Ozz Negri Returns to Asian Le Mans Series

Miami, Fla. (11 February 2021) – Popular veteran sports car driver Oswaldo “Ozz” Negri Jr. will be returning to the Asian Le Mans Series in 2021.

Negri will pilot the No. 51 AF Corse Ferrari 488 GT3, co-driving with Francesco Piovanetti and Alessandro Pier Guidi. AF Corse will also field a second entry, the No. 54 Ferrari for Giancarlo Fisichella, Francesco Castellacci and Thomas Flohr.

For 2021, the Asian Le Mans Series will utilize an innovative new format to suit the current global situation with an intense schedule which will run in the Middle East. The championship will open at the Dubai Autodrome in Dubai this weekend and Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi on February 19-20. The series will run four, four-hour races, combining night, day and twilight racing at the two venues.

In the 2019-20 campaign, the series raced four times, in China, Australia, Malaysia and Thailand. Negri ran the full series with Piovanetti and Pier Guidi (three races) in the Spirit of Race Ferrari, finishing fifth in the driver championship. The team finished third on three occasions – never placing out of the top four – and placed fourth in the final standings.

A 56-year-old native of Sao Paulo, Brazil Negri raced in the premier class of North America’s top sports car series from 2003 through 2018, mostly for Michael Shank Racing. He won the Petit Le Mans in a Ligier JS P2 LMP2 in 2016 in IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship competition, and also won the 50th edition of the Rolex 24 At Daytona for Michael Shank Racing in a Daytona Prototype in 2012.

“I think this is going to be another very competitive season in ALMS—there are a lot of very good teams and drivers, with big fields as well so I’m really looking forward to it,” said Negri. “Francesco (Piovanetti) continues to grow as a racer, and being back at AF Corse is really special. The team is very thorough and prepared for this kind of championship so I’m ready to go and see what we can do this month!”

Prior to racing sports cars, Negri competed in Indy Lights plus British and Mexican Formula 3. He won the 1998 Indy Lights Panamericana title. He was a two-time competitor in the 24 Hours of Le Mans, placing seventh in the GTE Pro class in 2020 driving a Ferrari 488 GTE Evo for Luzich Racing.