The 2024 Asian Le Mans Series brought the curtain down on its season with a thrilling trio of races held in the United Arab Emirates, split between the dynamic city of Dubai and the capital, Abu Dhabi. These closing rounds were not just limited to race wins, they were about securing championships, earning invitations to the prestigious 24 Hours of Le Mans, and showcasing team strength across endurance racing’s most demanding disciplines. Set against the backdrop of two world-class venues, the Dubai and Abu Dhabi races marked a high-stakes finale for teams competing across LMP2, LMP3, and GT classes.
The Asian Le Mans Series came to a pinnacle with its final three endurance races in the United Arab Emirates: a four‑hour endurance race in Dubai, followed by two consecutive four‑hour races in Abu Dhabi. These closing events were not just about winning individual races. They were all about championships, consistency, managing unexpected problems, and making the most of opportunities. Teams in LMP2, LMP3, and GT classes were all still in the hunt, and by the time the chequered flag dropped in Abu Dhabi, fortunes had turned many times.
Each race delivered its own brand of drama: be it strategic gambles to hard-fought recoveries, weathering full course yellows and red flag disruptions, the battles were as much mental as mechanical. What unfolded across these four intense hours in Dubai and two consecutive races in Abu Dhabi was a showcase of endurance racing at its best where teamwork, composure, and consistently ultimately crowned the champions.
The four hours of Dubai was the third round of the season. Teams were not just being after wins but also trying to kickstart, manage reliability. Particularly, in GT, there was a tight battle over the championship lead entering Dubai, and in the prototype remained in contention for the title.
In Dubai, 99 Racing took the overall win. They executed a wonderful race under pressure, defending a narrow lead against Proton Competition specifically in the last hour when the points actually played a role. In the fiercely competitive LMP3 category, COOL Racing, led by the skilled duo of James Winslow and Alex Bukhantsov, clinched a hard-fought class victory in Dubai. Their victory was defined not by outright speed but by unwavering consistency and tactical precision, allowing them to narrowly edge out their closest rivals. By ensuring steady lap times and executing flawless pit stops, COOL Racing capitalized on reliability and racecraft, showcasing that in endurance racing, patience and persistence often outmatch sheer aggression.
GT encountered a big moment in Dubai as well. The Pure Racing team won its GT class in Dubai moving towards the lead of the GT championship heading into the final rounds in Abu Dhabi. The final two races had to manage everything: driver changes, fuel strategy and dealing with adversity. The initial race in Abu Dhabi turned out to be crucial for various title contenders.
In Dubai, the four‑hour race set the tone for the season’s finale. At stake were not just the points from that race, but the momentum and psychological edge heading into Abu Dhabi. Multiple teams were in strong contention in LMP2 and GT, and LMP3 was also tightly contested.
The victory of LMP3 came through steadiness and avoiding trouble rather than flashing overtakes capable of managing traffic, ensuring changes in driver and stints were tidy, and staying out of incidents. GT had its own battles in Dubai, with teams jockeying for position and trying to avoid costly mistakes. A plethora of penalties, close racing, and minor collisions shaped the outcome The result in GT not only mattered for the race win, but also for setting up the championship fight heading to Abu Dhabi.
Towards the end of the picture was: 99 Racing leading with confidence in LMP2; COOL Racing proving its consistency in LMP3; and GT contenders all still alive but under pressure. Most importantly, a few teams had minor setbacks, mechanicals, which meant nothing was settled yet.
Many leading cars slipped up and faced in incidents. Whether it was a spin, traffic, or a safety car period out of sequence, recovering from those moments without making things worse was critical. APR’s #4 cars had to overcome a spin early in Abu Dhabi but still clawed back enough to win the championship. Apart from this was pit stop timing, driver swaps, reacting to safety car yellow periods, those things could shift the advantage. Teams that were flexible and made the right calls often gained spots or avoided losing time. In GT and LMP2 especially, being in the pits or on track at “good moments” mattered a lot.
Moreover, endurance racing can punish the smallest misstep. Contact with other cars, penalties including the start infringement in GT, being caught in traffic, were not pocket friendly. The champions were those who toned down the mistakes.
As a matter of fact, winning races helps, but it hardly wins championships alone. The teams that regularly finished high, avoided retirements or big time losses, were able to gather enough points to stay ahead. Even a fifth place when needed could be more valuable than risking everything to go for acing and failing. As the races headed towards the finish, pressure was built up. Rivals chased, standings changed. In those last laps and the final hour, composure didn't panic under pressure.. Drivers who didn’t over‑push when tired, who managed tyres and fuel conservatively when necessary, who navigated traffic well those traits decided wins and titles.
To wind up, it can be assumed that blending the four-hour race in Dubai with Abu Dhabi, the 2024 Asian Le Mans series finale was a remarkable event in how championships are won not just by focusing on speed but following the right strategies and resilience. 99 Racing maintained power in Dubai, COOL Racing demonstrated what consistency seems like in LMO3. Races are won and lost in pit strategies avoiding incidents and changing drivers when things didn’t align well. Towards the end, the championship winners didn’t just own the fast moving cars, instead they had a team who could analyse under pressure and tackle the situation well. It was a fitting close to a season where each hour, each lap and every decision was taken into consideration.