TDS to Enter Asian LMS, ELMS with LMP3 Program

Photo: TDS Racing

TDS Racing will begin competing with its new Norma M30 LMP3 prototype as soon as October, with an entry in the 2016-17 Asian Le Mans Series season ahead of next year’s European Le Mans Series.

The French team first announced its intentions to run a M30 last month when Norma revealed its LMP3 challenger and a partnership with TDS Racing.

Recently, Norma Auto Concept, perhaps best known for its CN prototypes, has won the Pikes Peak hillclimb with a car driven by 24 Hours of Le Mans winner Romain Dumas. With TDS Racing, Norma will move into LMP3 competition.

TDS Racing is competing with an Oreca 05 Nissan in ELMS this year, and has two series titles to its name, with the LMP2 championship in 2012 and GTC honors in 2015.

“We decided to enter Norma M30s and are delighted to work alongside Norbert Santos on the new LMP3 project,” said TDS Racing co-owner Xavier Combet.

“We strongly believe that with the Norma M30, competitiveness will be in our hands. Our objective is to train drivers and to prepare cars to win races, as we have done in the past in different motorsport disciplines such as World Series by Renault or GT3.

“We will start this new programme in Asia this coming winter and go on in the 2017 ELMS. We want to create a true driver training pyramid to help them succeed at the highest level of endurance racing.

“Our six-year experience in endurance and our know-how in LMP2 will certainly be an advantage in this new adventure, and surely will contribute to help us to perform well in this new growing category.”

The Asian Le Mans Series season kicks off in October at China’s Zhuhai International Circuit before racing in Japan, Thailand and Malaysia.

Jake Kilshaw

Jake Kilshaw is a UK-based journalist. He is a graduate of Politics and International Relations.