2014 Asian Le Mans Series
{{Motorsport season
|series = Asian Le Mans Series
|year = 2014
|previous = 2013
|next = 2015–16
}}
The 2014 Asian Le Mans Series was the third season of the Automobile Club de l'Ouest's Asian Le Mans Series. It is the fourth 24 Hours of Le Mans-based series created by the ACO, following the American Le Mans Series (since merged with the Rolex Sports Car Series to form the United SportsCar Championship), the European Le Mans Series and the FIA World Endurance Championship. The four event season began at the Inje Speedium on 20 July 2014 and ended at Sepang International Circuit in Selangor on 7 December 2014.{{cite web | url = http://www.asianlemansseries.com/2014-asian-le-mans-series | title = 2014 Asian Le Mans Series | publisher = Asian Le Mans Series | date = 10 December 2013 | accessdate = 10 December 2013 | archive-url = https://archive.today/20131210080333/http://www.asianlemansseries.com/2014-asian-le-mans-series | archive-date = 2013-12-10 | url-status = dead }}
In the main LMP2 class, defending champions OAK Racing Team Total won all four races during the season to win both championship titles on offer. David Cheng – who won the class title in 2013 – and Ho-Pin Tung won the drivers' championship title, and were joined by Keiko Ihara at Fuji and Yuan Bo at Sepang. Chang and Tung finished 53 points clear of John Hartshorne and Pu Jun Jin, who drove for Eurasia Motorsport. Similarly in the CN class, Craft-Bamboo Racing won all four races against class rivals Team Avelon Formula and ATL Wolf Asia. Kevin Tse was the only driver that was a part of the Craft-Bamboo Racing team at every meeting, and thus claimed the championship by 50 points ahead of Denis Lian, who took a trio of runner-up finishes with Team Avelon Formula. Tse was joined by Mathias Beche (Inje and Fuji), Frank Yu (Inje and Sepang), Samson Chan (Fuji and Shanghai), Naoki Yokomizo (Shanghai) and Jonathan Venter (Sepang) for his victories.
The GT class was the most competitive of the series, with three different entries sharing the four victories. Fuji winners Jun San Chen and Tatsuya Tanigawa, driving for the AAI-Rstrada team, were crowned champions by seven points ahead of teammates and Inje winners Hanchen Chen and Marco Seefried. Clearwater Racing won the final two races with Mok Weng Sun a part of both victories. He was joined by Keita Sawa and Matt Griffin in Shanghai, and Hiroshi Hamaguchi and Richard Wee in Sepang. Ryohei Sakaguchi (Inje) and Carlo van Dam (Fuji) were third drivers in the respective AAI-Rstrada winning cars. The GT-Am class saw just two entries, both at the Fuji event and both fielded by China's The Emperor Racing. One of the cars was withdrawn, and thus the sister car of Giorgio Sanna, Akihiko Nakaya – who was moved from the withdrawn car to replace Jiang Xin – and Max Wiser won the class.
Regulation changes
The top class of the series continued to be LMP2. The LMGTE and GTC categories were combined, along with Super GT GT300 class vehicles, into a single performance balanced GT category. Silver and bronze level drivers were required in the amateur division. A new class, replacing the LMPC category which was not utilized in 2013, allowed a variety of Group CN cars to compete with standardized Honda engines. These cars are eligible for competition through 2017. At the end of the season, the first place team in LMP2 and the top two teams in GT received automatic invitations to the 2015 24 Hours of Le Mans. The requirement for all competitors to have at least one driver from Asia was expanded to include any drivers from the Australasia region. To help reduce operational costs for the teams, only two crew members were allowed to be involved in a tyre change.
Calendar
The 2014 calendar was revealed during the 2013 3 Hours of Sepang. The second round was to be held alongside the fifth round of the 2014 Super GT season at Fuji Speedway.{{cite news|url=http://sportscar365.com/lemans/asian-lms/2014-schedule-new-class-structure-announced/|title=2014 Schedule, New Class Structure Announced|first=John|last=Dagys|work=Sportscar365|publisher=John Dagys Media|date=7 December 2013|accessdate=10 May 2014}} After being removed from the provisional 2013 calendar the 3 Hours of Shanghai returned, racing at the same event alongside the tenth round of the 2014 World Touring Car Championship season.{{cite news|url=http://www.btccblogs.co.uk/2014-wtcc-calendar-approved-by-wmsc|title=2014 WTCC CALENDAR APPROVED BY WMSC|first=Mick|last=O'Rourke|work=BTCC Blogs|date=7 December 2013|accessdate=12 October 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141018130108/http://www.btccblogs.co.uk/2014-wtcc-calendar-approved-by-wmsc|archive-date=2014-10-18|url-status=dead}} The season opening round at Inje Speedium was originally scheduled to be held on 6 July, but was later rescheduled to 20 July.
The schedule was revised again on 9 May with the round at Fuji being moved back three weeks and no longer on the same weekend as Super GT. As well as this, a round at the Buriram United International Circuit in Thailand was confirmed, replacing a round scheduled for the Zhuhai International Circuit.{{cite news|url=http://sportscar365.com/lemans/asian-lms/asian-lms-to-race-in-thailand/|title=Asian LMS to Race in Thailand|first=John|last=Dagys|work=Sportscar365|publisher=John Dagys Media|date=9 May 2014|accessdate=10 May 2014}} On 12 October, the round at the Buriram United International Circuit was removed from the calendar with no replacement.{{cite news|url=http://sportscar365.com/lemans/asian-lms/buriram-asian-lms-round-canceled/|title=Buriram Asian LMS Round Canceled|first=John|last=Dagys|work=Sportscar365|publisher=John Dagys Media|date=12 October 2014|accessdate=12 October 2014}}
Teams and Drivers
All entries use Michelin tyres.
=LMP2=
=CN=
=GT=
=GT Am=
class="wikitable" style="font-size: 85%;" |
Team
! Car ! Engine ! {{Tooltip|No.|Car number}} ! Drivers ! Rounds |
---|
rowspan=6| {{flagicon|CHN}} The Emperor Racing
|rowspan=6| Lamborghini Gallardo |rowspan=6| Lamborghini 5.2L V10 |rowspan=3| 11 | {{flagicon|JPN}} Akihiko Nakaya | 2 |
{{flagicon|ITA}} Giorgio Sanna
| 2 |
{{flagicon|ITA}} Max Wiser
| 2 |
rowspan=3| 82
| {{flagicon|JPN}} Hideshi Matsuda | 2 |
{{flagicon|JPN}} Hironori Takeuchi
| 2 |
{{flagicon|CHN}} Jiang Xin
| 2 |
class="sortbottom"
|colspan="6" style="background-color:#EAECF0;text-align:center"|Source:{{cite web|title=3 Hours of Fuji Entry List|url=http://www.asianlemansseries.com/3-hours-of-fuji/entry-list/|publisher=Asian Le Mans Series|access-date=7 March 2025|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141024113534/http://www.asianlemansseries.com/3-hours-of-fuji/entry-list/|archive-date=24 October 2014|url-status=dead}} |
Season results
class="wikitable" style="font-size: 85%;" |
rowspan=2| Rnd.
!rowspan=2| Circuit ! LMP2 Winning Team ! CN Winning Team ! GT Winning Team !rowspan=2| Results |
---|
LMP2 Winning Drivers
! CN Winning Drivers ! GT Winning Drivers |
rowspan=2| 1
|rowspan=2| Inje | {{flagicon|FRA}} No. 1 OAK Racing Team Total | {{flagicon|HKG}} No. 77 Craft-Bamboo Racing | {{flagicon|TPE}} No. 92 AAI-Rstrada |rowspan=2| Report |
{{flagicon|CHN}} David Cheng {{flagicon|CHN}} Ho-Pin Tung | {{flagicon|CHE}} Mathias Beche | {{flagicon|TPE}} Han-Chen Chen |
rowspan=2| 2
|rowspan=2| Fuji | {{flagicon|FRA}} No. 1 OAK Racing Team Total | {{flagicon|HKG}} No. 77 Craft-Bamboo Racing | {{flagicon|TPE}} No. 91 AAI-Rstrada |rowspan=2| Report |
{{flagicon|CHN}} David Cheng {{flagicon|JPN}} Keiko Ihara {{flagicon|CHN}} Ho-Pin Tung | {{flagicon|CHE}} Mathias Beche | {{flagicon|TPE}} Jun-San Chen |
rowspan=2| 3
|rowspan=2| Shanghai | {{flagicon|FRA}} No. 1 OAK Racing Team Total | {{flagicon|HKG}} No. 77 Craft-Bamboo Racing | {{flagicon|SGP}} No. 33 Clearwater Racing |rowspan=2| Report |
{{flagicon|CHN}} David Cheng {{flagicon|CHN}} Ho-Pin Tung | {{flagicon|CAN}} Samson Chan | {{flagicon|JPN}} Keita Sawa |
rowspan=2| 4
|rowspan=2| Sepang | {{flagicon|FRA}} No. 1 OAK Racing Team Total | {{flagicon|HKG}} No. 77 Craft-Bamboo Racing | {{flagicon|SGP}} No. 33 Clearwater Racing |rowspan=2| Report |
{{flagicon|CHN}} Yuan Bo {{flagicon|CHN}} David Cheng {{flagicon|CHN}} Ho-Pin Tung | {{flagicon|MAC}} Kevin Tse | {{flagicon|JPN}} Hiroshi Hamaguchi |
class="sortbottom"
|colspan="7" style="background-color:#EAECF0;text-align:center"|Source: |
Championship Standings
;Scoring system:
Teams Championships
= LMP2 Standings =
valign="top"|
{| class="wikitable" style="font-size: 85%; text-align:center;" |
{{Tooltip|Pos.|Position}}
! Team ! Car ! INJ ! FUJ ! SHA ! SEP ! Total |
---|
1
|align=left| {{flagicon|FRA}} #1 OAK Racing Team Total |align=left| Morgan LMP2 |style="background:#ffffbf;"| 1 |style="background:#ffffbf;"| 1 |style="background:#ffffbf;"| 1 |style="background:#ffffbf;"| 1 ! 103 |
2
|align=left| {{flagicon|PHL}} #27 Eurasia Motorsport |align=left| Oreca 03 |style="background:#efcfff;"| Ret |style="background:#dfdfdf;"| 2 |style="background:#dfdfdf;"| 2 |style="background:#dfdfdf;"| 2 ! 55 |
|valign="top"|
{{FIA GT1 results legend}}
Bold – Pole
|}
= CN Standings =
valign="top"|
{| class="wikitable" style="font-size: 85%; text-align:center;" |
{{Tooltip|Pos.|Position}}
! Team ! Car ! INJ ! FUJ ! SHA ! SEP ! Total |
---|
1
|align=left| {{flagicon|HKG}} #77 Craft-Bamboo Racing |align=left| Ligier JS53 |style="background:#ffffbf;"| 1 |style="background:#ffffbf;"| 1 |style="background:#ffffbf;"| 1 |style="background:#ffffbf;"| 1 ! 104 |
2
|align=left| {{flagicon|ITA}} #21 Team Avelon Formula |align=left| Wolf GB08 | |style="background:#dfdfdf;"| 2 |style="background:#dfdfdf;"| 2 |style="background:#dfdfdf;"| 2 ! 54 |
3
|align=left|{{flagicon|CAN}} #45 ATL Wolf Asia |align=left|Wolf GB08 |style="background:#ffffff;"| DNS | | | !– |
|valign="top"|
{{FIA GT1 results legend}}
Bold – Pole
|}
= GT Standings =
valign="top"|
{| class="wikitable" style="font-size: 85%; text-align:center;" |
{{Tooltip|Pos.|Position}}
! Team ! Car ! INJ ! FUJ ! SHA ! SEP ! Total |
---|
1
| align="left" |{{flagicon|TPE}} #91 AAI-Rstrada | align="left" |BMW Z4 GT3 | style="background:#ffdf9f;" | 3 | style="background:#ffffbf;" | 1 | style="background:#dfdfdf;" | 2 | style="background:#dfdfdf;" | 2 !76 |
2
| align="left" |{{flagicon|TPE}} #92 AAI-Rstrada | align="left" |BMW Z4 GT3 |style="background:#ffffbf;"| 1 |style="background:#dfdfdf;"| 2 |style="background:#dfdfdf;"| 4 |style="background:#ffdf9f;"| 3 !70 |
3
| align="left" |{{flagicon|SGP}} #33 Clearwater Racing | align="left" |Ferrari 458 Italia GT3 | | |style="background:#ffffbf;"|1 |style="background:#ffffbf;"|1 !50 |
4
| align="left" | {{flagicon|TPE}} #90 AAI-Rstrada | align="left" | Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT3 | style="background:#dfdfdf;" | 2 | style="background:#efcfff;" | Ret | style="background:#ffdf9f;" | 3 | style="background:#dfffdf;" | 4 ! 48 |
5
| align="left" |{{flagicon|CHN}} #7 Python | align="left" |Ferrari 458 Italia GT3 |style="background:#ffffff;"|DNS | | | !– |
|valign="top"|
{{FIA GT1 results legend}}
Bold – Pole
|}
= GT Am Standings =
valign="top"|
{| class="wikitable" style="font-size: 85%; text-align:center;" |
{{Tooltip|Pos.|Position}}
! Team ! Car ! INJ ! FUJ ! SHA ! SEP ! Total |
---|
1
|align=left| {{flagicon|CHN}} #11 The Emperor Racing |align=left| Lamborghini Gallardo | |style="background:#ffffbf;"| 1 | | ! 26 |
2
|align=left| {{flagicon|CHN}} #82 The Emperor Racing |align=left| Lamborghini Gallardo | |style="background:#ffffff;"| WD | | ! – |
|valign="top"|
{{FIA GT1 results legend}}
Bold – Pole
|}
Driver's Championships
{{Empty section|date=December 2014}}
= LMP2 Standings =
{{update|date=December 2014}}
= CN Standings =
{{update|date=December 2014}}
= GT Standings =
{{update|date=December 2014}}
= GT Am Standings =
{{update|date=December 2014}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{Official website|http://www.asianlemansseries.com/|Asian Le Mans Series Official Website}}
{{Automobile Club de l'Ouest}}
{{Asian Le Mans Series}}