Brendon Leitch’s 2023 international campaign got off to a mixed start this weekend as his Leipert Motorsport team scored a 10th and 12th over two 4 hour races in Dubai.
Leipert Motorsport are competing in the Asian Le Mans Series with top Am driver, Gabriel Rindone and Lamborghini factory driver Marco Mapelli joining Leitch behind the wheel.
Rindone was given the reigns for Race 1 qualifying and put the team 15th in class and 38th overall on the grid ahead of that afternoon’s season opener.
Starting towards the back was always going to be a tough ask but the team got down to business, sitting sixth in class after the first hour albeit with strategy now well in play for the field.
At the mid-point they were third in class before dropping to 12th after their own strategy came into play as the race entered its final hour.
A solid last stint saw them move back up to 10th in class and 28th overall to begin the season strongly as the only Lamborghini in the field.
Race 2 brought about more of the same, Rindone this time starting one spot better in grid space 37.
Within the first hour the Huracan GT3 was in the wars, contact with another car causing slight damage and resulting in a drive through penalty.
It was all up hill from here, the team 44th overall out of 46 competitors after the first hour.
They did regain ground to be 14th in the GT class and 36th overall at the mid-point before moving up a spot to enter the final hour 13th in class.
One further pass saw them come home as the 12th best GT and out of the points despite a massive late race charge.
Leipert Motorsport now sit 14th in the Asian Le Mans Teams Championship heading into the final weekend with a sole point to their credit.
The series concludes next weekend in Abu Dhabi with two further 4 hour races which will be streamed live online.
Keep an eye out for our weekly Motorsport Diary which will show when and where to follow Leitch’s overseas progress.
Header Image: Leipert Motorsport
