APEX RACEWIRE Newsroom
Asian Le Mans Series moves to Europe for Winter Le Mans season
Geopolitical and logistical pressures in the Middle East force a temporary European calendar for the 2026-27 winter campaign.
By Sanne Vermeer - 2026-08-03T11:01:00.000Z - 2 min read
External constraints and geopolitical uncertainty in the Middle East have forced a major calendar overhaul for the 2026-27 Asian Le Mans Series. Organisers announced that the upcoming winter campaign will take place entirely in Europe under the temporary banner of the Winter Le Mans Series.
Since the beginning of the year, series officials evaluated various alternatives with the primary goal of shielding the championship from regional disruption. Severe logistical costs, limited circuit availability during the winter months in Asia, and the necessity to avoid calendar clashes with major fixtures such as Daytona and Bathurst ultimately ruled out traditional venues.
Automobile Club de l'Ouest President Pierre Fillon noted that uncontrollable external factors demanded pragmatic choices in the collective interest of competitors. He emphasised that the restructured calendar maintains high sporting standards while preserving the championship's coveted automatic invitations to the 24 Hours of Le Mans for LMP2 and GT3 champions.
The revised six-race schedule opens at the Circuit Paul Ricard in France, hosting rounds one and two between November thirteenth and fifteenth. Following a winter break, the championship resumes in Spain with a pair of four-hour races at the Circuito de Jerez near Cadiz from January fifteenth to seventeenth.
Portimao's Autódromo Internacional do Algarve in Portugal will host the season finale, staging the final two races from February nineteenth to twenty-first. Alongside the venue shift, the campaign introduces notable sporting novelties, featuring the debut of the Hypercar category and the launch of the Asian Le Mans Cup for LMP3 and GT3 entrants.
Series CEO Frédéric Lequien acknowledged that the move represents a clear departure from the championship's traditional geographical identity. However, he stressed that the decision ensures operational stability and provides teams with the calendar clarity required to prepare with confidence.
SRO Motorsports Group Founder and CEO Stéphane Ratel added that while the European relocation was not an ideal scenario, mounting external pressures made southern European venues the most sensible recourse. Organisers intend to return the championship to its traditional Asian home once conditions allow for the 2027-28 season.