Theodor Jensen Impresses With Fastest Lap Pace in ALMS Dubai Double-Header
Theodor Jensen and the High Class Racing team took on the Dubai Autodrome this weekend for Rounds 3 and 4 of the Asian Le Mans Series, competing in the LMP2 class aboard the #49 Oreca-Gibson alongside experienced co-drivers Jens Reno Møller and Gustavo Menezes.
The Danish-entered team arrived in Dubai looking to build on the opening rounds of the season, and despite the challenges that come with a gruelling double-header format - two four-hour races in the space of 24 hours - Jensen delivered an eye-catching performance on Sunday that underlined his growing credentials in prototype racing.
Photo: Gary Parravani, High Class Racing
Race 1 - Saturday
Saturday's opening race at the Dubai Autodrome was a dramatic and unpredictable affair, with three Safety Car periods shaking up the running order across all three classes. A 46-car field took the start under blue skies and warm conditions, with air temperatures sitting at a pleasant 23 degrees.
The #49 High Class Racing entry was in the thick of the action from the outset, with Jens Reno Møller running inside the top three during the opening stint, battling wheel-to-wheel with the United Autosports and Algarve Pro Racing entries. Møller held his own against some of the sharpest LMP2 competition in the series before the first round of pitstops shuffled the order and put him into the overall lead.
The race was punctuated by multiple neutralisations - a Virtual Safety Car and subsequent full Safety Car after the #6 United Autosports Oreca became stranded with two punctured tyres, a second Safety Car when the #11 TF Sport Corvette was clipped into the barriers, and a late Virtual Safety Car triggered by a collision between the #23 23Events Racing Ligier and the #9 Getspeed Mercedes-AMG.
Photo: Gary Parravani, High Class Racing
Each restart brought fresh drama and reshuffled the pack. The final neutralisation set up a frantic 21-minute sprint to the chequered flag, with several leading runners bolting on fresh Michelin tyres to gain a crucial advantage in the closing stages. The strategy gamble proved decisive for those who took it, and the #49 Oreca ultimately crossed the line in P9 - a result that didn't fully reflect the pace the team had shown throughout the race.
"It was a tough first race," said Jensen. "The car was quick, and Jens did a fantastic job running at the front in the early stages, but with all the Safety Cars the race became a bit of a lottery. We didn't quite get the strategy breaks we needed, but we knew the pace was there and that gave us a lot of confidence going into Sunday."
Race 2 - Sunday
Sunday's second four-hour encounter got off to the best possible start for High Class Racing. An early Safety Car was triggered when the #21 AF Corse Ferrari spun into the barriers at Turn 3, and at the restart the pole-sitting #5 United Autosports Oreca of Giorgio Roda suddenly slowed with a gearbox issue heading into the first corner. Jens Reno Møller pounced on the opportunity and swept into the overall lead.
Møller held the top spot under sustained pressure from John Falb in the #20 Algarve Pro Racing Oreca, the two cars trading fastest sectors as they circulated at the head of the field. Falb eventually found a way past at Turn 10, but the #49 Oreca remained firmly in contention as the race entered its middle phase, with Gustavo Menezes keeping the car in a strong position through his stint.
The race was far from straightforward - a Full Course Yellow was called to clear debris after a collision between the #51 AF Corse Ferrari and the #56 Ecurie Ecosse Blackthorn Aston Martin at Turn 15, and a further Safety Car period followed when the #23 23Events Racing Ligier hit the barriers hard at Turn 4. The constant interruptions made tyre strategy and pit timing critical, with the teams who managed the chaos best coming out on top.
With just under two hours remaining, Theodor Jensen strapped in for the final stint and immediately set about making his mark. The young Dane's pace was nothing short of impressive - he held the fastest overall lap for the majority of his time in the car, a standout achievement in a field packed with professional drivers, Le Mans veterans, and prototype racing specialists. His consistently quick lap times helped the team maintain a competitive position throughout the closing stages, and the #49 crossed the line in a solid P6.
Photo: Gary Parravani, High Class Racing
"I'm really happy with how the second race went for me personally," Jensen reflected. "To get in the car and have that kind of pace straight away, holding the fastest lap for most of my stint - that's a great feeling. It shows that the work we've been putting in is paying off."
Jensen was quick to praise the team effort behind the result: "Jens was brilliant again, leading the race in the opening stages and really setting us up well. Gustavo brought all his experience and kept us right in the fight. The guys in the garage did an amazing job too - the pitstops were clean, and the car felt fantastic every time I got in it. It's a real team effort and I'm proud of what we achieved together this weekend."
Looking Ahead
The Dubai double-header delivered a weekend of contrasting fortunes for the #49 High Class Racing crew - the frustration of a strategy-affected P9 on Saturday balanced by the encouraging pace and P6 finish on Sunday. But it is Jensen's raw speed in the Sunday race that stands out as the headline from the weekend.
Jensen is in confident mood heading into the next round: "We know we have the speed to fight. The results this weekend maybe don't tell the full story of how competitive we were, but we're taking a lot of positives away from Dubai. The whole team is hungry and we're already looking ahead. I genuinely believe we can challenge for a podium. The pace is there, and with a bit less drama on the Safety Car front, I think we can put it all together."
Photo: Gary Parravani, High Class Racing