Auto Sport Promotion, also known simply as ASP, is a French sports car racing team founded by racing driver Jérôme Policand in 1999.[1] The team is based in Rabastens, France. It currently races as Akkodis ASP Team as part of a title sponsorship agreement with digital engineering company Akkodis, first established in 2015 as Akka Technologies.[1][2]
Between 2016 and 2023, ASP raced in Mercedes-AMG machinery in the GT World Challenge Europe series, becoming a factory partner in 2018. ASP currently works with Lexus, assisting with their LMGT3 factory programme in the FIA World Endurance Championship.[3][4] The team continues to use Mercedes sports cars in the GT2 European Series as customers, and also currently race Toyotas in the GT4 European Series as Matmut Évolution.[5]
Racing history
ASP first competed in motor racing through the Eurocup Mégane Trophy, where founder Jérôme Policand won the title in 1999.[6] ASP also raced in the Porsche Carrera Cup France series in the 2000s, winning the Drivers' championships in 2005, 2006, and 2008 with Anthony Beltoise, and in 2010 with Frédéric Makowiecki.
In 2011, ASP officially debuted in the Blancpain Endurance Series, competing with a two-car entry driving the Ferrari 458 Italia GT3. The team's Pro-Am entry, driven by Ludovic Badey, Jean-Luc Beaubélique, and Franck Morel finished 2nd in the Pro-Am class. That year, they also won the 2011 24 Hours of Spa in the Pro-Am class. ASP finished 2nd in the Pro-Am again in the 2012 Blancpain Endurance Series, and proceeded to take another Spa 24 Hours victory a year later in the 2013 24 Hours of Spa through the Gentleman Trophy class. ASP team made their first appearance at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2014, entering a Ferrari 458 Italia GT2 with drivers Soheil Ayari, Anthony Pons, and professional footballer Fabien Barthez.[7] The team made it to the finish, finishing 29th overall and 9th in class.ASP officially made the switch to Mercedes-AMG machinery ahead of the 2016 Blancpain GT Series after five seasons of competition with the Ferrari 458 platform.[8] In the team's first full season with the Mercedes-AMG GT3, they achieved 8th in the Pro class, 2nd in Pro-Am, and 4th in Am. ASP won their maiden race in the series that year, doing so in the season finale at Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya with Tristan Vautier and Felix Rosenqvist.[9] They would win in Barcelona again in 2017 with Vautier and Daniel Juncadella to earn their second victory in the series.[10]
The 2018 Blancpain GT Series was a breakthrough season for ASP, as they won the overall Drivers' championship with Raffaele Marciello, including the Sprint Cup drivers' championship with Marciello and Michael Meadows, and the Silver Cup drivers' championship with Nico Bastian and Jack Manchester.[11] ASP took the Silver Cup drivers' title again in the 2019 Blancpain GT Series with Bastian. In 2020, Timur Boguslavskiy won the GT World Challenge Europe overall championship with ASP. The team would take back-to-back overall championships in 2022 and 2023, winning the 2022 GT World Challenge Europe and 2023 GT World Challenge Europe titles each with Marciello, the latter winning along with Boguslavskiy.[12][13]
ASP ventured into GT4 racing in 2020, entering a Mercedes-AMG GT4 in the 2020 GT4 European Series season finale at Circuit Paul Ricard. The team committed to a full-season pursuit the following year and eventually won the Pro-Am class title in the 2022 GT4 European Series. The team moved to the French GT4 Cup in 2023, entering a pair of Toyota GR Supra GT4 sports cars in with backing from French insurance company Matmut, racing as Matmut Évolution. Matmut, with ASP's help, launched the 'Volant Matmut 100% Féminin' programme, allowing female racing drivers the opportunity to compete in motor racing. One of the ASP entries would be designated for the selected female drivers. Gabriela Jílková and Lucile Cypriano joined Enzo Joulié and Étienne Cheli for the full 2023 season. The team returned to the GT4 European Series in 2024, retaining Joulié and Cheli, and recruiting Cindy Gudet to race with Jílková, who also returned to the team.[14] Ahead of the 2024 FIA World Endurance Championship, ASP confirmed that they would be selected by Lexus to help operate their LMGT3 team.[3] Following the announcement, ASP officially paused their GT World Challenge programme, leaving the series after thirteen seasons.[4][15] Boguslavskiy returned with ASP to race the #78 car alongside Kelvin van der Linde and Arnold Robin, and the sister #87 car would be driven by Esteban Masson, Takeshi Kimura, and José María López,[16] who helped test the RC F with ASP at Algarve International Circuit.[17] ASP and Lexus achieved their first WEC LMGT3 class victory in 2025 at the 2025 6 Hours of São Paulo with Lopez, Clemens Schmid, and Răzvan Umbrărescu.[18]
Race results
24 Hours of Le Mans
| Year | Entrant | No. | Car | Drivers | Class | Laps | Pos. | Class Pos. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | Team Sofrev ASP | 58 | Ferrari 458 Italia GT2 | Soheil Ayari Fabien Barthez Anthony Pons | LMGTE Am | 325 | 29th | 9th |
| 2024 | Akkodis ASP Team | 78 | Lexus RC F GT3 | Timur Boguslavskiy Arnold Robin Kelvin van der Linde | LMGT3 | 279 | 34th | 7th |
| 87 | Jack Hawksworth Takeshi Kimura Esteban Masson | 279 | 37th | 10th | ||||
| 2025 | Akkodis ASP Team | 78 | Lexus RC F GT3 | Finn Gehrsitz Jack Hawksworth Arnold Robin | LMGT3 | 268 | DNF | DNF |
| 87 | José María López Clemens Schmid Răzvan Umbrărescu | 340 | 37th | 5th |
24 Hours of Spa
References
- ^ Dagys, John (2014-12-27). "Team Sofrev-ASP Becomes Team AKKA-ASP – Sportscar365". sportscar365.com. Retrieved 2025-07-14.
- ^ Lloyd, Daniel (2022-03-30). "AKKA-ASP Rebrands as Akkodis ASP Team – Sportscar365". sportscar365.com. Retrieved 2025-07-15.
- ^ Goodwin, Graham (2023-10-24). "Akkodis ASP Confirm Lexus GT3 Programme For WEC". www.dailysportscar.com. Retrieved 2025-07-14.
- ^ Euwema, Davey (2024-03-20). "ASP Rules Out Mercedes-AMG Return in GT3 Competition – Sportscar365". sportscar365.com. Retrieved 2025-07-14.
- ^ ASP, AKKODIS. "GT4 European Series 2025 - Strong lineups for Matmut Évolution!". www.akkodis-asp-team.com. Retrieved 2025-07-15.
- ^ ASP, AKKODIS. "Team presentation, history and record". www.akkodis-asp-team.com. Retrieved 2025-07-14.
- ^ "Endurance: Former soccer player Fabien Barthez could enter 2014 24 Hours of Le Mans | Car News | Auto123". auto123.com. 2013-11-09. Retrieved 2025-07-14.
- ^ "Team AKKA-ASP switches to Mercedes-AMG GT3 for 2016". GT World Challenge Europe Powered by AWS. 2015-12-27. Retrieved 2025-07-14.
- ^ "2016 Blancpain GT Series season finale turns out to be a thriller". GT World Challenge Europe Powered by AWS. 2016-10-02. Retrieved 2025-07-14.
- ^ Kilbey, Stephen (2017-10-02). "Bortolotti & Engelhart Take Overall Blancpain Title In Barcelona Showdown". www.dailysportscar.com. Retrieved 2025-07-14.
- ^ "A group effort: the 2018 Blancpain GT Series teams' champions in their own words". GT World Challenge Europe Powered by AWS. 2018-11-19. Retrieved 2025-07-14.
- ^ Lloyd, Daniel (2022-10-27). "Marciello Pleased With “Really Good Year” After Latest Title – Sportscar365". sportscar365.com. Retrieved 2025-07-14.
- ^ Goodwin, Graham (2023-10-01). "Akkodis ASP Take Titles As Ferrari Takes 1-2 At Barcelona". www.dailysportscar.com. Retrieved 2025-07-14.
- ^ "Matmut Évolution brings twin Toyotas for French champions and an all-female crew". GT4 European Series. 2024-03-12. Retrieved 2025-07-15.
- ^ Euwema, Davey (2023-09-18). "ASP to Pause GTWC Europe Program if Given LMGT3 Entry – Sportscar365". sportscar365.com. Retrieved 2025-07-14.
- ^ "Akkodis ASP Team presents their two FIA WEC crews". Endurance Info. Retrieved 2025-07-14.
- ^ Euwema, Davey (2023-10-23). "ASP to Run Lexus RC F GT3 at Portimao Tire Test – Sportscar365". sportscar365.com. Retrieved 2025-07-14.
- ^ Euwema, Davey (2025-07-13). "Policand: New Hard Tire Key to Lexus' First LMGT3 Victory – Sportscar365". sportscar365.com. Retrieved 2025-07-14.