The inaugural Asian Le Mans Cup has confirmed an 18-car full-season entry list for its 2026/27 campaign, featuring several championship-winning teams from the Asian Le Mans Series (ALMS) and Michelin Le Mans Cup.
The new championship will feature three categories, with eight cars competing in LMP3 Pro, four in LMP3 and six in GT3. Among the confirmed entrants are reigning Asian Le Mans Series LMP3 champions CLX Motorsport, Michelin Le Mans Cup champions R-ace GP and established GT3 outfits including AF Corse and Herberth Motorsport.
The Asian Le Mans Cup will make its competitive debut at Circuit Paul Ricard in November, operating alongside the Asian Le Mans Series across three European double-header weekends.
Asian Le Mans Cup introduces new endurance racing structure
The Asian Le Mans Cup was announced during the 2026 24 Hours of Le Mans, providing a new championship for LMP3 and GT3 competitors following the restructuring of the Asian Le Mans Series.
The introduction of Hypercar machinery to the main championship for 2026/27 prompted organisers to establish a separate competition for LMP3 entries. The Asian Le Mans Series will now feature Hypercar, LMP2 and GT3, while the new Cup will accommodate LMP3 machinery alongside a smaller GT3 field.
The championship takes inspiration from the Michelin Le Mans Cup, providing another opportunity for teams and drivers to progress through international endurance racing.
Its three classes will feature different driver eligibility requirements. LMP3 Pro will accommodate Silver and Gold-rated drivers, while the separate LMP3 category will require at least one Bronze-rated competitor in each line-up.
GT3 entries must also include at least one Bronze-rated driver, while Platinum-rated competitors will not be eligible to participate in the new championship.
The structure aims to provide competitive opportunities for drivers at different stages of their careers while establishing another development pathway towards the higher levels of endurance racing.
CLX Motorsport and R-ace GP headline eight-car LMP3 Pro field
The LMP3 Pro category will feature the largest entry list, with eight cars representing seven teams.
Reigning 2025/26 Asian Le Mans Series LMP3 champions CLX Motorsport will compete with a Ligier JS P325-Toyota, aiming to build on the success achieved during the category’s final season in the main championship.
The Swiss outfit will face competition from R-ace GP, which enters as the reigning Michelin Le Mans Cup LMP3 champion. The French team will field the only Duqueine D09-Toyota on the grid, providing an alternative to the Ligier machinery used by the remaining competitors.
Former Asian Le Mans Series champions Bretton Racing will also participate, having secured the 2024/25 LMP3 title. Meanwhile, Team Virage arrives with its own championship-winning experience after claiming the 2023 Michelin Le Mans Cup LMP3 crown.
Asian Le Mans Series race winners 23Events Racing will enter two Ligier prototypes, making it the only team fielding multiple cars in LMP3 Pro.
Gebhardt Motorsport and GMS Team complete the eight-car field, joining a category featuring several established prototype racing operations.
The combination of reigning champions, former title winners and experienced endurance competitors provides the new championship with a competitive foundation ahead of its inaugural season.
Motorsport98 targets further success in four-car LMP3 field
The separate LMP3 category will feature four full-season entries, with each driver combination required to include at least one Bronze-rated competitor.
Motorsport98 arrives as one of the leading contenders after claiming consecutive Michelin Le Mans Cup LMP3 Pro/Am titles in 2025 and 2026.
The Belgian outfit will now aim to extend its success into the new championship, competing against several established prototype operations.
CLX Motorsport will expand its presence beyond the LMP3 Pro field by entering two additional Ligier JS P325-Toyotas. Its three-car programme makes the Swiss team the largest prototype entrant across the two LMP3 categories.
The fourth entry comes from Brutal Fish by Campos Racing, which brings previous Michelin Le Mans Cup race-winning experience to the championship.
Although the LMP3 field is smaller than its Pro counterpart, the presence of Motorsport98, CLX Motorsport and Brutal Fish by Campos ensures that several successful teams will compete for the inaugural category title.
The division between LMP3 Pro and LMP3 will also allow drivers with different FIA ratings to compete within separate classifications while using comparable prototype machinery.
Porsche leads six-car GT3 field with three entries
The GT3 category will feature six cars representing three manufacturers, with Porsche holding the largest presence on the grid.
Three Porsche 911 GT3 R entries have been confirmed, including two from German outfit Herberth Motorsport. The team has extensive international GT racing experience and will also compete in the main Asian Le Mans Series during the 2026/27 campaign.
Austrian squad Razoon More Than Racing will field the third Porsche, completing the manufacturer’s representation in the new championship.
Aston Martin will be represented by two Vantage GT3 entries. Racing Spirit of Léman arrives as the reigning 2026 Michelin Le Mans Cup GT3 champion and will aim to extend its success into another international competition.
Spanish outfit E2P Racing will operate the second Aston Martin, completing the British manufacturer’s participation.
Meanwhile, AF Corse will enter the sole Ferrari 296 GT3 on the grid. The Italian team secured the 2025 Michelin Le Mans Cup GT3 title and brings considerable experience from international GT and endurance racing.
The six-car field therefore combines championship-winning teams with established GT3 competitors, providing the category with an experienced entry list for its inaugural campaign.
Full 2026/27 Asian Le Mans Cup provisional entry list
The championship’s provisional entry list features 18 cars across LMP3 Pro, LMP3 and GT3. Driver line-ups have not yet been detailed in the announcement.
LMP3 Pro — 8 entries
- #11 GMS Team — Ligier JS P325-Toyota
- #17 CLX Motorsport — Ligier JS P325-Toyota
- #19 23Events Racing — Ligier JS P325-Toyota
- #26 Bretton Racing — Ligier JS P325-Toyota
- #50 23Events Racing — Ligier JS P325-Toyota
- #75 Gebhardt Motorsport — Ligier JS P325-Toyota
- #85 R-ace GP — Duqueine D09-Toyota
- #92 Team Virage — Ligier JS P325-Toyota
LMP3 — 4 entries
- #12 Brutal Fish by Campos Racing — Ligier JS P325-Toyota
- #86 CLX Motorsport — Ligier JS P325-Toyota
- #87 CLX Motorsport — Ligier JS P325-Toyota
- #98 Motorsport98 — Ligier JS P325-Toyota
GT3 — 6 entries
- #10 Racing Spirit of Léman — Aston Martin Vantage GT3
- #41 Razoon More Than Racing — Porsche 911 GT3 R
- #51 AF Corse — Ferrari 296 GT3
- #73 Herberth Motorsport — Porsche 911 GT3 R
- #90 E2P Racing — Aston Martin Vantage GT3
- #91 Herberth Motorsport — Porsche 911 GT3 R
The provisional grid includes 11 Ligier prototypes and one Duqueine across the LMP3 categories, alongside six GT3 entries from Porsche, Aston Martin and Ferrari.
Asian Le Mans Cup to race alongside Asian Le Mans Series in Europe
The new championship will share its three event weekends with the Asian Le Mans Series, which has relocated its 2026/27 season to Europe.
Both competitions will begin at Circuit Paul Ricard in France before travelling to Circuito de Jerez in Spain and the Autódromo Internacional do Algarve in Portugal.
Unlike the main Asian Le Mans Series, which features four-hour races, the Asian Le Mans Cup will contest two-hour races.
The six-round championship will therefore provide teams with opportunities to compete at three established European circuits during the winter season.
2026/27 Asian Le Mans Cup calendar
- Rounds 1–2: Circuit Paul Ricard, France — 13–15 November 2026
- Rounds 3–4: Circuito de Jerez, Spain — 15–17 January 2027
- Rounds 5–6: Autódromo Internacional do Algarve, Portugal — 19–21 February 2027
The calendar mirrors the 2026/27 Asian Le Mans Series schedule, allowing both championships to operate during the same event weekends.
The Cup will complement the 47-car Asian Le Mans Series field, which features two Hypercars, 16 LMP2 prototypes and 29 GT3 entries.
Inaugural championship attracts established endurance racing teams
The confirmation of 18 full-season entries represents an important milestone for the Asian Le Mans Cup ahead of its first competitive season.
The presence of reigning champions from the Asian Le Mans Series and Michelin Le Mans Cup provides the championship with several experienced teams, while the introduction of separate LMP3 categories creates opportunities for both professional and Bronze-rated drivers.
CLX Motorsport will be particularly prominent, operating three prototypes across the two LMP3 categories. Meanwhile, R-ace GP, Bretton Racing, Team Virage and Motorsport98 will attempt to translate their previous championship success into the new competition.
The GT3 category will also feature established international operations, including AF Corse and Herberth Motorsport, alongside Racing Spirit of Léman, Razoon More Than Racing and E2P Racing.
With the provisional entry list now confirmed, attention will turn towards the announcement of driver line-ups and preparations for the opening weekend.
The inaugural Asian Le Mans Cup season begins at Circuit Paul Ricard on 13–15 November, where the 18-car field will take to the track for the first time in the championship’s history.
