99 Racing

Last updated
Flag of Jordan.svg Flag of the United Kingdom.svg 99 Racing
99RacingLogo.png
Founded2022
Founder(s)Dan Hodder
Nikita Mazepin
Base Silverstone, United Kingdom
Team principal(s)
  • Dan Hodder
Current series Asian Le Mans Series
Russian Rally-Raid Championship
Current driversAsian Le Mans Series:
99.
Flag of Oman.svg Ahmad Al Harthy
Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg Louis Delétraz
White flag of surrender.svg Nikita Mazepin
Flag of Portugal.svg Filipe Albuquerque

99 Racing is a Jordanian-British sports car racing team that currently competes in the Russian Rally-Raid Championship and most recently completed in the LMP2 class of the Asian Le Mans Series. [1] [2] [3] [4] For their first year of existence, the team raced under the British flag before switching to the Jordanian flag for the 2023–24 Asian Le Mans Series. The team was founded in 2022 by former Hitech Grand Prix employee Dan Hodder and ex-F1 driver Nikita Mazepin. [5]

Contents

History

99 Racing was founded in December 2022 by Russian former Formula One driver Nikita Mazepin and former Hitech Grand Prix employee Dan Hodder in conjunction with Mazepin's new events company, The Ninety Nine Events. [6] [5] [7] [8] Hodder was appointed as the team's sporting director. The team announced that it would make their competitive debut in the 2023 Asian Le Mans Series competing in the LMP2 class. 99 Racing have a base located in Silverstone near Hitech Grand Prix's base. [9]

Asian Le Mans Series

2023

99 Racing made their debut in the 2023 Asian Le Mans Series in the LMP2 class. [10] The team would field the No. 98 Oreca 07 in collaboration with Hitech Grand Prix. 99 Racing intended to use the number 99, however, Herberth Motorsport was already using the number 99 in their entry, so 99 Racing opted to use the No. 98. The team originally signed Ben Barnicoat, Nikita Mazepin, and Félix Porteiro to drive the car for the season. [5] Due to contractual obligations, Barnicoat withdrew from the team prior to the start of the season. [11] He was replaced by Neel Jani. [12] The team's nominated bronze-rated driver, Félix Porteiro, also had to withdraw after he was retroactively reclassified as silver shortly before the event. Warren Hughes was initially called up to replace Porteiro, but a documentation issue for Hughes resulted in Gonçalo Gomes eventually being drafted in. [13] [14]

In the opening round of the season at Dubai, the team finished third in their debut race. Following the first two races of the season, Gomes was replaced by Ahmad Al Harthy for the remainder of the season. [15] 99 Racing rounded off their debut season with two poles and one podium in the final round at the Yas Marina Circuit.

2023–24

The team returned to the series for the 2023–24 Asian Le Mans Series, fielding the No. 99 Oreca 07 for Ahmad Al Harthy, Louis Delétraz, and Nikita Mazepin. [16] [1] [17] 99 Racing partnered up with TF Sport, with Tom Ferrier's outfit preparing the car and Hitech again providing technical support. The team changed its licence from the United Kingdom to Jordan due to Jordanian former racing driver Sanad Shannak and his connections with Nikita Mazepin. [9]

99 Racing would get their maiden victory in the series in the first race held at Sepang International Circuit. [18] They followed this up with a second place in the second race at Sepang, and a second win at the 4 Hours of Dubai. [19] Going into the final round of the series at Abu Dhabi, the No. 99 held the championship lead with 68 points ahead of second place No. 4 Crowdstrike Racing by APR with 48 points. [20]

Prior to the final round, Mazepin had told the team that he was feeling unwell and would be unable to drive the final two races, thus, Filipe Albuquerque was brought in as his replacement. [21] The weekend started off well with pole position in both races, however, the first race did not go to plan as the No. 99 piloted by Al Harthy was spun by the No. 90 TF Sport of Salih Yoluç. This was compounded by Al Harthy getting a drive-through penalty for rejoining the track unsafely. Later on in the race during a safety car period, Al Harthy collided with GT points leader Alex Malykhin in the No. 91 Pure Rxcing Porsche 911 GT3 R. This crash would cause Al Harthy to retire from the race. Championship rivals No. 4 Crowdstrike Racing by APR would go on to win the race and claim the championship lead. [22] Going into the final race of the season, the No. 99 started on pole once again with Ahmad Al Harthy behind the wheel. However, their race would immediately be undone due to receiving a stop and go penalty for causing a collision in race one. The No. 99 spent the rest of the race in the back of the pack, and would go on to finish 11th. With the No. 4 finishing the final race in fifth, this would be enough for Crowdstrike Racing by APR to take the title. [23] The No. 99 would come up short of the title, finishing third in the LMP2 teams championship. [24]

Racing record

Complete Asian Le Mans Series results

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position; races in italics indicate fastest lap)

YearEntrantClassNoChassisEngineDrivers12345Pos.Pts
2023 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg 99 Racing LMP2 98 Oreca 07 Gibson GK-428 4.2 L V8 Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg Neel Jani
White flag of surrender.svg Nikita Mazepin
Flag of Portugal.svg Gonçalo Gomes
Flag of Oman.svg Ahmad Al Harthy 		DUB
1
3		 DUB
2
6		 ABU
1
7		 ABU
2
2		4th49
2023–24 Flag of Jordan.svg 99 Racing LMP2 99 Oreca 07 Gibson GK-428 4.2 L V8 Flag of Oman.svg Ahmad Al Harthy
Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg Louis Delétraz
White flag of surrender.svg Nikita Mazepin
Flag of Portugal.svg Filipe Albuquerque 		SEP
1
1		 SEP
2
2		 DUB
1		 ABU
1
Ret		 ABU
2
11		3rd70

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Louis Delétraz</span> Swiss racing driver

Louis Delétraz is a Swiss racing driver currently competing in the FIA World Endurance Championship and European Le Mans Series for Prema Orlen Team and in the IMSA SportsCar Championship for Tower Motorsport. He also competes in the IMSA Michelin Endurance Cup with Wayne Taylor Racing with Andretti Autosport.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Matthieu Vaxivière</span> French racing driver (born 1994)

Matthieu Vaxivière is a French racing driver from Limoges, who currently drives for Alpine in the Hypercar class of the FIA World Endurance Championship.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nikita Mazepin</span> Russian racing driver (born 1999)

Nikita Dmitryevich Mazepin is a Russian racing driver, who most recently competed under a neutral flag in the 2023–24 Asian Le Mans Series for 99 Racing. Mazepin competed in Formula One in 2021.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Salih Yoluç</span> Turkish racing driver

Ahmet Salih Yoluç is a Turkish racing driver. As a bronze-ranked competitor, Yoluç has taken notable accolades in sportscar racing, including the 2020 LMGTE Am class victory at Le Mans, the Pro-Am title in the 2019 Blancpain GT Series Endurance Cup, as well as the 2022 European Le Mans Series and 2023 Asian Le Mans Series championships in the LMP2 category.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Charlie Eastwood</span> Irish racing driver

Charlie Eastwood is a racing driver from Northern Ireland who currently competes in the FIA World Endurance Championship for TF Sport. Having been an Aston Martin factory driver, Eastwood was signed by Corvette Racing in 2023.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Phil Hanson (racing driver)</span> British racing driver

Philip Beauchamp Hanson is a British racing driver who currently competes in the FIA World Endurance Championship and European Le Mans Series with United Autosports.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Thomas Laurent</span> French racing driver (born 1998)

Thomas Laurent is a French racing driver who currently competes in the FIA World Endurance Championship for French team Signatech Alpine Matmut and in the European Le Mans Series with Graff Racing. He finished second in the 2017 24 Hours of Le Mans and third in the 2018 24 Hours of Le Mans.

Phillip Jeffrey Hyett is an American software developer, technology entrepreneur, and a co-founder of GitHub, an Internet hosting service for software development and version control using Git, which he created with Tom Preston-Werner and Chris Wanstrath in 2008.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Autoracing Club Bratislava</span>

Autoracing Club Bratislava, also known as ARC Bratislava, is an auto racing team based in Slovakia. The team is led by Miro Konôpka, who has been driving for the team since its inception. ARC Bratislava are currently known for competing in the Asian Le Mans Series and also the FIA World Endurance Championship, where they lasted for two seasons in the LMP2 Pro-Am class, joining the series in 2021. The team has competed in various FIA, ACO or SRO-sanctioned championships throughout its existence, using various prototypes or GT cars.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Julien Andlauer</span> French racing driver

Julien Andlauer is a racing driver from France. He is a Porsche contracted driver who competes in a range of championships having won both French and German Carrera Cup Championships. Andlauer currently competes for Proton Competition in the Hypercar class of the WEC.

The 2021 Asian Le Mans Series was the ninth season of the Automobile Club de l'Ouest's Asian Le Mans Series. It is the fourth 24 Hours of Le Mans-based series created by the ACO, following the American Le Mans Series, the European Le Mans Series and the FIA World Endurance Championship. The four-event season began at the Dubai Autodrome in Dubai on 13 February 2021 and ended at the Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi on 20 February 2021.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2022 Asian Le Mans Series</span>

The 2022 Asian Le Mans Series was the tenth season of the Automobile Club de l'Ouest's Asian Le Mans Series. It is the fourth 24 Hours of Le Mans-based series created by the ACO, following the American Le Mans Series, the European Le Mans Series and the FIA World Endurance Championship. The four-event season began at the Dubai Autodrome in Dubai on 11 February 2022 and ended at the Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi on 20 February 2022.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kyffin Simpson</span> Caymanian racing driver (born 2004)

Kyffin Simpson is a Caymanian racing driver competing in the IndyCar Series with Chip Ganassi Racing. He won the 2023 European Le Mans Series championship with Algarve Pro Racing.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alessio Rovera</span> Italian racing driver

Alessio Rovera is an Italian racing driver. He is a Ferrari factory driver and currently competes in the FIA World Endurance Championship with AF Corse.

The 2023 Asian Le Mans Series was the eleventh season of the Automobile Club de l'Ouest's Asian Le Mans Series. It is the fourth 24 Hours of Le Mans-based series created by the ACO, following the American Le Mans Series, the European Le Mans Series and the FIA World Endurance Championship. The four-event season began at the Dubai Autodrome in Dubai on 11 February 2023 and ended at the Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi on 19 February 2023.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Malthe Jakobsen</span> Danish racing driver (born 2003)

Malthe Jakobsen is a Danish racing driver. He is the 2022 European Le Mans Series champion in the LMP3 class with Cool Racing.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2023 4 Hours of Abu Dhabi</span> 2023 endurance sportscar racing event

The 2023 4 Hours of Abu Dhabi was an endurance sportscar racing event held between 17 and 19 February 2023, as final rounds of 2023 Asian Le Mans Series season.

The 2023–24 Asian Le Mans Series was the twelfth season of the Automobile Club de l'Ouest's Asian Le Mans Series. It is the fourth 24 Hours of Le Mans-based series created by the ACO, following the American Le Mans Series, the European Le Mans Series and the FIA World Endurance Championship. The five-event season began at the Sepang International Circuit in Sepang on 2 December 2023 and concluded at the Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi on 11 February 2024.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2024 4 Hours of Abu Dhabi</span> Endurance sportscar racing event

The 2024 4 Hours of Abu Dhabi was an endurance sportscar racing event held between 9 and 11 February 2024 at Yas Marina Circuit on Yas Island, United Arab Emirates. It was penultimate and the last round of 2023–24 Asian Le Mans Series season.

The 2024–25 Asian Le Mans Series will be the thirteenth season of the Automobile Club de l'Ouest's Asian Le Mans Series. It is the fourth 24 Hours of Le Mans-based series created by the ACO, following the American Le Mans Series, the European Le Mans Series and the FIA World Endurance Championship. The six-event season will begin at the Sepang International Circuit in Sepang on 6 December 2024 and will conclude at the Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi on 16 February 2025.

References

  1. 1 2 "Nikita Mazepin re-enters the Asian Le Mans Series". Endurance Info. Retrieved 2024-08-30.
  2. ↑ Aastakhov, Sergey (25 April 2023). "Никита Мазепин сообщил, что пропустит ралли-марафон «Шелковый путь»-2023" [Nikita Mazepin announced that he will miss the Silk Way Rally Marathon 2023] (in Russian). Match TV . Retrieved 4 August 2024.
  3. ↑ Biryukov, Nikita (13 November 2023). "Экипаж Мазепина стал вторым на этапе Кубка России по ралли-рейдам" [Mazepin's crew came in second at the Russian Rally-Raid Cup] (in Russian). Championshipat. Retrieved 4 August 2024.
  4. ↑ Nguyen, Justin (5 August 2024). "Nikita Mazepin returns to cross-country rally at Denis Davydov Baja". The Checkered Flag. Retrieved 5 August 2024.
  5. 1 2 3 "Newly formed 99 Racing team lining up for 2023 Asian Le Mans Series". Endurance Info. Retrieved 2024-08-30.
  6. ↑ "Ex-F1 racer Mazepin to make return in Asian Le Mans". Motorsport Week. 2023-01-27. Retrieved 2024-08-30.
  7. ↑ "Instagram". www.instagram.com. Retrieved 2024-08-31.
  8. ↑ "Ex-Haas driver Nikita Mazepin's surprising new career outside of F1 | F1 | Crash". www.crash.net. 2022-11-04. Retrieved 2024-08-31.
  9. 1 2 "Nikita Mazepin back on track with 99 Racing?". Endurance Info. Retrieved 2024-08-30.
  10. ↑ Euwema, Davey (2022-12-02). "Increased Prototype Field In Record 48-Car Entry – Sportscar365". sportscar365.com. Retrieved 2024-08-30.
  11. ↑ Ben, Barnicoat (2023-02-01). "Announcement 📄". Twitter. Ben Barnicoat. Retrieved 2023-08-30.
  12. ↑ "Asian Le Mans Series Confirm Full Entry With Most Drivers Named". www.dailysportscar.com. Retrieved 2024-08-30.
  13. ↑ O'Connell, RJ (2023-02-09). "Felix Porteiro Ruled Out After Retroactive Reclassification". Dailysportscar.com. Retrieved 2023-02-09.
  14. ↑ Goodwin, Graham (11 February 2023). "Gonçalo Gomes Replaces The Replacement at 99 Racing". Dailysportscar. Retrieved 11 February 2023.
  15. ↑ "AsLMS First Abu Dhabi Paddock Notes (Updated)". www.dailysportscar.com. Retrieved 2024-08-30.
  16. ↑ "36 Cars On Full-Season Asian Le Mans Series Entry List". www.dailysportscar.com. Retrieved 2024-08-30.
  17. ↑ "Asian Le Mans Series Reveals Sepang Line-Ups". www.dailysportscar.com. Retrieved 2024-08-30.
  18. ↑ "Asian Le Mans Series – 99 Racing and CrowdStrike Racing by APR win in Sepang". 24h-lemans.com. Retrieved 2024-08-30.
  19. ↑ "99 Racing Wins 4H Dubai After Thrilling Final Hour". www.dailysportscar.com. Retrieved 2024-08-30.
  20. ↑ "Asian Le Mans Series Title Battles Resume In Abu Dhabi". www.dailysportscar.com. Retrieved 2024-08-30.
  21. ↑ "Asian Le Mans Series Title Battles Resume In Abu Dhabi". www.dailysportscar.com. Retrieved 2024-08-30.
  22. ↑ Klein, Jamie (2024-02-10). "CrowdStrike Wins Chaotic First Abu Dhabi Race – Sportscar365". sportscar365.com. Retrieved 2024-08-30.
  23. ↑ Newbold, James (2024-02-12). "Algarve Pro, Pure teams secure Le Mans auto invites for Asian LMS title wins". Autosport. Motorsport Network. Retrieved 2024-08-30.
  24. ↑ "Ahmad Al Harthy ends bruising Abu Dhabi ALMS finale P3 in championship". Times of Oman. Retrieved 2024-08-30.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.