Algarve Pro, Pure teams secure Le Mans auto invites for Asian LMS title wins

Crowdstrike by APR drivers Malthe Jakobsen, Colin Braun and George Kurtz capitalised on a nightmare weekend for pre-event LMP2 points leaders 99 Racing at Abu Dhabi's Yas Marina Circuit, taking victory in the opener with canny pitstop timing before securing the title with fifth in the second race won by their stablemates Toby Sowery, Freddie Tomlinson and Chris McMurry.

Jakobsen, Braun and Kurtz's victory in the opener had seemed improbable when Kurtz spun on the exit of the hotel complex and lost a huge amount of time getting the car pointed in the right direction through traffic.

The car had got back to third before red flags flew for a crash involving Ben Tuck's TF Sport Aston Martin and Riccardo Pera's GR Ferrari. Pitting under the safety car meant it could take on a shorter fill at its final stop immediately as the race resumed, vaulting Jakobsen ahead of the AF Corse machine of Matthieu Vaxiviere, Alessio Rovera and Francois Perrodo.

Meanwhile, the 99 car in which Filipe Albuquerque replaced an unwell Nikita Mazepin had retired after poleman Ahmad Al Harthy rear-ended Alex Malykhin's Pure Rxcing Porsche under the safety car.

The damage was enough to require a new tub to be prepared for race two, but despite once more starting from pole the ORECA also driven by Louis Deletraz was never in contention due to gearbox problems and finished two laps down in 11th.