The 2026/27 Asian Le Mans Series {ALMS) season will feature a maximum 47-car full-season grid as the championship prepares for its unusual six-race European winter campaign.
Two Ferrari 499Ps will launch the new Hypercar class, while a record-equalling 16 LMP2 entries and a substantial 29-car GT3 field complete the grid. The championship received more applications than it could accommodate, with 47 representing the maximum capacity across Circuit Paul Ricard, Circuito de Jerez and the Autódromo Internacional do Algarve.
The full 2026/27 ALMS entry announcement features 32 teams representing 16 nations. Despite the championship temporarily moving away from its traditional Asian and Middle Eastern venues, teams from Malaysia, Hong Kong, Japan, Bahrain, Qatar and the UAE remain part of a field that also includes substantial European and American representation.
Two Ferrari 499Ps launch ALMS Hypercar era
Hypercar joins ALMS for the first time in 2026/27, with Cetilar Racing and AF Corse providing the two entries for the category’s inaugural season.
Cetilar steps up from LMP2 after finishing runner-up in the 2025/26 championship. Roberto Lacorte will share the No. 47 Ferrari 499P with son Nicola Lacorte and Ferrari factory driver Antonio Fuoco, giving the programme a combination of continuity and experience at the highest level of endurance racing.
AF Corse will field the second 499P as the No. 90. Luís Pérez Companc joins Ferrari factory drivers Yifei Ye and Nicklas Nielsen, with both professionals bringing 24 Hours of Le Mans-winning experience to the programme. The two entries were already confirmed for the full ALMS campaign before the championship released its complete entry list.
Although organisers had hoped for a larger initial Hypercar field, the presence of the two Ferraris introduces a new top category alongside the established LMP2 and GT3 classes.
Automobile Club de l’Ouest President Pierre Fillon highlighted the importance of the expanded class structure and the strength of the overall entry.
“A 47-car entry for the 2026/27 Asian Le Mans Series is a tremendous demonstration of the strength and appeal of the championship. In what is an exceptional season, this remarkable grid reflects the confidence of teams, manufacturers and drivers in the series and in the values of endurance racing. With Hypercars joining the championship for the first time, alongside a highly competitive LMP2 and GT3 field, we have all the ingredients for an outstanding season. The Asian Le Mans Series remains an important part of the Le Mans endurance racing family and a pathway to the 24 Hours of Le Mans. I would like to thank all the competitors for their commitment and trust, and I look forward to seeing this exceptional field on track at Le Castellet in November.”
LMP2 matches 16-car record
LMP2 remains one of the strongest components of the ALMS grid, with 16 Oreca-Gibsons matching the record entry achieved during the 2025/26 season.
Reigning champions CrowdStrike Racing by APR return to defend their title, with Drivers’ Champion George Kurtz named as the lead driver. Algarve Pro Racing will also operate two entries of its own, with former champion Michael Jensen in the No. 25 and former ELMS champion John Falb leading the No. 20 crew.
Former ALMS champions Nielsen Racing and DKR Engineering also return. Naveen Rao leads Nielsen’s programme, while Jean Glorieux heads DKR’s effort as both teams attempt to add another title to their records.
Inter Europol Competition brings further depth after winning the LMP2 category at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. The Polish squad will run two Oreca-Gibsons, with double Le Mans class winner Nick Yelloly among the drivers in the No. 43.
United Autosports, AF Corse and Proton Competition will each operate two LMP2 cars, while Team Virage, Duqueine Team and CLX Motorsport complete the 16-car field with single entries. The combination leaves LMP2 with eight more cars than the two-car Hypercar category and ensures prototypes account for 18 of the 47 full-season entries.
Eight manufacturers represented in 29-car GT3 field
GT3 forms the largest class, with 29 cars representing eight manufacturers.
Mercedes-AMG supplies the biggest contingent with seven GT3 EVOs. Porsche follows with six 911 GT3 R EVOs, while five Ferrari 296 GT3 EVOs give the Italian manufacturer another substantial presence beyond its Hypercar and LMP2 programmes.
Four Aston Martin Vantage AMR GT3 EVOs, two Lamborghini Temerario GT3s, two Ford Mustang GT3 EVOs and two McLaren 720S GT3 EVOs also feature, while Team WRT fields the sole BMW M4 GT3 EVO.
Former champions Manthey return with two Porsches. 2024/25 champion Klaus Bachler leads the No. 91 entry, while multiple Le Mans class winner Richard Lietz features in the No. 92.
Asian teams retain strong presence despite European calendar
Despite the temporary move to Europe, several Asian teams and drivers remain prominent within the GT3 field.
Malaysian squad Petrolife Racing Team will run a Mercedes-AMG with Afiq Yazid named as its lead driver. Car Guy also returns with its distinctive No. 57 Ferrari 296 GT3 EVO for Takeshi Kimura, while fellow Japanese team Ponos switches back to GT3 after competing in LMP2 last season.
Yorikatsu Tsujiko and Takuro Shinohara headline the Ponos Ferrari programme. Meanwhile, Hong Kong representation comes through Craft-Bamboo Racing, which will run a Mercedes-AMG operated by Iron Lynx.
The international character of the grid extends beyond Asia, with teams from Bahrain, Qatar and the UAE also included among the 32 full-season operations.
Team Qatar and 2 Seas strengthen Mercedes-AMG contingent
Team Qatar by Iron Lynx will continue its endurance programme with a single Mercedes-AMG for Abdulla Ali Al-Khelaifi and Maxime Martin. The squad enters the winter campaign after challenging for the 2026 ELMS LMGT3 Championship.
Iron Lynx will also operate the Craft-Bamboo Racing Mercedes-AMG, while 2 Seas Motorsport brings a further two cars. Isa Al Khalifa and Nicolas Cristofaro will share the No. 46, with father-and-son pairing Lawrence and Freddie Tomlinson competing in the No. 33.
GetSpeed and Winward Racing complete another part of Mercedes-AMG’s substantial presence. Steve Jans and Anthony Bartone are named in the No. 9 GetSpeed entry, while Rinat Salikhov leads the No. 87 Winward programme.
The seven-car contingent makes Mercedes-AMG the most represented manufacturer in GT3 as the marque targets success across a highly competitive field.
WRT, Heart of Racing and Garage 59 join packed GT3 grid
Team WRT returns to ALMS with the only BMW M4 GT3 EVO. Anthony McIntosh, who finished runner-up in the 2025/26 GT standings, will lead the Belgian team’s programme.
Heart of Racing will field two Aston Martins, with Gray Newell named in the No. 26 and Ian James in the No. 27. Car Blanche by RSL and Ecurie Ecosse Blackthorn complete Aston Martin’s four-car representation.
Garage 59 brings two McLaren 720S GT3 EVOs, with Tom Fleming in the No. 58 and Alexander West in the No. 60. Haupt Racing Team will also field a two-car programme with the Ford Mustang GT3 EVO, including Arjun Maini in the No. 64.
Lamborghini’s Temerario GT3 joins the championship through Dyfne Racing Team and Leipert Motorsport, adding another new-generation GT3 model to the field.
AF Corse takes on all three classes
AF Corse will have one of the busiest programmes on the grid, with cars competing in Hypercar, LMP2 and GT3.
Alongside the No. 90 Ferrari 499P, the Italian operation will run two Oreca-Gibsons in LMP2 and two Ferrari 296 GT3 EVOs. Its five-car commitment makes AF Corse the only team represented across all three classes.
Proton Competition also takes on a sizeable multi-class programme. In addition to its two LMP2 entries, the German squad will field two Porsche 911 GT3 R EVOs, with Hiroyuki Ogawa leading the No. 77 and Martin Berry named in the No. 99.
High Class Racing and Herberth Motorsport complete the Porsche contingent with one car each, while Dragon Racing adds another Ferrari for 2024 ELMS LMGT3 champion Axcil Jefferies.
ALMS oversubscribed despite move to Europe
The full grid represents a significant boost for the championship after continuing uncertainty in the Middle East forced organisers to temporarily move the series entirely to Europe.
ALMEM and LMEM CEO Frédéric Lequien acknowledged that organisers wanted more than two Hypercars for the category’s first season. However, applications across the championship exceeded the maximum number of available places.
“We are very pleased to announce another huge field for the Asian Le Mans Series this season. Despite the ongoing issues in the Middle East, we are truly happy to see so many drivers and teams from Asia making the trip to compete in Europe in this unique winter series.
“We have two Ferraris entered in Hypercar, and, while we were hoping to have more for the first season, we look forward to seeing Cetilar Racing and AF Corse in action in Le Castellet.
“While we have an impressive 16 cars in LMP2 and 29 in GT3, we actually received many more applications beyond the 47-car maximum, and we would like to thank every team that applied for a place on the 2026/27 Asian Le Mans Series grid for their interest and support.
“We are looking forward to seeing another great season of racing starting in Le Castellet next month.”
SRO Motorsports Group Founder and CEO Stéphane Ratel also pointed to the capacity grid as evidence that the championship retains its strength despite the geographical change.
“Its calendar and continent might have changed significantly but the Asian Le Mans Series has once again underlined its status as sportscar racing’s top ‘winter’ destination by assembling another sold-out and highly competitive entry list. LMP2 and GT3 remain typically strong, whilst the two Hypercar entries – although modest for the time being – represent a signal of intent amidst ongoing uncertainty across the Middle East that has forced championship organisers to temporarily pivot away from the region. The validity of that decision is clear for all to see in this highly impressive entry list, as well as the other cars Asian Le Mans Series organisers were unable to accommodate.”
European winter campaign begins at Paul Ricard
ALMS will begin its unique European season at Circuit Paul Ricard from 13–15 November, with the French venue hosting the opening two four-hour races. The championship then heads to Jerez from 15–17 January before completing the campaign at Portimão from 19–21 February.
All three venues are new to ALMS, while the six-race championship format remains based around three double-header weekends. Teams will therefore contest two four-hour races at each circuit as the championship preserves its traditional winter structure despite moving continents.
With all 47 available places filled, the championship heads towards Le Castellet with a record-equalling LMP2 field, 29 GT3 cars and its first Hypercar entries. Although the two-car top class remains smaller than organisers initially hoped, the oversubscribed grid provides ALMS with a strong foundation for an unprecedented 2026/27 season.
