24h Le Mans
The Jackie Chan DC Racing x Jota Sport team made it three for three at the 6 Hours of Buriram, the third of four rounds on the 2017/2018 Asian Le Mans Series season calendar, after its wins at Zhuhai and Fuji, even scoring a one-two despite a decidedly uncooperative gearbox.
Though one of Jackie Chan DC Racing x Jota Sport's ORECA 05s won in Thailand on National Children's Day, it was not necessarily the one that was expected to triumph. That car, driven by championship leaders Thomas Laurent (winner in the LMP2 class and second overall at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2017), Stéphane Richelmi and Harrison Newey, incurred a penalty and experienced mechanical problems, preventing it from reaching the top step on the podium. The trio left the sister car with its 100% Malaysian driver line-up of Jazeman Jaafar, Weiron Tan and Afiq Ikhwan Yazid - supported by the Sepang circuit to make it to the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2019 - to take the win, all while keeping the lead in the championship standings.
Team BBT's Ligier JS P2 rounded out the podium, while the ARC Bratislava team settled for fourth place despite the arrival of Gustavo Yacaman and the fact Algarve Pro Racing was forced to retire after an incident. The LMP2 title will be up for grabs during the final round at Sepang, as will the LMP3 title - the class having been won by the KCMG team, the first Chinese outfit to clinch a class win at the 24 Hours of Le Mans - and the GT title, won by the BMW of FIST-Team AAI.
The 4 Hours of Sepang, final round of the season, will take place this coming February 2nd through the 4th.
PHOTO (Copyright - Jota Sport): The Malaysian trio winner at the 6 Hours of Buriram with Jackie Chan DC Racing x Jota Sport.
