Photo: Asian Le Mans Series showcases the excitement of the new season. Olli Caldwell from Algarve Pro Racing topped the opening practice session with a remarkable time of 1:52.199 aboard APR’s No. 20 Oreca 07 Gibson. This early part of the 90-minute session was marked by a red flag and three full-course yellow periods.

Top Performers in LMP2

Olli Caldwell's Dominance

Olli Caldwell's best time of 1:52.199 was enough to claim the top spot on the timesheets, finishing a full 1.3 seconds ahead of Mathias Beche in the No. 11 Proton Competition Oreca. Valerio Rinicella in Algarve Pro’s No. 25 entry was third-fastest, trailing Caldwell by 1.4 seconds. Tom Dillmann in Proton Competition’s No. 7 car, Nicky Catsburg in the No. 24 Nielsen Racing car, the second AF Corse car, Olivier Pla in the No. 50, and Laurents Hoerr in the No. 3 DKR Engineering all made up the order in LMP2. Each driver brought their unique skills and strategies to the track, adding to the intense competition.

Newcomers and Veterans

Sports car racing newcomer Valerio Rinicella showed great promise in his first appearance, demonstrating his ability to hold his own against the more experienced drivers. Meanwhile, drivers like Tom Dillmann and Nicky Catsburg have a wealth of experience and used it to their advantage. The mix of newcomers and veterans added a dynamic element to the LMP2 category, making for an exciting race ahead.

Top Performers in LMP3

Matteo Quintarelli's Excellence

Matteo Quintarelli topped the times in LMP3 with a best effort of 2:00.663 in the No. 35 Ultimate Ligier JS P320 Nissan. His performance was just under 1.5 seconds clear of James Winslow in the second-placed No. 7 Graff Ligier. The LMP3 category saw some close battles between the drivers, with each one pushing themselves to achieve the best possible times.

Competing for the Podium

The competition in LMP3 was fierce, with drivers like James Winslow giving it their all to secure a podium finish. The No. 7 Graff Ligier put up a strong fight against the No. 35 Ultimate Ligier, showing that every driver in the category was determined to come out on top.

Top Performers in GT

Chris van der Drift's Leadership

In GT, it was the No. 23 Absolute Racing Ferrari 296 GT3 of Chris van der Drift that headed the order with a best time of 2:04.672. His leadership on the track was evident as he set a pace that the other GT cars had to match.

Ferrari's Dominance

Two more Ferraris, the No. 51 AF Corse car of Riccardo Agostini and the No. 74 Kessel Racing entry of Dustin Blattner, were second and third respectively. The Ferraris showed their speed and dominance in the GT category, making it a tough challenge for the other teams.

Porsche's Fight

The two Car Collection Motorsport Porsche 911 GT3 Rs fought hard to secure fourth and fifth places. Despite the tough competition from the Ferraris, the Porsches showed their resilience and determination on the track.

Second practice at Sepang follows at 4 p.m. local time (3 a.m. EDT), promising more excitement and close battles on the track.