Posted on 26 November 2018

First Asian Le Mans Series race: Ligier monopolised the top 12

23-25 November 2018 in Shanghai, first round of the Asian Le Mans Series (ASLMS) 2018-2019. Out of the 27 cars running, 17 were Ligier: 7 Ligier JS P2s and 10 Ligier JS P3s. A high level competition and a no-holds battle on the track. Ligier monopolised the top 12 of the overall ranking. The #8 Spirit of Race Ligier JS P2 clinched the first place. The #23 United Autosports Ligier JS P2 won the LM P2 Pro Am category. As for the LM P3s, the #13 Ligier JS P3 of Inter Europol Competition claimed first place in the category.

Pipo Derani took the pole position behind the wheel of the #8 Spirit of Race Ligier JS P2. Right behind him, the 2017-2018 ASLMS Champion Harrison Newey on the #24 Algarve Pro Racing Ligier JS P2, followed by the 2016-2017 ASLMS LM P3 Champion Phil Hanson on the #22 United Autosports Ligier JS P2. For its ASLMS debut, Inter Europol Competition, set the fastest time in the LM P3 category with Jakub Smiechowski driving the #13 Ligier JS P3, ahead of the #65 Viper Niza Racing Ligier JS P3 and #2 United Autosports Ligier JS P3.

Flying start for a breathless race: the #8 Spirit of Race Ligier JS P2 spun around tangling the #22 United Autosports Ligier JS P2. The #24 Algarve Pro Racing Ligier JS P2 took the lead, ahead of the #4 Oreca Jackie Chan DC Racing X Jota. Good start for the #35 Panis Barthez Compétition Ligier JS P2 with Jean-Baptiste Lahaye behind the wheel, in third position.

20 minutes after the start, the #24 Algarve Pro Racing Ligier JS P2 stopped due to a clutch problem. The race was neutralised for 13 minutes. On restart, cascading spins. The Ecurie Ecosse/Nielsen Racing Ligier JS P3 spun around. To avoid the hit, the #25 Algarve Pro Racing Ligier JS P2 deviated and hit the #35 Panis Barthez Compétition Ligier JS P2 which also went into a spin. After one hour of racing, the first pit stops began. The #65 Viper Niza Racing Ligier JS P3 took the lead. The #35 Panis Barthez Compétition Ligier JS P2 took the LM P2 top spot, after refuelling.

1 hour 15 minutes after the start, all the cars were refuelled except for the #50 Ligier JS P3 of the 100% female R24 crew, which was leading the LM P3 category until then. The #35 Ligier JS P2 was still in the lead ahead of the #1 Oreca and the #4 ARC Bratislava Ligier JS P2. #3 United Autosports Ligier JS P3 was third overall and first of the LM P3s.

1 hour 30 minutes after the start, the #1 Oreca lost a wheel. New safety car. On the restart, the #35 Panis Barthez Compétition Ligier JS P2 and the #25 Algarve Pro Racing Ligier JS P2 tangled. The #2 United Autosports Ligier JS P3 driven by Wayne Boyd took the lead in the LM P3 category and fought a pitched battle against Colin Noble behind the wheel of the #79 Ecurie Ecosse/Nielsen Racing Ligier JS P3.

One hour before the end, Phil Hanson was leading the race driving the #22 United Autosports Ligier JS P2 before handing over to Paul di Resta. Pipo Derani. The #8 Spirit of Race Ligier JS P2 took back the top spots. In third place, the #23 United Autosport Ligier JS P2 driven by Guy Cosmo.

15 minutes before the end, the #22 United Autosports Ligier JS P2 was leading before having to pit for a final refuel. The #8 Spirit of Race Ligier JS P2 took the lead again.

Checkered flag. The #8 Spirit of Race Ligier JS P2, driven by Pipo Derani, Côme Ledogar and Alexander West, had a very good race and finished first, 47 seconds 019 ahead of the #22 United Autosports Ligier JS P2 driven by Phil Hanson and Paul di Resta. On the third-place finish, the #23 Ligier JS P2, the sister car of the Anglo-American team. With its gentlemen drivers crew - Guy Cosmo, Patrick Byrne and Salih Yoluc - the #23 Ligier JS P2 won the LM P2 Pro Am category.

In LM P3, the #13 Inter Europol Competition Ligier JS P3 with Jakub Smiechowski and Martin Hippe behind the wheel won the category, followed by the #2 United Autosports Ligier JS P3 driven by Chris Buncombe, Garett Grist and Wayne Boyd and the #36 Eurasia Motorsport Ligier JS P3 with Aidan Read and Nobuya Yamanaka behind the wheel. The #24 Algarve Pro Racing Ligier JS P2 was forced to abandon on a clutch problem but still set the fastest lap time and led the race until it abandoned. For this first round, Ligier monopolised the top 12 of the overall ranking with its Ligier JS P2s and JS P3s.