Sousa to Make LMP2 Debut for Proton at Sepang

Bernardo Sousa is set to make his LMP2 race debut in this weekend’s Asian Le Mans Series season-opening double-header at Sepang with Proton Competition.

The 38-year-old Portuguese driver, who raced a Ford Mustang GT3 for Proton in this year’s FIA World Endurance Championship, will share the German squad’s No. 22 Oreca 07 Gibson together with Jonas Ried and Felipe Fernandez Laser.

Sousa is a late stand-in for Stefan Aust, who was initially named for the 4H Sepang but was forced to drop out of the event as he recovers from injuries sustained in his crash in the final round of the Michelin Le Mans Cup at Portimao.

A newly-issued entry list for this weekend’s Asian Le Mans Series curtain-raiser features a reduced field of 47 cars, with the GT class down to 21 cars following the withdrawal of the No. 41 Phantom Global Racing Porsche 911 GT3 R.

The entry also confirms several additional drivers for the Malaysian event.

In LMP3, Team Virage has added Julien Gerbi to its lineup for the No. 1 Ligier JS P325 Toyota, with team co-owner Gerbi joining Indian pair Narain Karthikeyan and Ajith Kumar.

The sister No. 8 Team Virage car has an entirely new lineup comprising Romain Vozniak, Vic Stevens and Aditya Patel.

In LMGT3, United Autosports has called on Australian duo Garnet Patterson and Mark Rosser to join Wayne Boyd in its No. 59 McLaren 720S GT3 Evo.

EBM’s No. 89 Aston Martin Vantage GT3 Evo also has a refreshed lineup with Martin Berry and Matisse Lismont joining the previously-confirmed Jamie Day, and factory driver Marco Sorensen dropping out.

Two private test sessions took place at Sepang on Thursday, with Alex Quinn setting the best time overall of 1:54.323 in the No. 64 Nielsen Racing Oreca in the second session — just 0.051 seconds ahead of ARC Bratislava’s Matthieu Vaxiviere.

Third-fastest overall and topping the first session was Ferrari WEC star Antonio Fuoco for Cetilar Racing, 0.279 seconds off the pace.

Matteo Quintarelli led the way in LMP3 in his 23Events Racing Ligier with a best effort of 2:02.379, while GT was topped by Abdulla Ali Al-Khelaifi at the wheel of the QMMF by GetSpeed Mercedes-AMG GT3 Evo on a 2:06.766.

Official practice takes place on Friday, with qualifying and the opening race of the 4H Sepang weekend taking place on Saturday.