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Pit Debrief

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2026/27 | ALMS | Le Castellet | Race 1 | AF Corse claims historic Hypercar victory as Algarve Pro Racing and Iron Lynx win classes

Karishma Persad015 mins
AF Corse wins the first 2026/27 ALMS Hypercar race, as Algarve Pro Racing edges LMP2 and Team Qatar by Iron Lynx completes a GT3 comeback.
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AF Corse secured a historic victory in the opening race of the 2026/27 Asian Le Mans Series (ALMS) at Circuit Paul Ricard, with Luís Pérez Companc, Yifei Ye and Nicklas Nielsen becoming the championship’s first Hypercar winners. The #90 Ferrari 499P led for almost the entire four-hour contest, with Nielsen crossing the finish line 6.348 seconds ahead of Antonio Fuoco in the #47 Cetilar Racing Ferrari.

Meanwhile, Algarve Pro Racing claimed a dramatic LMP2 victory as Enzo Trulli defended his lead while conserving fuel during the closing stages. The Italian finished just 0.698 seconds ahead of Matthieu Vaxivière in the #37 CLX Motorsport Oreca, with Inter Europol Competition completing a podium separated by only 2.297 seconds.

In GT3, Team Qatar by Iron Lynx completed an impressive recovery from the back of the grid to secure victory with Abdulla Ali Al-Khelafi, Julian Hanses and Maxime Martin. A post-race penalty for GetSpeed subsequently promoted Craft-Bamboo Iron Lynx and 2 Seas Motorsport into the remaining podium positions, completing a Mercedes-AMG top-three sweep.

Heavy rain, multiple incidents and a prolonged Safety Car period shaped the opening race, with the final 15 minutes producing decisive battles across the LMP2 and GT3 categories.

Pérez Companc takes early Hypercar lead in wet conditions

The inaugural ALMS Hypercar race began under difficult conditions as rain fell over Circuit Paul Ricard ahead of the opening four-hour contest. With standing water and reduced grip complicating preparations, Race Control ordered an additional formation lap before allowing the 46-car field to begin racing.

Roberto Lacorte led the field from pole position in the #47 Cetilar Racing Ferrari 499P, having secured the championship’s first Hypercar pole during Friday’s qualifying sessions. However, the Italian immediately faced pressure from Pérez Companc in the #90 AF Corse entry.

Lacorte initially retained the advantage into Turn 1 but ran wide on the exit, allowing Pérez Companc to move into the lead. The mistake also created an opportunity for Giorgio Roda, who briefly moved ahead of the Cetilar Ferrari in the LMP2 pole-sitting #22 United Autosports Oreca. Nevertheless, Lacorte recovered second place before Turn 3.

Behind the leading Hypercars, Roda began establishing an advantage over the LMP2 field, with Duqueine Team’s Antti Rammo and Algarve Pro Racing’s Jens Reno Møller heading the chasing group.

Pérez Companc also started extending his lead over Lacorte, with the two Ferraris gradually moving clear of the LMP2 competitors.

Opening-lap incidents disrupt GT3 field

The difficult conditions created immediate problems further down the field, particularly as the closely packed GT3 competitors approached Turn 3. Several drivers left the circuit while attempting to avoid spinning cars, producing contact and damage among the 28-car category.

Steve Jans initially retained the GT3 lead from pole position in the #9 GetSpeed Mercedes-AMG GT3 Evo. However, Charles Dawson made an excellent start in the #46 2 Seas Motorsport Mercedes-AMG, moving from fifth to second in class, while Hubert Haupt advanced to third in the #65 Haupt Racing Team Ford Mustang GT3 Evo.

The opening-lap incidents quickly disrupted the order. Herberth Motorsport’s #21 Porsche and Haupt Racing Team’s #64 Ford returned towards the pits with damage, although the latter could not continue. The retirement ended the race for Michael Tosi, Arjun Maini and Finn Wiebelhaus before their car completed a racing lap.

As the rain persisted, further incidents affected the midfield. Dawson lost control of the #46 Mercedes-AMG, dropping from second to 19th in GT3, while Inter Europol Competition’s #34 Oreca required a replacement front section after sustaining collision damage.

Meanwhile, Darren Leung encountered difficulties in the #33 2 Seas Motorsport Mercedes-AMG following contact with Manthey’s #91 Porsche at Turn 4. The damage forced Leung into the garage, leaving his team facing an extended recovery.

Tribaudini challenges Jans as GT3 battle intensifies

Despite the difficult conditions, the GT3 leaders continued fighting for position as Jans came under increasing pressure from Stéphane Tribaudini in the #7 Petrolife Racing Team Mercedes-AMG.

The pair exchanged positions several times, with Tribaudini eventually completing an overtake to move ahead of the GetSpeed entry. The battle also brought Rafa Durán into contention in the #50 AF Corse Ferrari 296 GT3, with the Spaniard moving past Jans on the following lap.

The changing order highlighted the difficulties drivers faced while managing grip and visibility. Although several teams had demonstrated competitive pace during practice and qualifying, the increasingly wet circuit created a different challenge as drivers attempted to maintain momentum without making costly mistakes.

Further back, Giacomo Petrobelli was making progress in the #70 Ecurie Ecosse Blackthorn Aston Martin Vantage GT3 Evo. However, the Italian began struggling with the available grip as his Michelin wet tyres lost performance.

Exiting Turn 7, Petrobelli lost control of the Aston Martin, which spun backwards into the tyre barriers. The impact caused substantial damage and scattered debris across the run-off area, although Petrobelli emerged unharmed.

Race Control subsequently deployed the Virtual Safety Car to allow marshals to recover the damaged Aston Martin and clear the circuit.

Jakobsen fights through as LMP2 lead changes hands

The Virtual Safety Car period provided teams with an opportunity to reconsider their strategies as changing conditions continued influencing the race. When green-flag running resumed, Adrien Closmenil led LMP2 in the #37 CLX Motorsport Oreca, but several competitors rapidly closed on the Frenchman.

Sting Ray Robb initially challenged in the #22 United Autosports entry, while Malthe Jakobsen made significant progress in Algarve Pro Racing’s #25 Oreca. The Dane first overtook Robb before catching Closmenil and completing another move to take the class lead.

Jakobsen’s progress placed Algarve Pro Racing in a strong position after Michael Jensen had completed the opening stint. The team entered the weekend following its successful 2026 European Le Mans Series campaign, during which Jensen, Jakobsen and Trulli secured the LMP2 Pro/Am championship.

However, Jakobsen faced increasing pressure as Victor Martins began moving through the field in Proton Competition’s #11 Oreca. The Frenchman demonstrated strong pace in the difficult conditions, overtaking Laurin Heinrich in the #4 CrowdStrike Racing by APR entry before closing on Jakobsen.

Martins subsequently completed another overtake to take the LMP2 lead, continuing the series of position changes that characterised the opening stages.

With several established prototype teams competing closely, the outcome remained uncertain as the weather deteriorated further.

Heavy rain forces prolonged Safety Car period

Conditions became increasingly difficult as heavy rain intensified and spray reduced visibility around Circuit Paul Ricard. Drivers struggled to see through the faster sections, particularly when following other cars, while standing water created additional concerns over grip and aquaplaning.

Race Control eventually deployed the Safety Car as conditions became too dangerous for unrestricted racing. The intervention brought the competitive battles to a temporary halt, with the field circulating behind the safety vehicle while officials continued assessing the weather.

The lengthy neutralisation also complicated strategy. Teams had to manage fuel consumption, tyre temperatures and driver requirements without knowing precisely when racing would resume. The interruption particularly affected the LMP2 field, where several competitors had been fighting for the lead before the Safety Car appeared.

Meanwhile, the two Ferrari Hypercars maintained their positions at the front, with AF Corse continuing to lead Cetilar Racing. Although the neutralisation reduced the opportunity to build further advantages, it also prevented the chasing Ferrari from applying sustained pressure under green-flag conditions.

As the official ALMS Race 1 report confirms, the Safety Car remained on track until approximately 15 minutes before the finish, when improving conditions finally allowed officials to restart the race.

The short sprint to the chequered flag would prove decisive for both LMP2 and GT3.

Martin completes remarkable GT3 recovery for Team Qatar

The closing stages produced another dramatic change in the GT3 classification as several teams battled for the lead following the restart.

Zacharie Robichon initially headed the category in the #27 Heart of Racing Aston Martin, but Frederik Schandorff quickly challenged in the #7 Petrolife Racing Team Mercedes-AMG. The Dane completed an overtake to move ahead, although his advantage proved short-lived as Maxime Martin closed rapidly in Team Qatar by Iron Lynx’s #62 Mercedes-AMG.

The Belgian soon caught the leading competitors and moved into first place, completing an impressive recovery for an entry that had started at the back of the GT3 grid.

Team Qatar had endured a difficult Friday after the #62 Mercedes-AMG was involved in an incident at Turn 7 during FP2. The damage forced officials to end the session early, with the official ALMS FP2 report detailing the accident involving the Mercedes-AMG and Car Blanche by RSL’s Aston Martin.

The incident prevented Team Qatar from participating in qualifying, leaving Al-Khelafi facing a considerable challenge when the race began.

Nevertheless, the Qatari driver, Hanses and Martin steadily recovered positions throughout the four-hour contest, maintaining their progress despite the changing conditions and numerous incidents.

Martin eventually crossed the finish line approximately 1.9 seconds ahead of GetSpeed’s Fabian Schiller, securing the inaugural ALMS victory for Team Qatar by Iron Lynx.

GetSpeed penalty reshuffles GT3 podium

Although GetSpeed initially celebrated second place, its result changed following a post-race investigation into the team’s compliance with the championship’s driving-time requirements.

According to Stewards’ Decision No. 65, Schiller failed to comply with the required driving-stint time under Article 13.2.3 and Appendix 5 of the ALMS Sporting Regulations. Officials imposed a 126-second penalty on the #9 Mercedes-AMG, dropping the car from second on the road to 15th in the amended GT3 classification.

The decision promoted the #88 Craft-Bamboo Iron Lynx Mercedes-AMG into second place, while the #46 2 Seas Motorsport entry inherited third. Despite the penalty, Mercedes-AMG retained all three podium positions, giving the manufacturer a strong opening result in the competitive category.

For 2 Seas Motorsport, the podium represented a remarkable recovery after Dawson’s early spin had dropped the car from second to 19th. The team’s ability to regain positions throughout the race, combined with GetSpeed’s subsequent penalty, ultimately delivered a valuable championship result.

Meanwhile, Proton Competition finished fourth with its #77 Porsche 911 GT3 R Evo, just 0.464 seconds behind the final podium position. AF Corse completed the top five with the #50 Ferrari, followed by Petrolife Racing Team in sixth.

The victory also gave Iron Lynx an encouraging start to its first ALMS GT3 campaign, with both its Team Qatar and Craft-Bamboo partnerships finishing on the podium.

Trulli faces desperate fuel-saving battle in LMP2

While the GT3 order changed behind, an equally dramatic contest unfolded in LMP2 as Enzo Trulli attempted to bring Algarve Pro Racing’s #25 Oreca home for victory.

The Italian held an advantage of approximately 7.8 seconds over Louis Delétraz in the #4 CrowdStrike Racing by APR entry during the closing stages. However, the reigning ALMS champions faced a fuel shortage and had to bring Delétraz into the pits for a late splash of fuel.

The stop removed CrowdStrike Racing by APR from the immediate fight for victory and promoted Matthieu Vaxivière into second place in the #37 CLX Motorsport Oreca.

Vaxivière immediately began closing on Trulli, who was struggling with his own fuel situation. Although Algarve Pro Racing retained the lead, the team instructed the Italian to conserve fuel while maintaining enough pace to defend against the approaching Frenchman.

The situation created a difficult balance for Trulli, who needed to avoid running out of fuel while preventing Vaxivière from completing an overtake. With the gap shrinking during the final laps, the two drivers approached the chequered flag separated by less than a second.

The challenge reflected the importance of fuel management in the 16-car LMP2 field outlined in the championship’s official entry announcement, with several established teams competing closely throughout the four-hour race.

Algarve Pro Racing wins as LMP2 podium finishes within 2.3 seconds

Despite the pressure, Trulli managed his remaining fuel effectively and crossed the finish line just 0.698 seconds ahead of Vaxivière, securing an important opening victory for Algarve Pro Racing.

The result marked another success for the #25 crew of Jensen, Jakobsen and Trulli, who had recently claimed the ELMS LMP2 Pro/Am championship together. Their performance also demonstrated the importance of consistency and strategy, with each driver contributing during different stages of the demanding four-hour race.

CLX Motorsport secured second with the #37 Oreca, while Nick Yelloly brought Inter Europol Competition’s #43 entry home in third. Just 1.599 seconds separated Vaxivière and Yelloly, leaving the entire podium covered by 2.297 seconds.

DKR Engineering followed fourth, finishing 5.779 seconds behind the class winner, while United Autosports completed the top five with its #22 Oreca.

AF Corse placed sixth through the #55 entry, ahead of CrowdStrike Racing by APR, which recovered to seventh following Delétraz’s late fuel stop.

Nielsen Racing secured eighth, while Proton Competition and AF Corse completed the top ten with their #11 and #83 entries respectively.

The result gave Algarve Pro Racing an early championship advantage, although the narrow margins throughout the leading group highlighted the competitiveness of the LMP2 field.

Nielsen brings AF Corse home for historic Hypercar victory

At the front of the field, AF Corse maintained its advantage throughout the final stages as Nielsen completed the concluding stint in the #90 Ferrari 499P.

Pérez Companc had established the team’s lead during the opening lap, capitalising on Lacorte’s mistake at Turn 1. His early performance provided a strong foundation for Ye, who continued building the advantage during the middle stages before handing the car to Nielsen.

Despite the difficult weather and lengthy Safety Car period, the three drivers avoided the incidents that affected several competitors. Their consistency ultimately proved decisive in securing victory in the championship’s inaugural Hypercar race.

Ye reflected on his contribution in the official ALMS post-race interviews, explaining:

“I was happy about the stint; I managed to increase the gap and give the car to Nicklas.”

Nielsen subsequently maintained the advantage over Fuoco, who completed the closing stint in the #47 Cetilar Racing Ferrari. After 94 laps, the Dane crossed the finish line 6.348 seconds ahead, securing the first Hypercar victory in ALMS history for AF Corse.

Cetilar Racing completed the Ferrari one-two with Roberto Lacorte, Nicola Lacorte and Fuoco, ensuring that both Hypercar entries reached the finish despite the challenging conditions.

The result provided a successful beginning to the new Hypercar category introduced for the 2026/27 ALMS season, with AF Corse taking the early championship lead ahead of Sunday’s second four-hour contest.

Hypercar | 2026/27 ALMS Le Castellet Race 1 full results

  1. #90 AF Corse — Ferrari 499P — 94 laps — 4:01:31.057
  2. #47 Cetilar Racing — Ferrari 499P — 94 laps — +6.348s

LMP2 | 2026/27 ALMS Le Castellet Race 1 full results

  1. #25 Algarve Pro Racing — Oreca 07-Gibson — 93 laps — Winner
  2. #37 CLX Motorsport — Oreca 07-Gibson — 93 laps — +0.698s
  3. #43 Inter Europol Competition — Oreca 07-Gibson — 93 laps — +2.297s
  4. #3 DKR Engineering — Oreca 07-Gibson — 93 laps — +5.779s
  5. #22 United Autosports — Oreca 07-Gibson — 93 laps — +6.332s
  6. #55 AF Corse — Oreca 07-Gibson — 93 laps — +25.873s
  7. #4 CrowdStrike Racing by APR — Oreca 07-Gibson — 93 laps — +38.605s
  8. #24 Nielsen Racing — Oreca 07-Gibson — 93 laps — +38.661s
  9. #11 Proton Competition — Oreca 07-Gibson — 93 laps — +45.130s
  10. #83 AF Corse — Oreca 07-Gibson — 93 laps — +46.297s
  11. #16 Team Virage — Oreca 07-Gibson — 93 laps — +1:03.357
  12. #20 Algarve Pro Racing — Oreca 07-Gibson — 93 laps — +1:27.117
  13. #66 Proton Competition — Oreca 07-Gibson — 92 laps — +1 lap
  14. #30 Duqueine Team — Oreca 07-Gibson — 92 laps — +1 lap
  15. #34 Inter Europol Competition — Oreca 07-Gibson — 91 laps — +2 laps
  16. #2 United Autosports — Oreca 07-Gibson — 89 laps — Not classified

GT3 | 2026/27 ALMS Le Castellet Race 1 full results

  1. #62 Team Qatar by Iron Lynx — Mercedes-AMG GT3 Evo — 90 laps — Winner
  2. #88 Craft-Bamboo Iron Lynx — Mercedes-AMG GT3 Evo — 90 laps — +9.279s
  3. #46 2 Seas Motorsport — Mercedes-AMG GT3 Evo — 90 laps — +13.628s
  4. #77 Proton Competition — Porsche 911 GT3 R Evo — 90 laps — +14.092s
  5. #50 AF Corse — Ferrari 296 GT3 Evo — 90 laps — +19.492s
  6. #7 Petrolife Racing Team — Mercedes-AMG GT3 Evo — 90 laps — +19.560s
  7. #68 Car Blanche by RSL — Aston Martin Vantage GT3 Evo — 90 laps — +20.683s
  8. #87 Winward Racing — Mercedes-AMG GT3 Evo — 90 laps — +21.379s
  9. #26 Heart of Racing Team — Aston Martin Vantage GT3 Evo — 90 laps — +22.947s
  10. #92 Manthey — Porsche 911 GT3 R Evo — 90 laps — +28.398s
  11. #91 Manthey — Porsche 911 GT3 R Evo — 90 laps — +34.145s
  12. #54 High Class Racing — Porsche 911 GT3 R Evo — 90 laps — +34.249s
  13. #27 Heart of Racing Team — Aston Martin Vantage GT3 Evo — 90 laps — +43.228s
  14. #93 DFYNE Racing Team — Lamborghini Temerario GT3 — 90 laps — +57.237s
  15. #9 GetSpeed — Mercedes-AMG GT3 Evo — 90 laps — +2:07.926
  16. #69 Team WRT — BMW M4 GT3 Evo — 89 laps — +1 lap
  17. #65 Haupt Racing Team — Ford Mustang GT3 Evo — 89 laps — +1 lap
  18. #58 Garage 59 — McLaren 720S GT3 Evo — 89 laps — +1 lap
  19. #21 Herberth Motorsport — Porsche 911 GT3 R Evo — 89 laps — +1 lap
  20. #99 Proton Competition — Porsche 911 GT3 R Evo — 89 laps — +1 lap
  21. #51 AF Corse — Ferrari 296 GT3 Evo — 88 laps — +2 laps
  22. #60 Garage 59 — McLaren 720S GT3 Evo — 87 laps — +3 laps
  23. #45 Ponos Racing — Ferrari 296 GT3 — 76 laps — +14 laps
  24. #70 Ecurie Ecosse Blackthorn — Aston Martin Vantage GT3 Evo — 31 laps — Not classified
  25. #33 2 Seas Motorsport — Mercedes-AMG GT3 Evo — 29 laps — Not classified
  26. #63 Leipert Motorsport — Lamborghini Temerario GT3 — 61 laps — Not classified
  27. #57 Car Guy Racing — Ferrari 296 GT3 Evo — 41 laps — Not classified
  28. #64 Haupt Racing Team — Ford Mustang GT3 Evo — 0 laps — Not classified

The official ALMS final race classification confirms the positions of all 46 entries across Hypercar, LMP2 and GT3, including the amended GT3 order following GetSpeed’s penalty.

Attention turns to second Le Castellet race

The opening round delivered a dramatic start to the 2026/27 ALMS season, with challenging weather, multiple incidents and closely contested battles shaping the results across all three categories.

AF Corse established itself as the early Hypercar championship leader following its historic victory, while Algarve Pro Racing secured valuable LMP2 points after surviving a tense final-lap battle. Meanwhile, Team Qatar by Iron Lynx completed one of the race’s most impressive recoveries, moving from the back of the GT3 field to the top step of the podium.

The championship will return to Circuit Paul Ricard on Sunday, 15 November, for the second four-hour race of the opening double-header.

AF Corse will start from Hypercar pole position, while Proton Competition leads the LMP2 grid and the #50 AF Corse Ferrari heads GT3 following Friday’s two qualifying sessions that determined both starting orders.

Race 2 will begin at 13:15 CET, providing the teams with another opportunity to establish their championship positions before the series moves to Jerez in January.

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