Sepang Returns in Expanded Five-Race Calendar

Sepang International Circuit will return to the Asian Le Mans Series as part of an expanded, five-round schedule starting in December and ending in February 2024.

The Malaysian circuit will host the opening round of the championship as part of a doubleheader weekend on Dec. 2-3, after which the season works off the remainder of the calendar in the United Arab Emirates.

Dubai has seen its presence on the calendar slashed from two rounds in previous years to a single event, held on Feb. 4.

Abu Dhabi, meanwhile, retains the doubleheader format and will host back-to-back races to close out the championship on Feb. 10-11.

Sepang’s inclusion on the schedule marks the first time the championship has ventured outside of the UAE since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The circuit was previously a fixture on theAsian LMS calendar, regularly hosting the season finale until it was dropped as the championship moved to a compact, four-race format in response to the pandemic.

Notably, the championship also reverts back to a December kickoff date, returning to a format that was last used during the 2019-20 season.

“Over the years, the Asian Le Mans Series has carved itself a special place in the endurance world,” said ACO president Pierre Fillon.

“This year we are particularly pleased to add two races at the Sepang International Circuit in Malaysia.

“The return to South-East Asia is excellent news for this increasingly popular championship.”

First Season With SRO as Joint Promoter

The 2023-2024 season will be the first in which Asian LMS is co-promoted by SRO Motorsports Group and Asian Le Mans Endurance Management, which is part of the ACO.

The two parties, both of which cater to GT3 teams in Asia, first announced a collaboration in November 2021.

“The Asian Le Mans Series has gone from strength to strength over the past few seasons and we are very excited about bringing the Series back to South East Asia,” said Asian LMS CEO Frederic Lequien.

“We are also very much looking forward to the start of our collaboration with SRO. We strongly believe that together we offer the perfect mix for the growth of the Series in Asia.”

SRO founder and CEO Stephane Ratel added: “18 months after the initial announcement was made, we are very pleased to proactively open the latest chapter in our long-standing relationship with the ACO.

“Following two years of interruptions, in 2022 Benjamin Franassovici and the SRO Motorsports Group Asia team successfully relaunched Fanatec GT World Challenge Asia Powered by AWS and will now contribute to the joint promotion of the Asian Le Mans Series.

“I am confident this collaboration will lead to bigger developments in the coming seasons as Asia’s motorsport environment continues to develop and grow.”

2023-2024 Asian Le Mans Series Schedule

Dec. 2 — Sepang
Dec. 3 — Sepang
Feb. 4 — Dubai
Feb. 10 — Abu Dhabi
Feb. 11 — Abu Dhabi