KUALA LUMPUR – Tunku Panglima Johor Tunku Abdul Rahman Hassanal Jefri Sultan Ibrahim celebrated his team’s maiden victory in Race 4 of the Asian Le Mans Series at the Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi last night.
Triple Eight Johor Motorsports Racing (JMR) clinched victory in the thrilling four-hour race, with Luca Stolz and Jordan Love driving the #88 Mercedes-AMG GT3 to a dominant win in the GT class, completing 99 laps and securing their triumph by a comfortable 10.090-second margin.
The news was shared in a social media post on The Royal Johor’s Facebook page today.
“Along with teammates Luca Stolz and Jordan Love, Tunku Abdul Rahman put in a faultless performance and avoided unwanted incidents throughout the 4-hour race to earn a sweet victory for series newcomers, Triple Eight,” read the post.
Stolz’s strategic stint just before a crucial safety car period proved pivotal, allowing him to make swift progress through the field after the race resumed, particularly targeting the bronze-ranked drivers around him.
Their path to victory was further cleared when the pole-sitting GetSpeed Mercedes-AMG faced penalties for an incident with the Pure Rxcing Porsche, propelling them from fifth to the lead.
Love had the honour of crossing the finish line, sealing JMR’s triumph, while Marco Mapelli secured second place for Leipert Motorsport Lamborghini, overtaking both Optimum Motorsport McLarens in the closing stages.
The race featured multiple safety car periods and notable incidents, including a red flag caused by barrier damage after a collision sent the GR Racing Ferrari spinning.
Even under the safety car, there was a collision involving the Pure Rxcing Porsche and the outright pole-sitting 99 Racing Oreca, eliminating both from contention.
As the season’s fifth and final race approaches, JMR gears up for the upcoming Bathurst 12 Hour, where they will field two Mercedes-AMGs, aiming to continue their winning momentum. – February 11, 2024