BMW M Motorsport works driver Dan Harper has ended his 2025 race season on a high note with a brilliant podium finish on his return to the Asian Le Mans Series on the Sepang International Circuit this past weekend (12-14 December).
The trip to Malaysia was the start of Harper’s racing partnership with Anthony McIntosh and Parker Thompson at Team WRT, with the Asian Le Mans Series programme serving as a precursor ahead of contesting the FIA World Endurance Championship together in 2026.
Two days of testing in the lead up to the event ensured all three drivers were ready to go for the weekend’s action. McIntosh took the reins for qualifying on Saturday and excelled in tricky, changing weather conditions to secure them top five starts for both races in the competitive GT class.
McIntosh was behind the wheel again for the start of the opening four-hour race that afternoon and got a brilliant launch to grab second place heading into turn one. Luck was against him heading into the second corner though, as he was forced wide across the grass to avoid spinning LMP3 prototypes.
Recovering well to sit in seventh position during a subsequent safety car period, he had forwards progress in his sights when racing resumed. Unfortunately, it soon became apparent that a technical issue with their BMW M4 GT3 EVO was starting to affect the car’s pace.
Focused on making the best of the situation and securing the highest finish possible, a brilliant effort from team and drivers ensured they put together an incident-free, penalty-free performance to bring their BMW home 12th in the GT ranks.
With the issue resolved ahead of race two on Sunday, they were determined to mount a podium challenge from fourth on the grid. Whilst they initially lost some ground in dry conditions at the start of the race, McIntosh adapted perfectly to a sudden downpour of rain to move back up to fifth.
McIntosh maintained that position as the track dried back out heading to mid-distance, before Thompson was the next to deal with another torrent of rain. With the BMW excelling in the slippery conditions, the Canadian racer fought his way forward to third in class.
Expert strategy and perfectly-executed pitstops from WRT ensured that Harper emerged from their final stop in second position. The Northern Irishman, who celebrated his 25th birthday last week, was in control for the final 50-minute sprint to the chequered flag.
A composed performance saw him hold second position in the dry, before the heavens opened for the third time in the race. This time the deluge was too much for racing to continue safely, leading to an early conclusion to the race and a well-earned podium finish for the #69 Team WRT entry.
Dan Harper: “I’m delighted that we’ve got a podium finish in the first event together with Anthony [McIntosh], Parker [Thompson] and WRT. It was a very difficult weekend, but we kept fighting and maximised the package we had.
“The changing weather made it very challenging throughout the event, and especially with making the right calls on strategy in the races. WRT were perfect though, while Anthony and Parker did a great job on track in their first races in the BMW.
“The opening race was frustrating with the issues, but the team put in a huge effort to change the engine overnight. We were much more competitive in the damp / wet conditions, so that played into our hands in race two and we were able to bring home the podium.
“I’m really pleased that I could end the 2025 season on a high. It’s been another special year for me, getting to enjoy success in top championships and prestigious races with some brilliant teams and team-mates. I’m incredibly grateful to BMW for their continued support and I’m excited to see what 2026 brings.”
The 2025-26 Asian Le Mans Series features two more events next year, with trips to the Dubai Autodrome (31 January-01 February) and the Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi (07-08 February).