Eyes on 2020 for LMP3 Cup Australia Start

Organisers of the newly formed LMP3 Cup Australia have set a revised debut season of 2020.

The move to 2020 coincides with the Automobile Club de l’Ouest (ACO) announcing that a round of the Asian Le Mans Series will take place at South Australia’s The Bend Motorsport Park in the same year.

Managing Director of the Asian Le Mans Series Cyrille Taesch Wahlen visited the South Australian facility in 2018, and was impressed by the circuit – which is the second longest circuit in the world to the famed Nurburgring Nordschleife.

“We had been considering an expansion into Australia for quite some time, but we needed to find the right opportunity. I visited The Bend last year and was blown away by the high standard of the track and the facilities,” Wahlen said.

“The feedback from our teams and drivers about the possibility of a trip to Australia was also widely positive – we already have many drivers, engineers and other support crews from Australia.

“Not only it is a very exciting project, it also has the potential to be a really great event and it will be a very nice addition to the Asian Le Mans Series calendar.’’

Whilst the Australian LMP3 incarnation was initially slated for a launch in 2019, with events to take place at the Shannons Nationals, the pause in proceedings will reap benefits in the category’s long term future according to LMP3 Cup Australia Director Chris Papadopoulos.

“We were making good progress for the 2019 season, we had entry registrations from both local and international teams and with great circuits already confirmed for the calendar we were confident of a successful season,” Papadopoulos said.

“However, with the way some of the factors have lined up, holding the season over to 2020 makes even more sense. Not only for the Alignment with the Asian Le Mans Series race here, but also to better understand the new LMP3 Homologation that is going to be announced by the ACO imminently.

“Of course there’s a natural impatience to get onto the racetrack, but we’re looking at the big picture, what’s best for the category long-term, and what’s best for the whole motor sport landscape. We know the wait will be worth it.”