The #75 GMS Team Duqueine D09 of Valentino Catalano and Oscar Andres Tunjo win the rain-affected inaugural race for the Asian Le Mans Cup in Le Castellet in a strategy master class.
Despite a lost wheel nut before the mandatory pit stops, Tunjo jumped in and stayed out on a wet track in slicks. As the rain increased it looked to be a mistake before a drying track saw it become a strategy masterclass to recover and take line honours.
Pole sitters #50 23Events Racing Ligier JS P325 of Giovanni Maschio and Colin Queen had a dominant start, with the former holding a massive lead, before rain arrived and changed fortunes to finish in second overall. Kyuho Lee and Luciano Morano round out the podium positions in the #85 R-ACE GP Duqueine D09.
The no11 GMS TEAM of Danny Soufi, Sven Barth finished fourth but could face a post-race investigation. Emily Cotty and Calan Williams in the no26 Bretton Racing Ligier held on for fifth after a pit stop interrupted by a badly placed no92 saw them lose time in pit lane.
LMP3
The #86 CLX Motorsport Ligier of Laurent Wuthrich and Louis Iglesias were able to turn their pole position into a class win, despite a spin at the beginning of the race saw them have to fight back through the field and overtake sister car, the #87 CLX Motorsport Ligier of Terrence Woodward and Vic Stevens who finished second, for a team one/two in LMP3 for the inaugural Asian Le Mans Cup race.
A solid drive by Morten Stromstead and Kevin Rabin saw them stay consistent and finish in third, to take the final podium position. A tricky day of spins and a broken rain light saw a challenging race unfold for the no98 Motorsport98 Ligier of Eric De Doncker and Gillian Henrion.
Experience saw Ralf Bohn and Alfred Renauer win GT3 in the #91. Herberth Motorsport Porsche 911 GT3 R EVO from pole.
At the beginning of the race, the no10 Racing Spirit Léman Aston Martin AMR GT3 EVO of Sebastian Moreno and Esteban Gonzalez Beckmann was able to go from fourth to first in class to take the lead after having missed qualifying with a broken gearbox. The position was lost soon after the mandatory pit stops as rain began to fall, and LMP3 traffic hit right as Renauer make his overtake for first. A late race spin saw the Aston finish third in class.
In second was the no90 E2P Racing Aston Martin AMR GT3 EVO of Pablo Burguera and Antonio Sainero. Jorg Dreisow and Manuel Lauck finished fourth in the #73 Herberth Motorsport Porsche 911 GT3 R EVO.
Race 2 at Le Castellet will start at 9:25 Sunday 15 November.