Ginetta can today confirm their representation on the 2016-2017 Asian Le Mans Series grid, as Factory Driver Charlie Robertson joins Ate de Jong at the wheel of a Ginetta LMP3 car.
The pair will run as part of de Jong’s own race team PRT Racing, and plan to contest both the Asian Le Mans Sprint Cup, a three round series held in Sepang, Malaysia, as well as the four round Endurance season, which takes place in China, Japan, Thailand and Malaysia.
De Jong has previously competed in the Toyota Cup Vios one make national series in Philippines, as well as the Asian Karting Series in Philippines and Macau. The entry into the Asian Le Mans Series will mark his step up to prototype machinery as well as his first international race programme.
In addition, the announcement confirms Charlie Robertson’s first full-season race programme since being unveiled as a Ginetta Factory Driver in January 2016. The two-time Ginetta Champion began racing with Ginetta in 2011, progressing through the various formulae, to now be tipped as one of the UK’s brightest talents.
Ate de Jong, PRT Racing Team Owner and Driver: “I am very much looking forward to this growing partnership with Ginetta. I feel the Ginetta LMP3 car is the fastest car eligible for the series. My teammate Charlie Robertson is a proven driver, having won the European Le Mans Series in the Ginetta LMP3 car last year, so together I am confident of strong results from the outset.”
Charlie Robertson, Ginetta Factory Driver; “I am delighted to confirm my 2016-2017 race programme, and to move into the Asian Le Mans Series is a fantastic progression for me as a driver. Considering the success I had in the European Le Mans Series in 2015, I’m hoping for a repeat performance in the sister series!”
Established earlier this year primarily for competition within Asian Le Mans Series, Philippine-based PRT Racing will be backed by Pinbet88.com. The provisional 2016-2017 race programme is as follows:
Asian Le Mans Sprint Cup. Sepang, Malaysia.
1. 27th to 29th May 2016
2. 5th to 7th August 2016
3. 2nd to 4th September 2016
Asian Le Mans Series Endurance Series.
1. China, Zhuhai: 30th October 2016
2. Japan, Fuji: 4th December 2016
3. Buriram: 8th January 2017
4. Sepang: 22nd January 2017