Arjun to race back to back in Macau and Shanghai

Bengaluru, 4 Nov 2019: Ace Indian driver Arjun Maini will be racing in Macau on the weekend from November 15 to 17 and in Shanghai from November 22 to 24.

Arjun, the JK-Tyre backed, Bengaluru-based driver, is returning to the 2019 FIA F3 Macau Grand Prix with Jenzer Motorsport. After two GP3 seasons in 2016 and 2017 with Jenzer where he won the Barcelona sprint race in 2017, Arjun moved up to F2 in 2018 and 2019, and also drove in the complete European Le Mans Series in 2019. He also competed in the 24-hours Le Mans. Arjun Maini, who drove in Macau in 2015 and 2016, is excited to take up this special challenge once more.

Andreas Jenzer said: “It’s fantastic to have our race winning driver back for our Macau campaign. We will all be working to achieve a top result!”

Maini said: “I am looking forward to racing in Macau again and to be back with Jenzer Motorsport. It is a challenging circuit especially now with the new generation cars as it will be a challenge for everyone to adapt quickly.”

RLR MSport, with whom Arjun raced the 24 hours of Lemans and also the ELMS season in LMP2, is set to expand its reach to China, South East Asia and Australia with an assault on the 2019-20 Asian Le Mans Series LMP2 Am Trophy, in a bid to secure a coveted entry to the 88th running of the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

The Bolton team will field a sole ORECA 05 Nissan for European Le Mans Series (ELMS) regulars John Farano and Arjun Maini, and New Zealand’s LMP2 debutant Andy Higgins for the duration of the four-part season that takes in some of the greatest racetracks in the Asia-Pacific region.

RLR MSport welcomed Arjun Maini to the fold for its much-anticipated return to the 24 Hours of Le Mans and the ELMS’s LMP2 class in 2019.

The young Indian was impressive during his maiden season of endurance sportscar racing, transitioning seamlessly from Formula 2 single-seaters to Le Mans Prototypes, and he views the Asian Le Mans Series as an opportunity to continue his development through the winter.

“The idea behind racing in the Asian Le Mans Series is to get as much driving time as possible and to win the AM Trophy to earn an entry to the 24 Hours of Le Mans,” said Maini. “It would be good to win for John (Farano), who has improved a lot throughout the year, and I feel the class will be fair for the Bronze drivers and give a good reflection of how they’re getting on relative to each other.

“I know the ORECA 05 is a little slower than the 07 we race in the ELMS, so we will have to get our heads around the speed and the grip levels, but I think we will all be fine with that. I’m looking forward to returning to Sepang, as I have experience of the circuit from GP3 and Formula BMW and I really like Malaysia as a country, although I’ve never been to Australia and The Bend looks mega, so I’m expecting that to be a highlight.”

Higgins, meanwhile, is a second-generation racer from Auckland and a stalwart of New Zealand’s historic motor racing scene.

The 2019-20 Asian Le Mans Series commences at the Shanghai International Circuit in China (22-24 November) before moving on to The Bend Motorsport Park in South Australia (10-12 January), and it concludes with back-to-back races at Malaysia’s Sepang International Circuit (14-15 February) and Thailand’s Chang International Circuit (21-23 February).

RLR MSport Director of Motorsport Operations, Nick Reynolds, said: “The Asian Le Mans Series is growing in size and stature every year, and we believe there’s a lot of value in an entry. It isn’t only the calibre of the field that makes the series attractive, but the fact it’s held during the European winter months makes it a fantastic platform for teams and drivers who wish to stay fresh all year round.

“For John (Farano) and Arjun (Maini), it’s an opportunity to continue developing their skills, albeit in slightly older LMP2 machinery, in a competitive environment with all the variables of a race weekend. Of course, it’s fantastic to have Andy (Higgins) on-board; while he is yet to sample modern LMP2 machinery, he will be an asset. The aim is simple – win the Asian Le Mans Series Am Trophy and secure that automatic entry to the 24 Hours of Le Mans, and gather plenty of momentum for the 2020 season.”