Fresh off a career-defining victory at the 2026 New Zealand Grand Prix, Kiwi rising star Zack Scoular has taken his first steps into endurance racing, making his Asian Le Mans Series debut last weekend at the season-ending 4 Hours of Abu Dhabi with R-ace GP.
The 18-year-old’s appearance in the LMP3 class marked a significant milestone in his career, coming just weeks after his emotional New Zealand Grand Prix triumph — a win that also doubled as his final race in single-seater competition before shifting focus to prototype and endurance racing.
Scoular joined the #85 R-ace GP Duqueine alongside 2025 Michelin Le Mans Cup race winners Fabien Michal and Pierre-Alexandre Provost, with the experienced pairing returning to the line-up after missing the Dubai round earlier in the season. For Scoular, it was his first competitive outing in an LMP3 car and his first taste of multi-class endurance racing on the international stage.
Asian Le Mans Series Rounds 5 and 6, which formed the championship finale in Abu Dhabi, delivered a weekend of mixed fortunes for the Franco-Kiwi crew — but also highlighted Scoular’s adaptability and racecraft in a vastly different environment from the single-seaters he has become known for.
Race one proved to be a test of resilience. After a difficult opening phase left the team buried in the pack, Scoular produced a strong and assured stint, carving his way through the field and helping haul the Duqueine back into podium contention. Ultimately, worn tyres late in the race proved costly, with the #85 car narrowly missing out on a top-three finish and crossing the line in fourth.
Sunday’s finale began in more promising fashion. A cleaner start and a well-executed strategy placed R-ace GP firmly in the fight for victory as the race entered its final stages. However, hopes of a breakthrough result were dashed following a late-race collision while battling at the front, dropping the team down the order to seventh at the chequered flag.
The incident involved the No. 17 CLX Motorsport Ligier, which retired after contact with the #85 Duqueine sent it into the barriers. The clash opened the door for 23Events Racing to secure a dominant 1-2 finish, with Louis Stern, Isaac Barashi and Matteo Quintarelli claiming victory ahead of their sister car. Despite the retirement, CLX Motorsport still did enough to clinch the LMP3 championship.
While the final results did not fully reflect the team’s pace, R-ace GP acknowledged the progress made across the season, describing the weekend as frustrating but encouraging, particularly given the gains shown since the opening round at Sepang.
For Scoular, the Abu Dhabi weekend represented far more than just finishing positions. Having closed the single-seater chapter of his career with a storybook New Zealand Grand Prix victory, his Asian Le Mans debut offered a first glimpse of what the next phase may hold — one built around endurance racing, prototypes and long-term international ambitions.
Adapting quickly to the demands of LMP3 machinery, traffic management and shared driving duties, the young New Zealander showed flashes of speed and maturity beyond his years, underlining why his move into endurance racing is being watched closely.
With his single-seater days now firmly behind him and momentum carrying over from his NZ Grand Prix success, Scoular’s Asian Le Mans debut may well be remembered as the opening chapter of an exciting new era in his racing career.
Header Image: R-ace GP
