Algarve Pro Racing will enter the Asian Le Mans Series 2018/19 with two cars.
Just over a month ago, they announced the drivers in the first car, and now the drivers in the second Ligier JS P2 has been revealed, too.
Andrea Pizzitola, Ate Dirk de Jong and Harrison Newey will be the new teammates at the APR team, and have each their own history with the team.
Pizzitola won the Asian Le Mans Series 2016/17 in the LMP2 category for the team, and then went on to win the European Le Mans Series LMP2 title for G-Drive Racing this year. Pizzitola is a massively fast Silver ranked driver, and is expected to be upgraded to Gold for 2019. But since the Asian Le Mans Series will run with the driver rankings from this year, APR should have really good cards on their hand.
Newey is the defending Asian LMS Champion in the LMP2 category, which he won for the Jackie Chan DC Racing X JOTA outfit, before signing for APR – Rebellion Racing in the ELMS 2018. Despite a lightning fast line-up, the team sadly missed out on the podium positions, in a team with young drivers only.
Photo: JJ Media
Ate Dirk de Jong is the defending LMP2 Amateur Trophy Champion in the Asian LMS, which he claimed for the team. The Dutch driver has the advantage of already knowing three of the four tracks this season, while the opening round in Shanghai in China, will be all new territory for him. He has had Pizzitola as a coach for some time, so it’s only an added bonus, that the two already know each other.
While the other car with Fjordbach, Patterson and McMurry aim at the Amateur Trophy, Pizzitola, Dirk de Jong and Newey will try to fight for the overall LMP2 title. Both Championships will give a Le Mans 2019 ticket, so there is a lot at stake.
The Asian Le Mans Series 2018/19 will start in one and a half weeks’ time at Shanghai International Circuit.
