Rodger Davies]

I read that as 'getting dropped by' rather than 'getting rid of'. That said, with the ACO neither would surprised me

[MagVanisher]

I think that without collaboration with Super GT, Asian LMS might not survive in the long run.

Sure that they'll have some support from GT Asia, but it's not enough to keep it floating.

[Deleted]

ACO's Asia campaigns in numbers (old list of mine updated):


*DEMONSTRATION*
Fuji 1999: 23 cars (3x LMP, 2x LMGTP, 7x LMGTS, 4x LMGT, 5x GT500, 2x GT300)

ASIAN-PACIFIC LE MANS SERIES
Cancelled before launch

ALL JAPAN LE MANS CHALLENGE
Sugo 2006: 12 cars (2x LMP1, 4x LMP2, 3x LMGT1, 3x LMGT2)
Motegi 2006: 12 cars (3x LMP1, 4x LMP2, 2x LMGT1, 3x LMGT2)
Okayama 2006: 20 cars (5x LMP1, 6x LMP2, 3x LMGT1, 6x LMGT2)
Sugo 2007: 10 cars (2x LMP1, 2x LMP2, 2x LMGT1, 4x LMGT2)
Fuji 2007: 10 cars (2x LMP1, 2x LMP2, 3x LMGT1, 3x LMGT2)
Motegi 2007: 11 cars (2x LMP1, 4x LMP2, 2x LMGT1, 3x LMGT2)
Okayama 2007: 10 cars (2x LMP1, 3x LMP2, 2x LMGT1, 3x LMGT2)

ASIAN LE MANS SERIES I
Shanghai 2008: CANCELLED
Okayama 2009: 23 cars (7x LMP1, 2x LMP2, 4x LMGT1, 10x LMGT2)
Shanghai 2009: CANCELLED
Zhuhai 2010 / ILMC : 23 cars (6x LMP1, 1x LMP2, 1x LMPC, 2x LMGT1, 8x LMGT2, 4x GTC, 1x GTH)

ASIAN LE MANS SERIES II
Shanghai 2013: CANCELLED
Ordos 2013: CANCELLED
Inje 2013: 8 cars (2x LMP2, 1x LMGTE, 5x GTC)
Fuji 2013: 20 cars (2x LMP2, 1x LMGTE, 6x GTC, 11x SuperGT/GT300)
Zhuhai 2013: 8 cars (2x LMP2, 1x LMGTE, 5x GTC)
Sepang 2013: 14 cars (3x LMP2, 2x LMGTE, 6x GTC, 3x GTC-AM)
Inje 2014: 9 cars (2x LMP2, 3x CN, 4x GT) projected

[JoestForEver]

Besides super GT, AsLMS also dumped Zhuhai, a round sharing with CTCC, which is another popular local series in China, in favor of a Thai track in the middle of no where.
I'd say it's the arrogance of ACO is killing the series. Yest they want to be stand alone leading race, but with the current media exposure, the only way for AsLMS to develop is support popular local series. Support CTCC, support Super GT, even support DTM, WTCC and WEC Asian rounds OK?

[Deleted]

Originally Posted by Chiana

Whopping 9 cars on the entry list for the first race @ Inje, proving their momentum is just as dead low as it was last year despite the off season PR talk

LMP2
Oak Racing - Oak Pescarolo Judd
Eurasia Motorsports - Oreca Nissan

CN
ATL Wolf Asia - Wolf GB08
ATL Wolf Asia - Wolf GB08
Craft/Bamboo Racing - Ligier JS 53 EVO-OAK

GT
AAI-RSTRADA - BMW Z4 GT3
AAI-RSTRADA - BMW Z4 GT3
AAI-RSTRADA - Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT3
Ferrari China Team - Ferrari 458 GT3

"Ferrari China Team" - what a lovely title

The second Wolf has been withdrawn so we are back down to 8 cars again, consisting two ACO legal entries.



AsLMS website now lists the hilarious Ferrari China Team as "Python" (I think they read my post), running "Gerrari GT3" Oh mercy

[Rodger Davies]

Originally Posted by JoestForEver

Besides super GT, AsLMS also dumped Zhuhai, a round sharing with CTCC, which is another popular local series in China, in favor of a Thai track in the middle of no where.

Whilst I won't disagree with some of your comment, I believe CTCC cancelled and they were footing the bill for AsLMS to rub there, so I expect they've gone to the Thai track because of a lower rate or receiving a sanctioning fee that allowed them to replace Zhuhai at little extra cost to competitors.

Meanwhile, GT Asia seems to be going strong.........

[JoestForEver]

Originally Posted by Rodger Davies

Whilst I won't disagree with some of your comment, I believe CTCC cancelled and they were footing the bill for AsLMS to rub there, so I expect they've gone to the Thai track because of a lower rate or receiving a sanctioning fee that allowed them to replace Zhuhai at little extra cost to competitors.

Meanwhile, GT Asia seems to be going strong.........

Well that's a fact about CTCC I didn't take into account. As for GT Asia yes this is a pretty strong series now and I wish AsLMS can run a joint race with them together.

[Juntos]

Perhaps arrogant ACO didn't find the right partner in Asia. Keep looking.

Good job @Chiana

[Deleted]

Dagys went all the way from States to South Korea to cover/photograph niche event of 8 cars? Is this one of those deals where
1) Head to Inje
2) ???
3) Profit!

Anyway, surroundings may be beautiful but I didn't know Inje was destined to be another asphaltdrome. Especially since it's now the only non-Grade 1 track in AsLMS & ELMS & WEC besides LM...

[ptclaus98]

What beautiful surroundings...

[Deleted]

I think there's something to it

Bit of Okayama feel