When Prague-based outfit Bretton Racing enters the 2025/2026 Asian Le Mans Series, it does so carrying the heavy burden of a title defense. Having secured the LMP3 championship in previous winter competition, the Czech team's third appearance in the region marks its most demanding test yet, underlined by a record-shattering 48-car grid featuring ten next-generation LMP3 prototypes powered by twin-turbo six-cylinder Toyota engines, alongside high-powered LMP2 and GT3 entries.
The journey to this winter grid has been anything but linear. Following their Asian triumph, Bretton Racing campaigned two prototypes in the Michelin Le Mans Cup. While car #26 ground out its best result of the season during the finale in Portimão, its trajectory was overshadowed by a heavy mid-season accident for car #62, which had previously held a steady grip on a podium trajectory. The team balanced those unfulfilled expectations with a dominant campaign in the European Sprint Prototype Cup, sweeping every race from the season's second half onward—both in class and overall—to secure another title.
Leadership dynamics within the garage have also shifted. Dan Skočdopole, who closed out the 2024/2025 season as a driver atop the winner's podium, has stepped into a team principal role alongside his father and founder, Tomáš Skočdopole. Meanwhile, Michaela Dorčíková took over as Team Manager in July, bringing a wealth of experience to her ninth consecutive Asian Le Mans Series campaign.
“Defending a title is even harder than winning it,” Dan Skočdopole acknowledged, emphasizing the tactical reality of the four-hour endurance format. “The competition will be strong again, and for us, it is a challenge we gladly accept. The key to success is not just speed, but consistency—collecting points in every one of the six races. That means faultless driving and well-managed team decisions.”
The team's driver roster reflects the foundational vision established by Tomáš Skočdopole in 2022: providing a platform for emerging talent. This season introduces two notable second-generation prospects making their prototype endurance debuts:
- Lenny Ried: The young German talent boasts an ADAC Masters Cup runner-up finish in karts and an OK-category title in 2022. After utilizing single-seater experience to clock the second-fastest LMP3 time on his opening day of European Le Mans Series testing, Ried brings sharp qualifying pace to the Ligier JS P325.
- Lucas Fluxá: The 17-year-old Spaniard, active since 2017, transitions to endurance racing with a Spanish F4 victory and a WSK Final Cup title on his resume.
They will share driving duties with silver-rated and bronze-rated personnel, including Polish driver Jack Zielonka. Zielonka, who secured second place in the Ultimate Cup Series LMP3 category last year, embraces the mandatory gentleman-driver requirement that balances endurance grids. “I am thrilled to join Bretton Racing for the Asian Le Mans Series campaign,” Zielonka stated. “I will give the team absolutely everything in every race so that we can fight for victory together.”
The championship calendar demands operational perfection across diverse venues. Action kicks off on the second weekend of December at the former Formula 1 circuit in Sepang, Malaysia, before moving to the United Arab Emirates through January and February. With four-hour races split across Saturdays and Sundays, the margin for mechanical error or strategic miscalculation remains razor-thin as Bretton Racing attempts to translate European and previous Asian success into consecutive winter glory.
Sources
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- autoklub.cz original
- lemanscup.com original
- motor-max.cz original
- jednodusemotorsport.cz original