Great to see the first examples of the new 2019 specification Aston Martin Racing V8 Vantage GT4's start rolling out of the Banbury facility to its European customers today.

With over forty orders for the GT4 and over twenty five of the GT3 versions to fulfil, it will still be many weeks before all their customers receive their allotted order in time for some deserved pre season testing. Some teams around the world have however already confirmed that they will not be receiving their orders until part way into the season but early signs show that these cars are definitely worth waiting for.


With the first example of the GT4 already having raced at the Daytona 24 with Automatic Racing last month the car above will be making its way to Worcester and Academy Motorsport so that they can finally prepare for their British GT an GT4 European Series campaigns.

Photo credit - Academy

With the new 2019 China GT Championship season just around the corner, we find that its all change within the Championship as the primary Aston Martin Racing team enters into its third year of racing within the GT4 class

New Year - new cars - new drivers - new team name and indeed new racing rules are just some of the changes that we can expect to see as the 2019 season looks to kick off at the Asia GT Festival from the Sepang International Circuit in Malaysia in little under three weeks time.


Firstly, China Equity AMR have changed their team name over the winter to become Asia Sonic Racing to reflect that of the teams primary backers title in Beijing Sonic Events Management that has appeared on the teams title banner from the start. Then, it has been confirmed that the team will be running two 2019 specification cars at the opening event of the season in Malaysia (as long as they arrive from the factory in time) - the first time the Championship has ran outside of mainland China.

Next up come the drivers - only two have been confirmed publicly so far and thats Yves Volte - the young German racer who now resides in China and who raced with the team so competitively at the final to races last year in Shanghai. He - as only announced today will share his car with returning team driver David Pun - but not for Malaysia as prior engagements will keep Pun away.


A replacement for Pun at the Asia GT Festival together with the driver line up for the second car remained unconfirmed although sources from the AMR suggest that all other drivers recruited into the team for the 2019 season will be regionally based pay drivers so unfortunately we will not be seeing the likes of reigning China GT GT4 Champion Jack Mitchell nor AMR factory driver Ross Gunn make a return to the Championship.

Next up we see a new name come forward to compete with an AMR platform for the first time and that will be in the form of King Dcar Racing - a previous GT3 championship winning team who will enter the Festival with a mix of Mercedes AMG GT3's and AMR Vantage GT4's (we believe these cars to be the older 2016 specification) amongst their four confirmed entries.


In terms of rule changes, now both Pro and Am drivers will be required to each set a time in Qualifying - times that will be used to determine their grid starting positions and the driver who starts race 2 must be different to that who starts race 1. That sequence must also be determined in advance to the event by the team. Remaining changes evolve around points awarded as well as the introduction of a new Manufacturers Championship.

The Asia GT Festival starts the season over the weekend of the 16/17th March with five further double header race weekends between then and mid October with a further invitational race possible around the street circuit of Wuhan in November.

Photo credits - Asia Sonic Racing

It looks like this unseasonable weather has brought race cars out in force today as all scramble to get in sufficient track times before their respective seasons start in just a couple of months time.

At Snetterton (where we decided to base ourselves for this mornings track sessions) we had an example of Aston Martin Racings latest V8 Vantage GT3 and GT4 to enjoy from the TF Sport team. The white GT3 car was the one of their own, the one that they had competed at the Gulf 12Hrs with having only just received it back from Oman after its extensive PR tour for their driver Ahmad Al Harthy. The GT4 was however the dark blue test and development car from the Prodrive factory as the team still awaited delivery of their two Vantage GT4's.


Indeed, this test and others taking place at Silverstone, suffered the same 'victim of their own success' fate as other AMR GT4 runners either had to either miss the track availability or make do with another type of chassis as the first UK customer GT4 has still yet to leave the factory.  We understood from team boss Tom Ferrier, that he expected delivery of the teams second GT3 (Mark Farmers car) during this week although he offered no firm dates for the GT4's.


Whilst we picked up from social media that all the AMR factory drivers were busy with team building activities at the factory complex in Banbury ahead of the resumption of World Endurance Championship duties next month at Sebring, TF Sport GT3 testing duties were left to fellow team WEC driver Charlie Eastwood to perform today although we understand that Jonny Adam will take over from tomorrow when he is joined by new race partner Graham Davidson. In the available GT4 car, three out of the teams four new GT4 runners were present with Patrick Kibble and Josh Price having what can only be described as their first significant track running abroad their chosen platform that they will compete in the British GT Championship in for the first time in April.


Tom Canning was also present but wasn't seen in the car but of course he already has significant track time aboard the AMR GT4 having competed in it at the Gulf 12hrs late last year. With the team being at the Norfolk circuit for the next three days, we expect the driver cycle to alternate accordingly. Only  Rory Collingbourne was left 'unaccounted' for today!

With early testing being what it is, there was nothing much to report other than nervous looking young faces taking taking control of Aston Martin Racing's latest GT4 creation in cyclic fashion - the same could be said for others at the circuit testing other platforms for other race series today.


As we have said, it later transpired that both Beechdean and Optimum were at Silverstone today with Andrew Howard aboard and alone in his Vantage GT3 whilst Connor O'Brien had to make do with a Ginetta GT4 with no other 2019 specification Vantage GT4 being available and after a previous attempt for him to run the Vantage GT4 earlier this month at Snetterton fell through at the last moment.


Still early days yet with plenty of test mileage yet to come for all British GT contenders in whatever platform/team they are running with. Once TF Sport complete this three dat test then they will be off aboard for more testing for another series!!

The final round of the 2018/19 Asian Le Mans Series takes place this weekend from the Sepang International Circuit in Malaysia, with Red River Sport by TF Sport seeing out their finale in the series in also the final race of the teams outgoing Aston Martin Racing V12 Vantage GT3 as a factory supported platform.

Starting the series how they started it in Shanghai at the end of November last year, Red River Sport will be racing with just two drivers again in Malaysia. For that opening round, Bronze ranked driver Ivor Dunbar was forced to miss what became a very surprising yet thoroughly deserved P3 finish for the remaining drivers of Bonamy Grimes and Johnny Mowlem due to unforeseen matters back home. This time it will be Grimes who misses the final round also due to prior commitments back home.


Never being a team even attempting to confirm that they were Championship contenders in their GT Class, it has all been about developing the learning curve for the two gentleman drivers as they aspire to progress from national club racing through to competing at Le Mans 24Hr in the GTE class.

Shanghai, they read their hearts out to only narrowly miss out on a higher step to the podium by virtue of competing against teams with full factory GTE drivers within them. Next time out in Fuji was the first time that they had operated as a trio before technical issues aboard their TF Sport prepared car lead to a high velocity exit for Mowlem at the last round in Buriam, Thailand thanks to power steering issues and then catastrophic brake failure as the car entered into the heaviest braking section of the circuit. Only via the skill and experience of Mowlem was the car spared significant damage through contact with the barriers.


Mathematically the Championship is already beyond their means but a mid class finishing position in Malaysia could see them splitting their Tianshi Racing Team opponents should either of them face difficulties during the race.


Either way, we can assume that the Asian Le Mans Series has been a thoroughly worthwhile project for mentor/student racing squad which is Red River Sport which will be continued with back in the UK and Europe over the forthcoming 2019 season. Whilst we do not envisage seeing these guys in any other Aston Martin overt the summer months we cannot discount that they will be back for more of the same over the winter in Asia.

Photo credits - Andrew Lofthouse

After months of patient anticipation, Wakefield based Optimum Motorsport have today finally confirmed that the team will be retuning to the International GT Open Series with both Ollie Wilkinson and Bradley Ellis behind the wheel of the team's recently acquired Aston Martin Racing V8 Vantage GT3.

Having previously raced in the series last year with the team's Audi R8 LMS in the Pro-Am Class, the Bronze and Silver rated driver pairing tested the new 2019 specification Vantage GT3 at Snetterton back in October where they are able to get in just a handful of laps each before the rains came. That presumably was still enough for them to commit to the car for their 2019 campaign.




Their own new AMR Vantage GT3 has only recently been delivered to the team and was taken for a shakedown test by Aston Martin Racing factory driver Jonny Adam out on Anglesey only last week.

Debuting in the GT Open Championship last year, Wilkinson and Ellis still managed two class wins aboard the older generation Audi (that Flick Haigh ran in the Michelin Le Mans Cup the year before) and rounded off the 2018 season on a high with a P2 class finish despite Wilkinson being under the weather at the final round in Barcelona - just a couple of days after testing the new Vantage!


A seven round 2019 lays ahead of the team, starting at Paul Ricard at the end of April, with a round at Silverstone in early September before concluding at Monza in mid October but before they the duo are expected to participate in the Championships two round Winter Test calendar.

Photo credits - GT Open / Pembrey Circuit

Not since the early days of Aston Martin Racing's V12 Vantage GT3 some five years ago has the British marque been represented at the Japanese Super GT Championship with the likes of the then Aspeed and Arnage Racing who both raced with chassis #003.

Yesterday mornings announcement from D'Station Racing confirms a rekindled participation for the Banbury based team within the top flight Japanese GT series with one of their brand new turbo charged V8 Vantages that will even see AMR factory driver Darren Turner feature in the driver line up for the longer Fuji 500 event with a team who have swapped allegiances from Porsche

What has been described as 'long term partnership' sees Aston Martin as a brand return to the Asian car markets in race form with D'Station Racing AMR at what could be a critical time for them having lost previous Partner teams Craft Bamboo and Miedecke Motorsport from the that particular theatre of racing.

The significances of yesterday's events was also hailed on social media by Aston Martin Lagonda's CEO Dr Andy Palmer as a significant event for the brand who basically race what they sell and who have gone through an extensive period of brand promotion and physical presence within the opening Chinese markets but also with more mainstream Asian locations.


This new full partner status team - D'Station Racing AMR will compete in the GT 300 class with full time and highly experienced Super GT drivers Tomonobu Fujii and Joāo Paulo Oliveira.

President of D'station Racing AMR Satoshi Hoshino said: “We are very proud to race with Aston Martin in the Japanese Super GT championship. As a team we believe the Vantage GT3 can lead us to great success and we are excited to be playing a part in the new Vantage racing story from the beginning of its career.”

Swiss based R-Motorsport today announce their first two drivers for their much awaiting entry into the German based DTM series in an Aston Martin Racing silhouette Vantage.

"I am looking forward to the new DTM season and the challenge to compete with the Aston Martin Vantage DTM car for my new team R-Motorsport," said Paul. "It will certainly be not easy to challenge our competition of experienced teams of big premium manufacturers with our comparatively small outfit. However my impression of our team’s professionalism and ambition is very positive and I’ll go into the preparation of the championship season with a good feeling. I can’t wait to drive the Aston Martin Vantage DTM car at the first test on the race track and contribute my part to the development of the new car."

"In Paul, we have secured the services of a knowledgeable and experienced driver with an impressive sporting CV," said Team Principal Florian Kamelger. "This signing is a key element in the development of our new Aston Martin Vantage DTM. His experience and natural speed should help us to quickly bring the new DTM car up to a competitive standard. We are aware that this is not going to be an easy task for us at R-Motorsport, because in the DTM we are facing competition from works teams who not only have the backing of well-known premium manufacturers but have also grown accustomed to success over the years. But it’s a challenge that we are happy to rise to, and we’re looking forward to the upcoming DTM season."


23-year-old Jake Dennis will make his debut in the top touring car series this season, driving R-Motorsport’s Aston Martin Vantage DTM car. The British driver has been a regular member of the squad since last year when he successfully competed with R-Motorsport in a number of races, including the Blancpain GT Series Endurance Cup. In the three-hour race at Silverstone, Jake and team-mates Matthieu Vaxivière and Nicki Thiim secured the first pole position and win for the Aston Martin V12 Vantage GT3 race car in what was only the team’s second race.

"Joining the DTM is a major step up in my career," said Jake. "It’s an enormous challenge which I readily accept, because I know that I must go up against tough opposition in order to prove myself and make progress as a driver at a high level. The DTM is the ideal environment for that, and I can’t wait to get the season started."

"Jake is very talented. He has already shown that previously in his GT3 races for R-Motorsport," said Team Principal Dr Florian Kamelger. "He achieved consistently good results last year and is now a regular member of our team. I know what he can do, so I think he will quickly make his mark in the DTM."

This year, R-Motorsport will be writing a new chapter in their nascent motorsport history as they enter their debut season in the DTM, in which Aston Martin will line up under its exclusive licence with the R-Motorsport. The team’s first two DTM races will take place on the weekend of 4th/5th May at the Hockenheimring, the traditional host venue for the season opener. These race outings will be operated by Vynamic which is a joint venture between AF Racing AG and HWA AG. "



End



Source material - R-Motorsport Press Release

Thanks to the great work from the Facebook page Aston Martin V12 Vantage GT3 Chassis Number Tracker we can continue to keep ourselves up to date with various club racing teams from around the world.

Whilst racing eyes move across from the venerable AMR V12 Vantage GT3 to the new 2019 turbo charged V8 specification this year, we need to remind ourselves of the remaining V12 GT3's that are still running with great success with smaller, private teams.

In this case it is the again the Stradale Motorsport prepared entry for Charl Arangies that hit the top step over the weekend with a trio of first places in the South African G&H Transport Racing Championship from the Killarney International Raceway.


Still being under the weather from a lingering head cold, Arangies still managed to dominate the grid with his former Motorbase GT3 machine - continuing from where he had left off in 2018!

Photo credit - Stradale Motorsport 

In a scary realisation in just how fast this year is already progressing, today we heard of the first batch of entries confirmed for this Le Mans 24Hrs which will this time act as the curtain closer for the World Endurance Championship's transitional Super-Season.

Whilst there were a couple of surprise additions within the forty two entries confirmed today, there was little to get too excited about with the Aston Martin Racing entries as all four - full season WEC entries were confirmed in both GTE Pro and GTE Am.

Starting with what we know (as the team's communications guys have told us this today) is that the published driver line up aboard the #90 TF Sport GTE Am entry is incorrect. Whereas the WEC have listed the original season starting line up of Salih Yoluc, Charlie Eastwood and Euan Hankey we have been told that the position indicated as being that of Hankey remains a TBC.


The answer behind that spare seat will probably depend upon what happens with the driver line ups with the factory supported GTE Pro cars as both the #95 and #97 have only been published with two names associated with each car. For the record Marco Sorensen and Nicki Thiim remain aligned with the #95 car whilst Maxime Martin and Alex Lynn remain aligned with the #97 - just like they had been since Le Mans 2018.

Not having a full driver line up for any car now being confirmed by the governing ACO for the Le Mans 24Hr is certainly nothing new and we don't expect the third seat for either GTE Pro car to be confirmed by the team until much nearer the event. We can speculate or we could just wait and see.......!!


The driver trio behind the #98 GTE Am entry remains a constant with Paul Dalla Lana, Mathias Lauda and Pedro Lamy continuing their long partnership together.

The 24hours of Le Mans is scheduled to run over the weekend of the 15/16th June.

#Error on the #90 TF Sport GTE Am entry has now been corrected by the WEC

Renowned for their distinctly bright liveried cars, Belgium team Street Art Racing today confirmed their second driver line up who shall compete in this years GT4 European Series.

Staying with the team for a second year is young Frenchman Julien Darras who will this year be driving with Belgium racer Jamie Vandenbalck who crosses over from rival team 3Y Technology and their BMW M4 GT4.

This line up is in addition to the teams earlier announcements last month where team regular Pascal Bachmann will race the teams other 2019 Aston Martin Racing V8 Vantage GT4 with Luxembourg based racer Clement Seyler.


Last year Darras shared his Pro-Am Class car with the more experienced team regular Bachmann but steps up this to compete in the Series Silver Cup Class with Vandenbalck whilst Bachmann will guide the younger and less experienced race Seyler in the Am Cup.

Not only sporting two glorious examples of AMR's latest specification Vantage GT4, the team will also utilise the knowledge and experience of AMR's World Endurance Championship driver Maxime Martin.

"Having Maxime Martin as a coach will also be a plus for us. I am convinced that I can learn a lot from him, not only for my driving but also for the development of the car and all the preparation outside races," said Vandenbalck. 

Aston Martin’s increasing commitment to historic motorsport has been cemented with the creation of Aston Martin Heritage Racing - an over-arching brand that unites the company’s assorted historic motorsport activities under one banner.


In the first of several major new initiatives, Aston Martin has joined forces with Masters Historic Racing - one of the world’s leading historic race event organisers and promotors - to become its official automotive partner. The partnership places Aston Martin and its customers at the heart of the action, through a number of core activities.


The most visible of these are the supply of Aston Martin road cars as Official Pace cars and Course cars for Masters Historic Racing. For 2019 this will see Aston Martin’s driver focused sports car - the Vantage - head each of the grids at selected MHR race weekends, leading the field around the track at speed before releasing the cars for the rolling start. Course car duties will be performed by a Rapide AMR, giving further exposure to the brand.


Aston Martin is also title partner of the Aston Martin Masters Endurance Legends Series. Run for racing cars from the more recent past, AMMEL is the premiere series for modern historic Le Mans and ALMS prototypes and GT cars from 1995-2012. As this period encompasses Aston Martin Racing’s victories in the GT1 class with the DBR9, plus the many other successes in the LMP1, GT2 and GTE categories, the AMMEL series regularly features Aston Martin competition cars amongst the varied and colourful grids. Indeed, one of the fabulous ex-works Gulf-liveried Aston Martin DBR1-2 LMP1 cars was a regular outright winner during the 2018 season and is a firm crowd favourite.


With large grids, generous track time and exciting double-header race weekends, the AMMEL race format allows for one or two-drivers with a mandatory pit stop and a race duration of a minimum 30min and maximum 45min. Frequently afforded top billing, AMMEL treats spectators and fans to an evocative taste of top-level endurance racing featuring many of their favourite modern classic machines.


2019 Aston Martin Masters Endurance Legends calendar
Mar 29-31, Le Castellet Motors Cup weekend, Paul Ricard, France
May 10-12, European Le Mans Series support race, Monza, Italy
Jun 28-30, French Historic Grand Prix, Magny Cours, France
Jul 26-28, Silverstone Classic, Silverstone, UK
Aug 9-11, AvD Oldtimer Grand Prix, Nürburgring, Germany
Sep 27-29, Spa Six Hours, Spa, Belgium


ASTON MARTIN HERITAGE RACING FESTIVAL SERIES
Building upon the huge success enjoyed by the triennial Aston Martin Racing Le Mans Festival events held as a support race for the Le Mans 24 Hours in 2012, 2015 and 2018, the Festival concept has been developed into an annual AMHR Festival Series.


Driven by the desire to create a ‘home’ in which owners of eligible modern era competition and special series Aston Martins can race regularly, the AMHR Festival Series will comprise two race events in 2019, expanding to three race weekends per-season in 2020 and 2021.
A celebration of Aston Martin’s 21st century competition success, The AMHR Festival Series is conceived to encompass the majority of Aston Martin Racing’s back catalogue. All GT1, GT2, GT3, GT4 and GTE cars are eligible, with the exception of the Lola-Aston LMP1 prototypes and the latest generation Vantage GTE, GT3 and GT4 cars. There is also an invitation class for special series cars such as the Aston Martin Vulcan, and for other unusual Aston Martin race cars, such as the Vantage GT8 that raced in the Nürburgring ‘N24’.


Open to one or two drivers per-car, the Festival race format will remain flexible to take advantage of opportunities to run double-header races where possible and allow the series to evolve over time. A pit stop is mandatory, and a handicapping system will be applied to create a fair level of competition between keen amateur and elite professional and former professional racers. A strict code of respectful driving will be encouraged and enforced, with AMR factory driver and three-time Le Mans winner Darren Turner advising on series regulations and driving standards.


Run under the newly created Aston Martin Heritage Racing banner, for 2019 the AMHR Festival Series will visit the iconic Grand Prix circuits of Silverstone and Spa, with the first race at July’s Silverstone Classic - the world’s biggest historic race meeting - and the second at the Spa Six Hours weekend in late September.


Returning to the Silverstone Classic and Spa Six Hours in 2020, with a third iconic venue to be announced later this year, in 2021 AMHR Festival competitors can look forward to three more race weekends. The Festival’s objective is to provide owners of modern classic Aston Martin competition cars with a ‘Road to Le Mans’ and the chance to fulfil the dream of racers and enthusiasts everywhere.
While racing is at its heart, the AMHR Festival Series it is not just about the on-track action. Each Festival weekend will also be a social occasion and a highlight of the AMHR year. Aston Martin will invite celebrity drivers to take part, plus a variety of current and former AMR factory drivers. Hospitality will be provided for competitors and their guests. Selected friends of Aston Martin will also be in attendance and there will be an exclusive party on the Friday or Saturday night of each festival race weekend.


2019 Aston Martin Heritage Racing Festival Series calendar
Jul 26-28, Silverstone Classic, Silverstone, UK
Sep 27-29, Spa Six Hours, Spa, Belgium


ASTON MARTIN HERITAGE RACING TRACK EXPERIENCE


Held at selected Masters Historic Racing weekends, the Aston Martin Heritage Racing Track Experience events are another new AMHR initiative for 2019. Combining attendance of a live historic race weekend and top-level hospitality with an assortment of road and track sessions in new Aston Martin road cars, a variety of weekend packages are tailored for existing and prospective Aston Martin customers as well as fans of the brand.


The first of these events is to be held March 29-31 at Paul Ricard, home of the French Grand Prix, during Masters Historic Racing’s first race weekend of the 2019 season. Located in the beautiful Provence region of southern France, guests will enjoy the unique thrill of driving their own Aston Martin or one of Aston Martin’s demonstrators in dedicated 30min sessions which intersperse the races throughout the weekend. They will also have the opportunity to take accompanied test drives on breathtaking roads and, of course, spend some relaxing downtime enjoying first class hospitality and the spectacle of Europe’s best historic racing.


Each Track Experience weekend will run to a schedule tailored to the specific event, but in addition to on-track driving sessions and all-day hospitality each will feature additional daytime activities such as hot lap rides alongside pro drivers in Aston Martin road or race cars, guided tours of the pits and paddock, karting, plus evening entertainment such as relaxed BBQs and organised wine tastings.
Whether an existing Aston Martin customer who likes the idea of enjoying the freedom of driving their car on a race track, or a prospective or existing customer who would like to experience a new model in a test drive with a difference, the added atmosphere and excitement of being part of a historic race weekend ensures each AMHR Track Experience immerses guests in an exclusive high-octane environment that petrolheads will love, combined with a level of quality and attention to detail that provides a true taste of Aston Martin lifestyle.


2019 Aston Martin Heritage Racing Track Experience calendar
Mar 29-31, Masters Historic Racing weekend, Paul Ricard, France


Andy Palmer, Aston Martin Lagonda President and Group CEO, said of AMHR: “The creation of Aston Martin Heritage Racing draws together our various historic motorsport activities and provides a platform from which we will continue to extend the scope of our presence in the vibrant and hugely popular international historic racing scene. Our official automotive partnership with Masters Historic Racing sees our Vantage and Rapide AMR models serving as official Safety Cars and Course Cars, while our title sponsorship of the Aston Martin Masters Endurance Legends Series supports a spectacular grid of iconic modern classic machines that once competed in some of the world’s greatest endurance races.

With high profile races confirmed at this year’s Silverstone Classic in July and Spa Six Hours historic meeting in September, three race weekends in 2020 and all providing a Road to Le Mans, we can look forward to seeing the finest Aston Martin competition cars of the more recent past racing on some of Europe’s best circuits.” 

Ron Maydon, Founder and President of Masters Historic Racing: “It’s a tremendous endorsement of historic racing’s popularity that such a prestigious brand as Aston Martin has chosen to partner Masters Historic Racing (MHR). Few car companies have a better fit with historic racing, thanks to a thread of motorsport success tracing right back to the company’s origins more than a century ago. Much like Aston Martin, MHR likes to innovate and evolve, and so I’m especially proud that Aston Martin is title partner of the Masters Endurance Legends Series, which has pioneered the concept of modern historic racing with dazzling grids of prototype and GT racing cars that were eligible to compete at Le Mans and other top-level endurance races between 1995 and 2012. With this period encompassing some of Aston Martin Racing’s greatest 21st century successes it will be an absolute pleasure to see some of these iconic machines once again do battle with their period adversaries.”    
To take part in the Aston Martin Heritage Racing activities or for further information contact AMHR@astonmartin.com.




Source material - Aston Martin

Today see's the GT Cup Championship confirm a double car entry for 2019 from reigning Champions Whitebridge AMR.

With 2018 GTH and Overall Champion Chris Murphy already confirmed as as solo driver aboard one of his own 2016 specification Aston Martin Racing V8 Vantage GT4 for this up coming season, today sees Australian Mal Sandford swap both championships and team for his third year of racing with his own 'factory coloured' Vantage GT4.


Having previously been supported by EDF Motorsport in the garage and co driver Ben Seyfried in the cockpit, Sandford's racing career has so far mainly been limited to the Dunlop Britcar Endurance Championship plus a visit to Le Sarthe last year for the AMR Festival at Le Mans. Todays announcement does not confirm if this entry is for a solo driver placing or not.

The start of the 2019 calendar starts in just over eight weeks time at Donington Park.

Title photo credit - EDF Motorsport

Aston Martin is set to launch a brand new programme in 2019, where customers can enjoy exhilarating race track experiences at iconic circuits, with expert guidance available through the AMR Drivers’ Club. This customer-focused driving academy will offer various levels of tuition to suit each driver, from exploring the capabilities of their own Aston Martin to finding the limit in some of the marque’s most extreme track cars, for those with aspirations to race.

Sebastien Delmaire, Director of Aston Martin Partnerships, said: “Our customers have been enquiring about this type of programme for a while now so we are delighted to be able to offer such a strong and structured package of experiences. From the customer who would like to know what his or her Aston Martin is capable of, from the manufacturer who designed and built their car, to those wishing to hone their track skills with future ambitions of racing, we have it covered.”