Hong Kong’s Antares Au claimed a dramatic victory in the final race of the 2024-2025 Asian Le Mans Series (ALMS) at the Abu Dhabi Yas Marina Circuit, securing the 2024-2025 ALMS GT Drivers Championship. Teammates Klaus Bachler (AUT) and Joel Sturm (GER) joined Au in their #10 Porsche 911 GT3 R, overcoming a season filled with setbacks to clinch the title in a thrilling season finale. Their combined efforts also propelled Manthey Racing to the 2024-2025 ALMS GT Teams Championship, earning Au an exclusive invitation to the prestigious 24 Hours of Le Mans, set for June 14-15, 2025.
Despite facing significant challenges earlier in the season, including crashes and mistakes in Sepang and Dubai that hindered their championship hopes, the team entered the final weekend of racing in P3, 17 points behind the leader, Winward #81 Mercedes-AMG. With just 52 points remaining across two races, the odds were stacked against them.
The #10 Porsche showed strong pace during early practice, but a series of red flags in qualifying left Au with no opportunity to set a competitive lap time, forcing the team to start from the back of the grid. Meanwhile, the championship contenders, #81 and #92, started at the front.
Race 1 saw Au take on a double stint to fulfill the mandatory bronze drive time. Starting from P22, he made an impressive charge through the field, reaching P9 before handing the car over to Sturm. Effective pit strategies during a safety car period elevated #10 to P3 when Bachler took over. A late mistake by the #81 Mercedes-AMG allowed #10 to finish in P2, but crucially behind the #92 Porsche, which had led much of the race.
Despite valuable points, Race 1 saw #92 extend its lead. Heading into Race 2 on Sunday, #10 trailed by 9 points and faced an identical challenge from the #92 sister car.
Race 2 was marked by early red flag interruptions. Starting P7, Au quickly climbed to P11 before battling through the field again. After a drive-through penalty for a starting position violation, Au dropped to P12 but the team adapted, extending his stint in hopes of a late-race safety car to recover lost time. The gamble paid off when a safety car intervention allowed Au to pit, keeping #10 in the lead after handing the car to Bachler. Bachler and Sturm then maintained a commanding gap to win the final race.
The victory catapulted #10 to the top of the standings with 86 points, securing both the Driver and Team GT Championship titles for Au and Manthey Racing, and securing Au’s coveted spot at the 2025 24 Hours of Le Mans.
Au now shifts his focus to preparing for the iconic 24-hour race this June, alongside his commitments in the GT World Challenge Europe.