The inaugural Asian Le Mans Cup (ALMC) weekend will feature 17 cars across three categories when the new championship begins at Circuit Paul Ricard on 14–15 November 2026. The provisional entry list comprises eight LMP3 Pro cars, four LMP3 entries and five GT3 competitors, with two two-hour races scheduled alongside the opening round of the 2026/27 Asian Le Mans Series (ALMS).
The field features 12 teams representing several established endurance racing programmes, with 34 available driver positions across competitors from 16 nations. Reigning champions from ALMS and the Michelin Le Mans Cup (MLMC) will feature prominently, including CLX Motorsport, R-ace GP, Motorsport98 and Racing Spirit of Léman.
The opening weekend will also mark the introduction of a new championship structure, providing LMP3 teams with a dedicated competition following Hypercar’s arrival in ALMS. Meanwhile, GT3 competitors will have an additional opportunity to participate in international endurance racing.
ALMC introduces new championship structure for 2026/27
The Automobile Club de l’Ouest announced the creation of ALMC during the 2026 24 Hours of Le Mans, establishing a separate competition for LMP3 and GT3 machinery.
The decision followed the introduction of Hypercar into ALMS, which will now feature Hypercar, LMP2 and GT3. Consequently, ALMC will provide LMP3 teams with a dedicated championship while maintaining their involvement in the wider endurance racing structure.
The new series adopts a format similar to MLMC, with two-hour races and two-driver line-ups. It will feature three categories, each with specific driver classification requirements.
LMP3 Pro will accommodate Silver and Gold-rated drivers, while LMP3 and GT3 entries must include at least one Bronze-rated competitor. Platinum-rated drivers will not be eligible.
The championship will also follow ALMS’ revised European calendar, with Le Castellet, Jerez and Portimão hosting two races each.
With several experienced teams already confirmed, the inaugural season will provide an opportunity for established competitors and emerging drivers to compete across six championship races.
CLX Motorsport and R-ace GP headline eight-car LMP3 Pro field
LMP3 Pro will feature the largest prototype field, with eight cars representing six teams. Six Ligier JS P325-Toyotas and two Duqueine D09-Toyotas will compete in the category.
Reigning ALMS LMP3 champions CLX Motorsport will enter the No. 17 Ligier for Brazilian drivers Lucas Fecury and João Vergara. The Swiss outfit arrives following another successful campaign in the category and will aim to extend its championship-winning record.
Meanwhile, R-ace GP enters the No. 85 Duqueine after securing the 2026 MLMC LMP3 title. South Korean driver Kyuho Lee has been confirmed for the French team, although his teammate remains unannounced.
Bretton Racing will field the No. 26 Ligier for British driver Emily Cotty and Australian Calan Williams. The team previously secured the 2024/25 ALMS LMP3 Championship and brings valuable experience to the new competition.
Team Virage completes the single-car entries with the No. 92 Ligier, pairing Swiss drivers Max Kammerlander and Samuel Ifrid.
The presence of three recent championship-winning teams will provide a competitive benchmark as ALMC begins its inaugural campaign.
23Events Racing and GMS Team complete LMP3 Pro grid
Two additional teams will field multiple entries in LMP3 Pro, further strengthening the eight-car category.
French outfit 23Events Racing has confirmed a pair of Ligier JS P325-Toyotas. Giovanni Maschio and Colin Queen will share the No. 50, with both drivers bringing previous MLMC race-winning experience.
Meanwhile, Felipe Bassi Massa and Grant Mitchell will compete in the sister No. 19 Ligier.
German squad GMS Team will operate two different chassis manufacturers, entering one Ligier and one Duqueine.
Danny Soufi and Sven Barth will share the No. 11 Ligier JS P325-Toyota, while Valentino Catalano and Oscar Andrés Tunjo will compete in the No. 75 Duqueine D09-Toyota.
The contrasting chassis selections will provide GMS Team with experience across both manufacturers during the opening weekend.
With eight entries and several established driver partnerships, LMP3 Pro should offer competitive racing throughout the Le Castellet double-header. However, the shorter two-hour format will require teams to maximise qualifying performance, pit-stop efficiency and race execution.
Motorsport98 and CLX Motorsport lead four-car LMP3 field
The LMP3 category will feature four Ligier JS P325-Toyotas, with each line-up required to include at least one Bronze-rated driver.
Reigning MLMC LMP3 Pro/Am champions Motorsport98 will enter the No. 98 Ligier for Eric De Doncker and Gillian Henrion. The Belgian outfit will aim to continue its championship-winning form following another successful season in European endurance racing.
However, CLX Motorsport will provide substantial competition through two additional entries, bringing its total ALMC programme to three cars.
Laurent Wüthrich and Louis Iglesias will share the No. 86 Ligier. Iglesias enters the championship following an impressive 2026 European Le Mans Series (ELMS) campaign, where he helped CLX secure its fourth LMP3 title.
The French driver claimed three victories and three pole positions during the final four rounds, earning ELMS Rookie of the Year honours. His performances played a decisive role in the team’s successful championship defence.
Meanwhile, Terrence Woodward and Vic Stevens will compete in CLX’s No. 87 Ligier.
Brutal Fish Campos Racing completes the category with the No. 12 Ligier for Morten Stromstead and Kevin Rabin.
Five GT3 entries represent Porsche and Aston Martin
GT3 completes the inaugural ALMC entry list with five cars from four teams. Porsche will provide three 911 GT3 R EVOs, while Aston Martin will have two Vantage GT3 EVOs competing at Le Castellet.
Reigning MLMC GT3 champions Racing Spirit of Léman will field the No. 10 Aston Martin for Colombian driver Sebastian Moreno and Mexican Esteban Gonzalez Beckmann.
The French outfit brings recent championship-winning experience to the field and will aim to establish itself among the leading contenders during the opening weekend.
Meanwhile, Spanish team E2P Group will operate the second Aston Martin, with Pablo Buguera and Antonio Sainero sharing the No. 90.
Herberth Motorsport will provide Porsche’s largest representation, entering two cars. Jörg Dreisow and Manuel Lauck will share the No. 73, while Ralf Bohn and Alfred Renauer will compete in the sister No. 91.
Austrian outfit Razoon More Than Racing completes the five-car field with the No. 41 Porsche. Dominik Olbert has been confirmed as the team’s first driver, although his teammate remains to be announced.
The GT3 field represents a reduction from the six entries originally allocated for the full season, with AF Corse’s planned Ferrari absent from the Le Castellet provisional list.
ALMC attracts established endurance racing teams
Although the inaugural ALMC field is smaller than the accompanying 46-car ALMS entry, several teams bring substantial experience from international prototype and GT racing.
CLX Motorsport will operate the largest programme, entering three Ligiers across LMP3 Pro and LMP3.
Meanwhile, 23Events Racing and GMS Team will each field two LMP3 Pro cars, while Herberth Motorsport will run two Porsches in GT3.
The remaining eight teams will compete with one entry apiece.
The inclusion of several reigning champions also underlines the competition’s appeal. CLX arrives with ALMS and ELMS LMP3 success, while R-ace GP, Motorsport98 and Racing Spirit of Léman bring recent MLMC titles.
Nevertheless, the championship’s shorter race format will introduce different strategic demands.
Teams must balance qualifying performance with tyre management and effective driver changes, while the two-race weekends will leave limited opportunities to recover from technical problems or incidents.
Consequently, consistency across both races could prove particularly important as teams begin their championship campaigns.
ALMC begins six-race European calendar
The inaugural ALMC season will comprise six two-hour races across three European circuits, running alongside ALMS throughout the 2026/27 campaign.
Circuit Paul Ricard will host the opening two races before the championship travels to Jerez in January. Portimão will then stage the final double-header in February.
2026/27 ALMC calendar
- Le Castellet, France
- Race 1: Saturday, 14 November 2026
- Race 2: Sunday, 15 November 2026
- Jerez, Spain
- Race 3: Saturday, 16 January 2027
- Race 4: Sunday, 17 January 2027
- Portimão, Portugal
- Race 5: Saturday, 20 February 2027
- Race 6: Sunday, 21 February 2027
The compressed calendar will place considerable importance on reliability and consistent scoring, particularly with only six opportunities to accumulate championship points.
Furthermore, the shared ALMS weekends will allow several established teams to operate programmes across both competitions, providing additional opportunities for drivers to develop within the endurance racing ladder.
ALMC prepares for historic Le Castellet debut
The 17-car entry list represents the first competitive field for ALMC, bringing together experienced prototype teams, established GT3 competitors and emerging drivers.
CLX Motorsport enters with the largest programme, while R-ace GP and Motorsport98 will aim to carry their MLMC success into the new series. Racing Spirit of Léman also arrives as a reigning champion, providing additional competition in GT3.
However, the double-header format will create new challenges for all three categories, particularly as teams adapt to a championship with its own sporting structure and driver eligibility requirements.
The opening two races at Circuit Paul Ricard will therefore establish the first championship standings and provide an early indication of the leading contenders.
With eight LMP3 Pro entries, four LMP3 cars and five GT3 competitors, ALMC will officially begin its inaugural season on 14–15 November.
The complete provisional ALMC entry list remains subject to final driver confirmations.
