Last Le Mans invites secured after ALMS finale in Abu Dhabi

The final two automatic invitations to the 2025 Le Mans 24 Hours were awarded on Sunday by the ACO at the Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi after the 2024/25 Asian Le Mans Series season finale.

Portuguese-flagged LMP2 team Algarve Pro Racing and German Porsche powerhouse Manthey Racing have punched tickets to the French classic by securing the LMP2 and GT class titles, respectively. LMP3 cars also feature in the ACO’s Asian series that runs over the winter months, but no Le Mans invitation is awarded to the title-winning team.

APR earned its Le Mans entry after winning four of the six races in the hotly-contested LMP2 category with its pair of ORECA 07 Gibsons. It took the title with its No. 25 crew of Michael Jensen, Valerio Rinicella, and newly-minted Peugeot Hypercar driver Malthe Jakobsen.

After a drama-filled fortnight in the UAE, which featured four races – two in Dubai and two at the Yas Marina Circuit – fourth place was enough in the final race for them to claim the title by 21 points over RD Limited’s drivers.

RD, owned by three-time Le Mans winner Romain Dumas, missed out on the title but impressed throughout the season, winning on its LMP2 debut in Sepang back in December and taking a further three podiums.

The team is understood to be planning to apply for an entry to Le Mans despite missing out on the Asian Le Mans Series title. This would keep its LMP2 effort active during the summer after it failed to get a spot on the oversubscribed ELMS grid for 2025.

For Algarve Pro, which now has five Asian Le Mans LMP2 titles under its belt, this year’s Le Mans 24 Hours will mark its tenth consecutive start.

Meanwhile, by winning the final race of the season and the GT title to cap off a rollercoaster season, Manthey is set to add to Porsche’s attack at La Sarthe, after its No. 10 Porsche 911 GT3 R of Antares Au, Joel Sturm, and Klaus Bachler were crowned champions under the floodlights.

Should Manthey take up its invitation, it is guaranteed at least three Le Mans entries as it currently operates both of Porsche’s FIA WEC LMGT3 cars for Iron Dames and Manthey 1st Phorm.

These add to the nine invitations previously handed out to teams and drivers competing in the European Le Mans Series and IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship at the conclusion of the 2024 racing season:

•⁠ ⁠AO by TF, 2024 European Le Mans Series Champion (invitation to compete in LMP2)

•⁠ ⁠Inter Europol Competition, 2024 European Le Mans Series runner-up (invitation to compete in LMP2)

•⁠ ⁠AF Corse, 2024 European Le Mans Series Pro/Am Champion (invitation to compete in LMP2)

•⁠ ⁠RLR M Sport, 2024 European Le Mans Series Champion (invitation to compete in LMP2)

•⁠ ⁠Iron Lynx, 2024 European Le Mans Series LMGT3 Champion (invitation to compete in LMGT3)

•⁠ ⁠Porsche Penske Motorsport, 2024 IMSA GTP Champion (invitation to compete in Hypercar)

•⁠ ⁠Nick Boulle (Inter Europol by PR1 Mathiasen Motorsport), 2024 IMSA LMP2 Co-Champion, winner of the Jim Trueman trophy (invitation to compete in LMP2)

•⁠ ⁠Orey Fidani (AWA), 2024 IMSA GTD top Bronze driver and winner of the Bob Akin trophy (invitation to compete in LMGT3)

•⁠ ⁠Sky Tempesta Racing, GT World Challenge Europe Bronze Cup Champion (Invitation to compete in LMGT3)