High Class to Make Asian LMS Debut in LMP2

High Class Racing will make its Asian Le Mans Series debut next year with an Oreca 07 Gibson for Anders Fjordbach, Dennis Andersen and Kevin Weeda.

The Danish-flagged outfit has announced plans to contest the four-round campaign in February alongside its recently-confirmed IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship full-season effort in LMP2.

Fanatec GT2 European Series champion Fjordbach and Andersen shared a High Class Oreca in the FIA World Endurance Championship this year, while American driver Weeda recently tested with the team at Paul Ricard.

Weeda, who like Andersen is Bronze-rated by the FIA, competed in the first two seasons of the WEC in 2012 and 2013 with the Lotus LMP2 squad.

High Class Racing is the second LMP2 squad to declare an Asian LMS program after ARC Bratislava, which has confirmed a single Oreca 07 Gibson.

The 2022 season will mirror this year’s campaign with a quartet of four-hour races held on consecutive weekends at Dubai Autodrome and Yas Marina Circuit.

“We are very happy with the expansion of our activities,” said High Class Racing team coordinator Gustavo Fornell.

“Racing in the Asian Le Mans Series is crucial to start our endurance preparation for the challenges ahead in 2022.

“The organizers’ priority has remained to deliver exciting seasons, in a safe and cost-effective manner even facing global pandemic challenges and we are keen to contribute our bit to make next season of the Asian Le Mans Series a one to remember.”

Fjordbach and Andersen are the first two confirmed drivers for High Class Racing’s seven-round IMSA campaign next year.

The team will start its North American venture with the Rolex 24 at Daytona in January, followed two weeks later by the Asian LMS season which runs from Feb. 11-20.

“I am looking forward to this new challenge in the UAE. The Asian Le Mans Series is always attractive and I think we can have a lot of fun,” said Fjordbach.

“Dennis and I know each other very well and we have already worked together with Kevin, so it won’t take long for us to connect and give our best from the first race.”

Andersen added: “I love new challenges, and this is one I was really looking forward to.

“The team is now settled in this LMP2 class after many years working hard, so this is the perfect scenario to test ourselves in this format of short endurance races in mixed light conditions.”

High Class previously tackled four-hour races during a four-year spell in the European Le Mans Series, as well as the Shanghai round of its first WEC season in 2019-20.