In the wake of China's first representative at the 24 Hours of Mans in 2008, other Asian countries have made a mark on endurance racing recently, and especially since the creation of the FIA World Endurance Championship last year.

As a prelude to the first round of the Asian Le Mans Series 2013, which will take place on the Zhuhai circuit in China on the 5th of May. Here is a reminder of some of the key dates in the renaissance of Asian endurance racing over the past five years.

2008
Newly-acquired by Jacques Nicolet, Saulnier Racing (now renamed OAK Racing) signed Cong Fu Cheng, the first Chinese driver to compete in the 24 Hours of Le Mans. With French driver Matthieu Lahaye and Pierre Ragues, he finished third in the LM P2 class in a Pescarolo.

2009
The 1000 km of Okayama (Japan), under the name Asian Le Mans Series, saw the victory of Christophe Tinseau, with Japanese driver Shinji Nakano in a Pescarolo.

2010-2011
-The first Intercontinental Le Mans Cup composed of three races, ended on the 7th of November in the People's Republic of China, at the Zhuhai circuit, in a victory for the Peugeot 908 HDi FAP of Franck Montagny and Stéphane Sarrazin. Peugeot repeated the feat in 2011 with Sébastien Bourdais and Anthony Davidson driving.

2012
-The 80th edition of the Le Mans 24 Hours had two Asian 'firsts'. The Indian Karun Chandhok and Thai Tor Graves were the first citizens of their respective countries to finish the race: the former finished in sixth place overall (with David Brabham and Peter Dumbreck on Honda HPD ARX-03a), the latter to the same position in the LM P2 class (thirteenth overall), with Jan Charouz and John Martin in an Oreca-Nissan.
-The closing race of the new FIA World Endurance Championship took place on the Shanghai circuit, which, since 2004 has hosted the Chinese F1 Grand Prix. It was won by the Toyota TS030 Hybrid driven by Alexander Wurz and Nicolas Lapierre. At the wheel of one of the two Lola-Toyotas of Rebellion Racing, Cong Fu Cheng, with Harold Primat and Andrea Belicchi, finished as top competitors in the private teams trophy in LM P1.

2013
-On the 1st of February at the press conference of the 90th anniversary edition of the Le Mans 24 Hours (22nd and 23rd June), the Automobile Club de l'Ouest announced the selection of the Morgan of KCMG in the LM P2 class, the first Chinese team to participate in the 24 hours.
-Chinese driver Ho-Pin Tung will drive the Morgan of OAK Racing in the Asian Le Mans Series.
 

Click this link for a Video portrait of Ho-Pin Tung

Jean-Philippe Doret

Photo : SHANGHAI (PEOPLES REPUBLIC OF CHINA), SHANGHAI INTERNATIONAL CIRCUIT, 6 HOURS OF SHANGHAI, RACE, 28th OCTOBER 2012. The 2012 season finished in China with the victory of Japanese manufacturer: Toyota. You can be sure that more historic stories will be written in the Asian Le Mans Series.