Asian Le Mans Series renews contract with Michelin for three more seasons

Saturday 3 February 2018

Michelin to remain the official tyre partner until the 2020/21 season.

The Automobile Club de l’Ouest (ACO) announced today that it will continue to place its trust in Michelin, to be the official tyre supplier and technical partner to the Asian Le Mans Series for three more seasons.

Michelin has a long and successful history of racing with the ACO dating back almost 100 years. After winning the inaugural race in 1923, Michelin claimed its 26th victory and 20th consecutive victory in the famed 24 Hours of Le Mans last year. It has also been the official tyre partner in the Asian Le Mans Series since it was first established in 2013.

One of the world’s leading tyre manufactures on and off the track, Michelin offers the Asian Le Mans Series teams and drivers tyres that are able to deliver fast, reliable and safe performance. They must withstand the toughest of conditions placed on them during endurance races. They must perform in the extremes of temperatures as well, from the blistering heat of Sepang, to the very low track temperatures in Japan. For Michelin, the longevity of the tyres is the key to success with consistency of lap times and long-lasting performance the priorities.

Pierre Fillon, President of the Automobile Club de l’Ouest:
“The Automobile Club de l’Ouest is delighted that the partnership between Michelin and the Asian Le Mans Series is being extended for a further three seasons, as it’s proof of the trust that unites us. Michelin has been a partner in endurance and the Le Mans 24 Hours for many years. We’re very happy that the French manufacturer has followed us since the start of our Asian adventure by supplying the whole field on an exclusive basis. The continental series of Le Mans-type races form the base of the endurance pyramid, which is very important to us. We share many common values with Michelin, and with them at our side our ambition is to continue promoting endurance on the Asian continent.”

Cyrille Taesch Wahlen, Asian Le Mans Series Managing Director:
“I am very happy with the renewal of our partnership with Michelin. Their tyres meet the high standards we expect of our partners both on and off the track. For us, this is a true global partnership combining performance, technology and promotion. The Asian Le Mans Series can rely on the experience and many successes of Michelin in endurance racing, including their success in the 24 Hours of Le Mans.”

Pascal Couasnon, Michelin Motorsport Director:
“Michelin is pleased to extend its partnership with the ACO in Asia, a region which is increasingly present in the world of Motorsport. After the extension of the partnership with the World Endurance Championship (FIA WEC) and the 24 Hours of Le Mans, the upcoming arrival of Michelin as the main partner of the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, the Group reinforces its role as a leading manufacturer of Endurance racing throughout the world.”

Patrick Dias, Michelin Asia-Pacific Motorsport Director:
“We are united in our shared values around motorsport - both viewing motorsport, specifically endurance racing, as a tool to promote innovation, safety, and the transfer of technology between our sport and the road. We are also both focused on growing motorsport in the Asian region and ensuring the standard of endurance racing in this region remains high.”

Media Delegate: Jane Rowe – asianlemans-media@lemans.org
Phone: +44 7943 916 880
Event & Marketing Coordinator: Colin Ong – c.ong@lemans.org
Team Coordinator: Matthijs Hoitink – m.hoitink@lemans.org
Technical Delegate: David Hache – d.hache@lemans.org
For any general queries: asianlemansseries@lemans.org

ABOUT THE ASIAN LE MANS SERIES
The Asian Le Mans Series is the reference endurance racing series for prototypes and GT classes in Asia.

The Series offers the regions only direct pathway into World Championships for both Prototype and GT race cars, and into the world’s most significant endurance race – the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

The Asian Le Mans Series is an important part of the Le Mans endurance racing pyramid, sitting alongside the European Le Mans Series and the IMSA Weather Tech Sports Car Championship in North America.

At the top of this pyramid is the FIA World Endurance Championship, which, along with the 24 Hours of Le Mans represents the summit of excellence. The race is the ultimate challenge, one that all teams and drivers want to win. The Asian Le Mans Series offers LMP2, LMP3 and GT class winners a money-can’t-buy invitation to participate in the following 24 Hours of Le Mans.

Launched in 2013 by the Automobile Club de l’Ouest (ACO), the Asian Le Mans Series is the embodiment of Le Mans endurance racing for the Asian continent. Initially operated by a third party company, the ACO took over management, organization and promotion of the Series at the end of 2014. Since then the series has gone from strength to strength.

The 2016/17 season built on the confidence that was developed the previous season, and saw the format evolve, with races increasing to four hours in duration, and the Series visiting four different circuits in Asia, including a return to China.

ABOUT THE ACO
The Automobile Club de l’Ouest (ACO) founded in 1906 is the creator and organiser of major motor sporting events including the first grand prix in the history of motor racing in 1906 followed by the Le Mans 24 Hours in 1923.

The ACO’s aim is to develop long-distance racing and since 2012 it has been the organiser and promoter of the FIA World Endurance Championship (FIA WEC). The club is also the creator of the continental series: the WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, former American Le Mans Series (1999), the European Le Mans Series (2004), and the Asian Le Mans Series (2013).

On its own circuits at Le Mans, the ACO organises the 24 Heures Motos, the 24 Heures Karting, the 24 Heures Camions and the French Motorcycle Grand Prix. But above all the ACO is a club made up of enthusiasts who defend the rights of car users on a daily basis, and it gives its members a privileged welcome to enable them to live their passion for motor sport at the events it organises.

The ACO also has a driving school, Le Mans Driver, a leisure and kart competition complex and simulators, an Enterprise department for the organisation of seminars, a team of guides providing tours of the installations of the Le Mans circuits, two official boutiques in Le Mans and Paris as well as eight regional agencies.

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