Dubai and Abu Dhabi await in back-to-back Asian Le Mans Series double-headers

The year 2026 is barely a month old, yet championships are already being won and lost. Two race weekends in the United Arab Emirates will determine Proton Competition’s fate in the 2025/26 Asian Le Mans Series and decide whether the team can secure one of the coveted Le Mans entries awarded to each class winner.
 
The final phase of the season begins with a pair of four-hour races at Dubai Autodrome on 31 January and 1 February, followed by two four-hour contests at the harbourside Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi on 7 and 8 February.
 
With the races scheduled so close together and both grid positions determined in a single session by the fastest and second-fastest lap times, Christian and Michael Ried’s team will need to be at the top of their game to secure strong results.
 
Looking to build on a strong start to the campaign is the #88 Oreca 07 crew of Horst Felbermayr Jr., Horst Felix Felbermayr and Lorenzo Fluxá, who arrive in the UAE on the back of two top-ten finishes in the LMP2 category at Sepang International Circuit.
 
They will be joined in LMP2 by the #22 entry of Jonas Ried and Felipe Laser. Stefan Aust makes his series debut at the wheel in Dubai, completing an all-German driver line-up for round two of the season.
 
In the GT category, the #77 Proton Competition Porsche 911 GT3 R will be driven by Japanese racer Bankcy and rising British star Harry King. The line-up also sees a change compared to round one, with Dutchman Huub van Eijndhoven replacing Kiyoto Fujinami.
 
Fans can keep track of all the action across the two weekends on the Asian Le Mans Series’ official YouTube channel.

Schedule

4 Hours of Dubai
Friday 30 January
11:00 – 12:30 – Practice 1
(08:00 – 09:30 CET)
16:30 – 18:00 – Practice 2
(15:00 – 16:30 CET)
 
Saturday 31 January
09:40 – 10:45 – Qualifying
(06:40 – 07:45 CET)
14:10 – 18:10 – Race 1
(11:10 – 15:10 CET)
 
Sunday 1 February
10:00 – 10:15 – Warm-up
(07:00 – 07:15 CET)
14:10 – 18:10 – Race 2
(11:10 – 15:10 CET)

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Copyright: Proton Competition (Paola Depalmas)