G-Drive Racing by APR to defend ELMS LMP2 Pro-Am title with Falb, Peroni and Allen

G-Drive Racing by Algarve Pro Racing will defend its European Le Mans Series (ELMS) LMP2 Pro-Am title, with reigning Champion John Falb partnering Australia’s James Allen and Alex Peroni.

In 2021, Las Vegas-based Falb became the first driver to be crowned Champion across two ELMS classes after securing the LMP2 Pro-Am trophy with G-Drive Racing by APR, and, although his immediate focus is the Rolex 24 at Daytona (27-30 January), he will put everything into retaining his European crown.

“Naturally, I’m really looking forward to returning to the European Le Mans Series to defend the LMP2 Pro-Am championship title we earned in 2021,” said Falb. “I’m super excited about getting started with my new teammates, Alex (Peroni) and James (Allen). I’ll get to race with James in the Rolex 24 at Daytona later this month after knowing him for years from the racing paddock, and I know Alex has had an excellent career and will be an awesome addition to G-Drive Racing by Algarve Pro Racing, which is going to be better prepared than ever before.

“It will also be interesting to visit some new circuits this year. The Hungaroring is going to be a real highlight, and switching up the Italian rounds by replacing Monza with Imola is also a tantalising prospect. Overall, the LMP2 formula is clearly a home run for the Automobile Club de l’Ouest, and we expect to see quite a few more cars this year, which will bring even more competition and enjoyment.”

Peroni, aged 22, cut his teeth in junior single-seaters, going from Formula 4 to F3 via the Formula Renault Eurocup and VdeV Challenge Monoplace, which he won at the age of 16 to become the youngest Australian to win a European open-wheel championship.

However, after a season of racing Indy Lights in the USA, the Tasmanian driver’s immediate future lies in endurance sportscar racing, as he’s all set to join G-Drive Racing by APR’s ELMS roster, and he said: “I’m very pleased to be racing with a team that I know will be capable of competing at the front, and I thank everyone at G-Drive Racing by Algarve Pro Racing for giving me this opportunity. I know I have a lot to learn in endurance racing  but I’m confident it’s the right environment to give it my best. I’ll be looking to learn as much as possible from my very experienced teammates and to help us achieve the team’s objectives in 2022.”

Perth’s Allen has been a regular on the European Le Mans winners’ rostrum since diverting from Formula Renault single-seaters to Le Mans Prototypes in 2017, and he notably finished third in the 2021 LMP2 classification after accumulating a race win in the 4 Hours of Monza and a brace of podium finishes.

In December, G-Drive Racing by APR confirmed it had signed Allen for its inaugural assault on the Rolex 24 at Daytona (27-30 January), but, happily, the Australian’s association with the Russian-flagged team will extend to the 2022 ELMS.

“I’m super excited to be joining G-Drive Racing by Algarve Pro Racing for the 2022 European Le Mans Series season in LMP2 Pro-Am,” said Allen. “John (Falb) and I have a great relationship already and, in my opinion, he is easily one of the best Bronze drivers in the field. I’m also grateful to have another Australian driver in LMP2 and it’s even better that I get to share a car with him. Alex (Peroni) and I have raced each other previously in Formula Renault 2.0 and I’m very confident in his abilities. With this driver line-up, as well as the defending Champion team behind us, I’m looking forward to what we can achieve in 2022.”