Porsche Selected Driver Ye Among Herberth Crew

One of three Herberth Motorsport crews for the Asian Le Mans Series has been announced with reigning LMP2 champion and Porsche-contracted driver Yifei Ye joining the team’s No. 33 Porsche entry.

Ye will partner with Klaus Bachler and Antares Au for the four-race campaign next month, sharing a Porsche 911 GT3 R in a GT category that features 27 entries.

The drive marks Ye’s first in his new Porsche Motorsport Asia Pacific Selected Driver role that he gained near the end of last year.

The 21-year-old from China won the 2021 Asian Le Mans Series LMP2 title on his sports car racing debut with G-Drive Racing before going on to clinch the European Le Mans Series LMP2 crown with his Team WRT co-drivers Robert Kubica and Louis Deletraz. 

“I am very excited to be taking part in my first series as the Porsche Motorsport Asia Pacific Selected Driver,” said Ye.

“I’ve been preparing well over the winter and I’m looking forward to getting to know the team and my teammates, and we’ll be pushing hard for a positive result.

“The level of competition in the GT category is set to be very high, so it will be a challenge but I’m relishing the chance to push myself in the car.

“I know the championship and the venues quite well, so hopefully I can use that to my advantage. I raced in Asian LMS last year in LMP2 and won on my endurance racing debut, so I’m hoping to repeat that success.”

Porsche Motorsport Asia Pacific managing director Alexandre Gibot added: “It’s fantastic to see Yifei prepare for his first event as the Porsche Motorsport Asia Pacific Selected Driver, kicking off what is set to be an exciting 2022 season.

“We’re excited to see him compete in the upcoming Asian Le Mans Series, and for him to be part of such a strong lineup with Antares and Klaus.

“We have full confidence in Yifei and we’re keen to see what he can do in Dubai and Abu Dhabi.”

Bachler and Au contested the Asian LMS together last year in a Herberth Porsche that they shared with Steffen Goerig, with their only notable result being a pole position start for the second four-hour race at Dubai Autodrome.

Herberth’s other crew of Robert Renauer, Alfred Renauer and Ralf Bohn ended up securing the class title and earned the German squad its first entry into the 24 Hours of Le Mans with a Porsche 911 RSR-19.

The other two Herberth lineups for the upcoming Asian LMS campaign, which starts at Dubai Autodrome on Feb. 11-13, are yet to be announced.

“I’m really looking forward to being back in the Asian Le Mans Series. With Antares and Yifei, we have a powerful and competitive driver lineup,” said Bachler.

“Herberth Motorsport are one of the best teams on the grid, and they have a lot of experience in the Asian Le Mans Series. In my view, the competition is even stronger than last year, so I expect a tough and close fight between many teams for victory.”