Barwell to contest Gulf 12 Hours & Dubai 24 Hours with Aston Martin Vantage GT4

Former British GT championship-winning team, Barwell Motorsport, will be contesting this December's Gulf 12 Hours race at the Yas Marina F1 track in Abu Dhabi, as well as the Dubai 24 Hours on January 11-12, 2013. Barwell has a successful history in endurance events across the world, having previously competed in the 24 Hour races at Spa, Nurburgring and Silverstone, as well as other classics such as the Sebring 12 Hours and Petit Le Mans 1000-Miles.

For its first campaigns in both of these events, Barwell will be running a 2013-spec Aston Martin Vantage GT4 which will be driven by car owner, Jan Andersen from Denmark, along with Tom Kimber-Smith. Jan, who is a friend of sportscar racing legend and fellow countryman, Tom Kristensen, will be making his race debut in the car at Yas Marina having previously campaigned a Ford Escort in historic events in his homeland. Tom Kimber-Smith is currently one of the most successful and high profile professional drivers (outside of factory LMP1 pilots) involved in sportscar racing worldwide. This year the young Brit has competed in the World Endurance Championship, European Le Mans Series and the American Le Mans Series, claiming a second straight LMP2 win at the Le Mans 24 Hours. These events mark a return to a Barwell-run Aston for Tom, who first appeared with us aboard Paul Whight's Aston Martin DBRS9 GT3 at Jerez in 2010.

Bolstering the driver line-up for Dubai will be that same Paul Whight, and James Kaye. Paul was a British GT podium finisher with our Barwell-Cadena entry in 2010, and also campaigned his stunning DBRS9 with Barwell boss, Mark Lemmer, in this year's Aston Martin Le Mans Festival race. Former British Touring Car Championship star, Kaye, is another driver coming back to the Barwell fold, having driven a Honda Accord for us to the runner-up spot in both the 2000 and 2001 BTCC Production Championships. James has extensive experience of the Dubai round-the-clock event, having contested the previous four races in a variety of machines.

The Aston Martin Vantage GT4 will be supported for these events by our team partners; The Ascend Group, Primland, Wealth Management, Pradera Retail Centres, Alpine Stars, Kleers Premium Car Care Products. Barwell Motorsport is an Official Partner Team of Aston Martin Racing.

Barwell Motorsport