Nielsen Racing will return to the Asian Le Mans Series (ALMS) for the 2026/27 season with a single LMP2 entry as the championship temporarily relocates to Southern Europe for its new Winter Le Mans Series format.
The British squad has been a constant presence in the championship since the 2018/19 season and will continue that relationship when the six-race campaign begins at Circuit Paul Ricard in November. The series will then visit Jerez in January before concluding at Portimão in February, with each circuit hosting two four-hour races. Nielsen confirmed its latest programme as part of its return to the Asian Le Mans Series, continuing a run that has already produced championships in two prototype categories.
The coming campaign will differ significantly from previous seasons after ongoing conflict and logistical uncertainty in the Middle East forced organisers to relocate the championship. The unusual European calendar has nevertheless attracted a maximum 47-car grid, including a record-equalling 16 LMP2 entries, giving Nielsen substantial competition as it targets another title. The strength of the entry was highlighted when the full 2026/27 ALMS grid was confirmed ahead of the November opener.
Nielsen extends long-running ALMS relationship
Nielsen first entered the Asian Le Mans Series during the 2018/19 campaign and has since made the championship an important part of its endurance racing programme. The team claimed its first title in LMP3 during 2019/20 before stepping up to win the overall championship in 2022, when it scored maximum points across the campaign.
Those successes mean Nielsen returns as one of the championship’s established teams despite the dramatically different setting for the coming season. Team Principal Ron Hartvelt stressed that maintaining a place on the grid remains important both because of Nielsen’s history in the championship and its future plans.
“Being back in Asian Le Mans is really important for us, both for what we’re doing now and for our plans going forward,” Hartvelt said. “We’ve been on the grid for the past nine seasons, since 2018, so it’s a championship that has been a big part of Nielsen Racing’s story, with two championship wins.”
Its return also comes as the championship enters a new era. Hypercar joins the ALMS structure for 2026/27, with Ferrari 499Ps entered by AF Corse and Cetilar Racing as the category makes its debut. The change leaves Hypercar, LMP2 and GT3 as the main classes, while the new Asian Le Mans Cup provides a separate platform for LMP3 and GT3 machinery. The arrival of the two Ferrari entries has already added another dimension to the championship’s new Hypercar era.
European winter calendar creates different challenge
The 2026/27 campaign will begin at Circuit Paul Ricard from 13-15 November, before the championship resumes after the winter break at Jerez from 15-17 January. Portimão then hosts the concluding round from 19-21 February, maintaining the established six-race structure through three double-header weekends.
All three circuits represent a substantial departure from the championship’s traditional winter venues in Asia and the Middle East. The move was introduced as an exceptional solution to allow the season to proceed despite uncertainty in the region, preserving the winter format while shifting the entire campaign to Europe.
That change has already affected how teams approach the coming season, particularly because winter conditions at Paul Ricard, Jerez and Portimão will differ considerably from those traditionally encountered at venues such as Dubai and Abu Dhabi. The temporary relocation has become one of the defining themes of the campaign, with the European winter calendar also influencing teams’ programme decisions.
Hartvelt nevertheless views the revised format positively and believes it gives the championship a workable solution under difficult circumstances.
“The move to a winter format in Southern Europe is a great solution that allows the championship to go ahead safely, and we’re looking forward to getting back out there with an LMP2 car and hopefully adding to what we’ve already achieved in the series.”
Nielsen joins packed LMP2 field
Nielsen’s single entry will form part of a 16-car LMP2 field, equalling the championship record as part of the maximum 47-car grid. A further 29 GT3 entries join the two Ferrari Hypercars, with applications exceeding the number of available places for the season.
The size of the LMP2 field ensures Nielsen will face considerable opposition as it seeks another overall title. The team’s previous championship experience provides continuity, but the combination of a large grid, unfamiliar ALMS venues and the condensed double-header format will make consistency particularly important across the six four-hour races.
Nielsen has not yet announced the driver line-up for its LMP2 programme. The confirmation instead establishes the team’s place on the grid ahead of further details being revealed as the Paul Ricard opener approaches.
Another opportunity to add to Nielsen’s ALMS record
The 2026/27 season gives Nielsen an opportunity to become an Asian Le Mans Series champion for a third time and add another LMP2 crown to the overall title it secured in 2022. Its commitment also maintains one of the longest current relationships between a team and the championship despite the exceptional circumstances surrounding the coming campaign.
The wider series enters the winter with a different identity from previous years. The move to Europe, arrival of Hypercar and capacity 47-car field combine to make 2026/27 one of the most unusual seasons in ALMS history, while organisers continue to present the campaign as a temporary response to the situation in the Middle East.
For Nielsen, however, the objective remains familiar. After eight years of involvement and championships in both LMP3 and LMP2, the team returns with another prototype programme and the opportunity to add to a record that has made the Asian Le Mans Series a significant part of its racing history.
