24h Le Mans
Quite a few teams participating in the 2018-2019 Asian Le Mans Series season are also competitors in the European Le Mans Series (ELMS) looking to add another prestigious trophy to their collection, as well as earn an invitation to the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Among them: Panis-Barthez Compétition and United Autosports!
A top European Le Mans Series team debuting in Asia
Multi-season veterans in the LMP2 class in the ELMS, United Autosports is about to make its first appearance in the Asian Le Mans Series. The American team is going all out with the driver line-up for one of its two Ligier JS P2-Nissans thanks to young talent Phil Hanson who just won the last two ELMS races with the team and former Formula 1 driver Paul Di Resta, major contenders for the title!
The sister car will be shared by Guy Cosmo, Patrick Byrne and Salih Yoluc. The latter represents the TF Sport team in the World Endurance Championship (FIA WEC) at the wheel of the #90 Aston Martin Vantage in LMGTE Am.
United Autosports also competes in LMP3 with two Ligier JS P3s, the #2 entrusted to Chris Buncombe, Garret Grist and Wayne Boyd, and the #3 driven by James McGuire, Matthew Bell and Kay van Berlo. The team has never taken part in the Asian Le Mans Series, but has two LMP3 titles to its credit in Europe.
Panis-Barthez Compétition taking on the Asian Le Mans Series
For the first time in its existence, Panis-Barthez Compétition will participate in a championship other than the ELMS! As team manager Sarah Abadie recently explained, this is an adventure into the unknown: "It's a new challenge for the team, with circuits we don't know given that we've been competing in Europe for 18 years (with the Tech 1 team she also manages, Ed.) and we're about to take on a new championship. It won't be easy because, as we know, the level of competitors is high. The only thing we do know is the car!" The French team will take the track in the LMP2 class with the #35 Ligier JS P2-Nissan shared by Matthieu Lahaye, Jean-Baptiste Lahaye and François Hériau. The three men know each other well after participating in the ELMS for the second time in a row together in LMP3 at the wheel of a Norma M30-Nissan fielded by Ultimate. Only Matthieu Lahaye, whose 34th birthday was yesterday, is somewhat familiar with Asia after taking part in the Intercontinental Le Mans Cup in 2011 at Zhuhai with OAK Racing.
These two teams will undergo a baptism by fire this weekend and both hope to achieve a positive first result on Sunday.
PHOTO (Copyright - Asian Le Mans Series): The #35 Ligier JS P2 entered by Panis-Barthez Compétition at the technical checks on Thursday.
