Mercedes F1 strategist Vowles to race in Asian Le Mans

Mercedes Formula 1 chief strategist James Vowles will race a McLaren 720S GT3 in the 2022 Asian Le Mans Series. 
James Vowles (GBR) Mercedes AMG F1 Chief Strategist.
James Vowles (GBR) Mercedes AMG F1 Chief Strategist.
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Vowles will make his international racing debut for British squad Garage 59 in this year’s four-event Asian LMS campaign which takes place across back-to-back weekends later this month in Dubai and Abu Dhabi. 

Joining Vowles in the #59 McLaren 720S GT3 will be Manuel Maldonado - cousin of 2012 Spanish Grand Prix winner Pastor Maldonado - and 2018 British Formula 3 runner-up Nicolai Kjærgaard. 

“I’m really happy with the driver line-ups we’ve secured for Asian Le Mans,” said Garage 59 team principal Andrew Kirkaldy. 

“We’re all looking forward to getting started with the McLaren 720S and hopefully getting our first win of the season. For sure it will also be handy to have one of F1’s best strategists in the team.”

Garage 59 said that the timing of the Asian LMS schedule provided a perfect opportunity for Vowles to try his hand at racing without impacting his day job at Mercedes. 

The 4 Hours of Dubai takes place at the Dubai Autodrome on February 12-13, before the series concludes with the 4 Hours of Abu Dhabi at the Yas Marina Circuit on February 19-20. 

The first three-day F1 pre-season test gets underway at the Circuit de Barcelona Catalunya in Spain three days after the final round of the Asian LMS. 

Mercedes is launching its 2022 challenger - the W13 - on February 18 at Silverstone, where the reigning world champions will also conduct an initial shakedown test.

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