Seems that Aston Martin Racing announcements just keep on coming this month as we learn of another extra-ordinary announcement this evening for the British GT championship.

Joining those AMR teams so far announced for 2018, including TF Sport, Beechdean AMR, Optimum Motorsport and most latterly Academy Motorsport, tonight we learn that the Jetstream Motorsport will become the latest in the long line of Aston Martin Racing customer teams to venture into the national GT championship featuring another all-star driver line up.


Reigning GT Cup Champion Graham Davidson steps up from the Bute national series after a domineering solo driven series last aboard his McLaren MP4-12C which his team have now 'mothballed' until such time as it qualifies for historic races. Having had many a battle with the Hudmotorsport V12 Vantage of Nigel Hudson and Adam Wilcox it comes as no real surprise to see Davidson progress in British GT aboard his own new V12 Vantage - also with the assistance of an AMR factory driver in Maxime Martin to boot.

McLaren GT's loss is certainly Aston Martin Racings gain.......!!

“The V12 Vantage was deemed the best option for many reasons, but Jetstream was particularly sold by Aston Martin Racing’s at-circuit support, the car’s championship-winning pedigree and its reputation for being built around the gentleman driver. Ultimately, I’m in the British GT Championship to win it and I’m delighted with who and what we’ve pulled together. Now it’s just up to us to take the car across the finish line and achieve some results.” said Davidson.

Great news for the Aston Martin Racing and British GT fan this evening as Worcester based Academy Motorsport confirmed an extended two car programme for the forthcoming British GT championship.

With full details still to be fully confirmed, we understand that team boss Matt Nichol-Jones will return to the British GT Championship with an (as yet) unconfirmed co driver whilst the teams second car will feature two 'young guns', one looking to consolidate and improve the skills gained from last year and the other making that tentative step up in to the GT class.


“Jan [Jonck] is completely at home in the Aston, as anyone who saw his amazing performance at Brands Hatch last season will testify. Had his previous team not missed the final round there’s a very good chance he would have finished third in the GT4 standings, which would have been very impressive given it was also his first season of GT racing. He’s the perfect driver to have alongside Tom [Wood] who already knows the circuits and also demonstrated what he’s all about throughout 2017 in Ginetta Juniors” said Nichol-Jones.

Former Formula One World Champion Damon Hill has showcased Team BRIT’s world-leading hand control technology to officially launch the team’s new GT car.

On Friday 23rd February, Damon joined the team and crew at a special event at Brands Hatch race circuit. Damon completed high-speed laps of the famous circuit, demonstrating the power of the controls and proving that the team will be competitive and successful as it moves up the motorsport ladder towards its goal of becoming the first all-disabled team to race in the Le Mans 24 hour race.

Damon is a patron of the team and has supported team founder Dave Player since the team was established in 2015. Damon’s son Josh worked with the team’s linked charity, KartForce, which helps injured military troops to access karting

The team recently announced its move to GT racing in 2018 and revealed its full-spec Aston Martin V8 Vantage. The team has developed the world’s most advanced hand control technology which allows its disabled drivers to compete on equal terms with able-bodied drivers.



Having secured significant corporate sponsorship over the last 18 months, the team is in a strong position as it sets its sights on GT racing this year, with their first competitive race yet to be revealed.

With the addition of the Aston Martin, the Team BRIT academy model will begin this year, welcoming rookies into the Fun Cup championship, driving cars #158 and #312 before progressing on to GT racing.

Damon had a day testing the controls in the new Aston before showcasing the controls on Friday. He said, “I’ve had some fantastic experiences through motor sport. It is not without its risks, however. But that’s the point. Failure is not an option! But if you have a small setback, there is always tomorrow. There is always another challenge.

“I think TEAM Brit have created the perfect rehabilitation challenge for injured servicemen and women. Motorsport demands total commitment and thorough preparation. Problems are there to be overcome. The race is always on! So if you are out of action for the services, there are plenty of challenges ahead in motorsport, which is the perfect medicine for putting history to bed. I wish TEAM Brit all the very best with their adventure and I am very honoured to have been asked to endorse this endeavour. See you at Le Mans!”



Team BRIT founder and CEO Dave Player said “We are extremely proud to have the support and backing of one of Britain’s finest racing drivers. Having Damon drive our Aston and seeing him so impressed with the hand controls meant so much to us. We can and will be competitive and will show the world what we can achieve as a disabled team.

“2018 is set to be our biggest year yet as we enter GT racing and I’m looking forward to seeing our drivers progress and showing new rookies what is possible thanks to our technology.”


Source material - Team Brit
Photo credits - Kingsize Photography

Australian based Miedecke Stone Motorsport are in the recruitment market looking for an experienced race mechanic to help build various fine tin top race cars for the team as well as their brand new Aston Martin Racing V12 Vantage GT3!

Chassis #39 was acquired by the team at the mid way point of last year alongside another customer bought GT3 car, with their car being intended to be run by them at the 2018 Bathurst 12hour event.

Whilst we do not yet know where this car will be run in 2018, one thing for sure is that their new GT3 will be the last AMR V12 Vantage GT3 to be built even though the last V12 chassis has already left the Prodrive factory!

Another significant milestone was achieved by TeamAMR's latest member with Team Brit running their new Aston Martin Racing V8 Vantage GT4 for the first time around the Brands Hatch circuit in Kent today.

With the team having been formed back in 2010 by Dave Player and a now regular sight on the national racing circuit, 2018 sees the "most inspirational team in motorsport" take another giant leap forward into the realms of GT racing for the first time this year with selected entries into both the British GT Championship and Creventic's 24H Series events for any combination of their six, so far named drivers.


On hand today to continue raising media awareness of the team and their efforts to become the first ever all disabled team to compete at Le Mans was none other than former F1 Champion and BRDC President Damon Hill.

Hopefully we can get some footage and some quotes from the team in due course but in the meantime here's a very healthy hand clap from us!!

Photo credits - Team Brit

Just a few days after their first test of the winter months ,TF Sport were back at it today clocking in the laps at Oulton Park all in readiness for the opening round of the 2018 British GT Championship at the circuit come the end of March.

Significantly this time, the team's two bronze drivers Mark Farmer and Derek Johnston were this time joined by both halves of the infamous AMR 'Dane Train' who had their first taste of their respective Aston Martin Racing V12 Vantage GT3's as well as a re-aquaintance/familiarisation with the circuit.


Joining Mark Farmer in his #11 car this year will be AMR factory WEC driver Nicki Thiim whilst Derek Johnston will be joined by Marco Sorensen in his #17 car.

Not alone at Oulton Park, Beechdean AMR were also out testing their V12 Vantage GT3 with Andrew Howard and (also AMR Factory WEC Driver) Darren Turner behind the wheel for the first time this year as that duo change platforms and series together for the 2018 season having raced Howards GTE together in the European Le Mans Series.


This news here was that - for the first time since its creation, the teams X3 chassis car sported a pure white wrap instead of its usual blue/ white and cartoon character livery that we have all become accustomed to. Howard has already confirmed that a new for 2018 livery will be on the car for the start of the season.

Also at the circuit were the Generation SuperRacing team of Matt George and James Holder in their predominately white AMR V8 Vantage GT4. We were told by team boss James Appleby at the Autosport Show back in January that the pairing will be entering ad-hoc European GT4 / FFSA GT4 Series events in their Vantage GT4 subject to grid availability (which we understand may just well be at a premium this year) as well as the Aston Martin Racing festival at Le Mans in June.

The pair are of course involved in Holder's Jaguar Invictus Games GT4 programme within British GT.

Photo credits - TF Sport / Beechdean AMR

Anyone at Donington may have thought that the colour button had been somewhat muted as Surrey based TF Sport kicked off their British GT testing account at the circuit yesterday.

Proudly sporting the Danish names above the door of the team's new pro-drivers, it was left to the team's Gentleman drivers of Derek Johnston and Mark Farmer to re-aquaint themselves with their V12 Aston Martin V12 Vantage GT3's for the first time since taking their 1-2 finish at the final round of British GT Championship last year.


From what the teams PR crew told us and contrary to previous reports (including ours), we now understand that the final livery choice for each car has still yet to be finalised by the team who indeed used the test sessions to see 'what looked good' on the cars out in the winter sun!!


The purpose of the team releasing only black and white images was simply not to give anything away ahead of the final livery reveal which will be some time very soon!.

Photo credits - TF Sport / Jacob Ebrey

There was no mistaking the increased presence of the Aston Martin name and logo aboard the new Red Bull Racing RB14 Formula One car unveiled this morning as the race team and prestigious car manufacturer enter into their innovation partnership and title sponsor deal for 2018.

Having seen the AML marque feature on the Red Bull F1 car in a more subtle manner for the last couple of years, 2018 sees the two enter into an extensive technical partnership both on and off the track.


Having already seen those within the two companies come up with the 'ultimate' hypercar in the form of the Aston Martin Valkyrie (a car that may be seen on track as early at the Aston Martin Festival support event at Le Mans in 2018) it is hoped that further strives can be made with the establishment of their new shared Advanced Performance Centre in Milton Keynes.


At a very wet Silverstone circuit today, Red Bull Racing driver Daniel Ricciardo took the car out for its first tentative steps around the National circuit with the car adorned in a bespoke livery purely for PR purposes (unfortunately because we like its form and simplicity).

Testing proper for the F1 team starts next week.

Photo credits - Red Bull Racing

Having obviously made a lasting impression with those within the China Equity AMR team last year, it appears that Aston Martin Racing's hired gun (Ross Gunn) will again be making those long haul flights for the 2018 China GT Championship.

Paired up last year with Taiwanese driver Stanley Yang, he and Gunn achieved a 75% success rate in those four races they had together, results that went a long way in recovering the overall championship position for the team and their V8 Vantage GT4 having languished at its foot for a time.

At the last event of last year, Gunn's unavailability was covered by fellow Brit Jack Mitchell (then of MacMillan Racing) who own success secured Yang third place overall in the final standings.

By placing Gunn within the team from the very start of the upcoming 2018 season, both AMR and China Equity hope to establish a secure sounder footing within the Chinese national GT championship having had to skip four races (two rounds) last year which wasn't a good position to be in for the Prodrive supported and major AML stakeholder team.

The Aston Martin brand was also represented by customer team Zea Fea Racing who enjoyed initial and then later success within the championship before ending the season behind China Equity AMR. We await to hear of any news from them for 2018.

The 2018 China GT season is due to start in mid April at the champions Official Test at the Beijing Goldensport Circuit before the first two races of the season from the Zhuhai Circuit near Macau before culminating twelve races late at Shanghai in October.


When we last spoke to Gunn, we know that he thoroughly enjoyed the racing scene in China particularly the more obscured circuits that remain off the international race scene. The food meanwhile was something else - something he may need to stick at for a bit!!


Photo credits - China GT

Just as we suspected at the Autosport Show last month, there is indeed a new line of Aston Martin Racing replica racewear coming on line for the start of the 2018 World Endurance Championship.

Presently limited to just men's/women's polo shirts, T shirt, wooly hat and 'travel wear', all can be viewed and purchased from AMR's official outlet HERE


UPDATE - APPEARS THE RACE WEAR RANGE HAS BEEN TEMPORARILY REMOVED FROM SALE ALTHOUGH NEW 'TRAVEL' RANGE REMAINS FOR SALE

That was the term given to the last four days of extensive testing by Aston Martin Racing after the first extensive running of their two new V8 Vantage GTE Pro cars entered into the 2019/19 World Endurance Championship.

With the Test Car having previously taken all of the team's attention on track, some seriously long hours from those within the Prodrive workshop delivered two brand new 2018 GTE Pro cars just in time for last weekend's test at the Motorland Aragon Circuit in central Spain for their six allotted drivers as confirmed at last Fridays FIA WEC/ACO announcements.

Completing the trilogy of racing series again for the Surrey based TF Sport team today came confirmation of the return of the Oman Racing Team to the Blancpain GT Series Endurance Cup with new drivers and in a new class.

Pro-Am Class winners in 2017 and runners up in class at the Spa 24 last year, the TF Sport prepared  Aston Martin Racing V12 Vantage GT3 returns to the European circuit with a revised line up compared to last year of Ahmad Al Harthy, Charlie Eastwood and Euan McKay - obviously to make the new all Silver grade line up.

McKay returns to the team having raced with them at the Gulf 12hrs in December where technical gremlins cost their car an overall race podium. Eastwood meanwhile is the latest recruit to the team and features with them in the World Endurance Championship endeavours alongside past Oman Racing drivers Salih Yoluc and Euan Hankey.


Team boss Tom Ferrier said “We’re looking forward to the challenge again. It’s a step up for Ahmad now as a Silver driver and it will be good to see him race with two of our rising stars in Charlie and Euan. Consistency is always key and we want to make sure we finish each race and make sure that we’re in the position to challenge for the Silver Cup.”
Official Test days for the Blancpain GT Series at Paul Ricard are just a month away!

Photo credit - TF Sport

Team BRIT’s drivers and cars will bear the iconic Aston Martin marque in 2018 as it has officially become one of the luxury brand’s customer teams.

Having upgraded into the GT racing arena this year with a V8 Vantage GT4, full customer status under the the AMR umbrella will afford the team vital technical assistance and support in its transition year as the team and their incredibly brave drivers strive towards their ultimate Le Mans ambition.

Founder and CEO Dave Player said, “I couldn’t be prouder to see the team bearing the AMR Customer Team branding. We are privileged to be part of the Aston Martin family – an iconic British brand that resonates with everything Team BRIT stands for.

“It has been my dream to take the team to this level of racing, driving a car that is an example of superior British engineering and this is exactly what we have achieved. We look forward to representing the AMR team in 2018 and making history as we move towards Le Mans. “

Having now let the dust (or rather the snow in this case) settle after yesterdays ACO/FIA WEC announcements from Paris, what was first feared that a distinct downward turn in endurance racing would ensue following the withdrawal of the Porsche LMP1 team but actually that transpired into being any but..........!!

Starting with Thursday's European Le Mans Series confirmation that there would indeed be no Aston Martin Racing V8 Vantage GTE competing amongst it came as no real surprise as Salih Yoluc and his TF Sport team had already publicly declared their ambition to step up to the world stage in 2018.

For the ELMS, they had clearly and successfully served their purpose as being a stepping stone in the endurance racing ladder for those with aspirations - one that an ambitious Turk has grabbed with both hands.


For Beechdean AMR, their British GT announcement of this week clarified their position, being prepared to take a short GTE racing sabbatical but step back into the GT3 arena to maintain their skill sets whilst business commitments temporally keep team boss Andrew Howard away and otherwise from potentially stepping up into the world arena as well.

Then Friday's FIA WEC's announcements may not have raised any surprises in terms of Aston Martin Racing's and their customer team's participation, but maybe raised an eyebrow or two in the absence of any team confirmation.


Starting with those already mentioned, it was great to see the ACO and the WEC reward Yoluc's ambition with a confirmed full season entry into what will be an ultra competitive GTE Am field of nine cars and as part of that full season entry they also get a second year at Le Mans in what will be an incredible thirteen car GTE Am entry. As already announced by the team, that car will see a driver line up of Salih Yoluc, Euan Hankey and Charlie Eastwood or the WEC at least.


Staying in GTE Am, it was also great to see that team stalwart and reigning WEC GTE Am Champion Paul Dalla-Lana will indeed be sticking with the Banbury team for this evolutionary season having seen him compete most recently at Daytona and Bathurst in other OEM equipment.

Publicly disappointed not to be able to race the team's new GTE from the off in 2018, the lure of swapping over to the new chassis this time next year was obviously enough for the Canadian to commit to the team following his tests in the new car at Sebring late last year.

Again as a full season WEC entrant, their Le Mans entry is confirmed for himself and fellow GTE AM Champions Pedro Lamy and Mathias Lauda.


The two factory GTE Pro entries is where the eyebrows started to twitch. It was said to us at the official launch of the new GTE way back in November last year that the Le Mans winning #97 car would have a new driver appearance for 2018/19 and yesterdays announcements went part of the way to confirm that.

With the factory team also having active in the driver markets over the winter with the acquisition of two new big GT names coming into the fray, the continuation of a teams two driver line up preference was always going to generate 'casualties' within.


With 2018 now confirmed as starting at the Prologue (official test) in April, the first round proper will this time be at Spa Francorchamps and as this race will also be the pre-cursor to Le Mans it is fully expected that the #95 and #97 cars will field a triple driver squad going into that event and into Le Mans. After that is where we expect one name to be dropped from each car going into the next round at Silverstone in August before increasing again for the 12hours at Sebring, Spa and Le Mans again in 2019.

Yesterdays events confirmed that 2017 Le Mans winner Darren Turner would again become Danish and would rejoin the Dane Train of Marco Sorensen and Nicki Thiim (as he did at the start of 2016) in the #95 car whilst fellow Le Mans winner Jonny Adam would lead team newcomers Alex Lynn and Maxime Martin in the #97. For two Le Mans winning British drivers to potentially miss out at their 'home event' at Silverstone in August is disappointing for them and the fans if that were to be the case.


That is all we know at present, other than all GTE entrants into the WEC/LM24 have now made their way to Motorland Aragon in Spain for an intensive 4 day test. Hopefully social media will again play its part with the drivers and teams keeping us updated!

Photo credits - social media/AMR

Putting today's new out of Paris to one side, elsewhere in the world has seen #TeamAMR kick off 2018 with a brace of podiums in South Africa and the re-emergence of our friends down under.

Charl Arangies and his Stradale Motorsport team kicked off their opening rounds of their national Extreme Supercars Series two weeks ago with two lights to chequered flag overall race wins aboard their former Motorbase Aston Martin Racing V12 Vantage GT3. This is their first year aboard the AMR having stepped up last year from a Lamborghini.


Meanwhile and over in the USA last month, Canadian based GT Racing were again out with their former PFL Motorsport V12 Vantage GT3 at the PBOC Motorsport Winterfest event at the Sebring International Raceway where father and son duo Marc and Louis-Philippe Montour extended their collection of silverware for their efforts

Competing in two sprint races and a six hour night enduro, the duo collected class gongs for P3 and P2 in class for each sprint race respectively before claiming top class honours in the night race.


Over in Queensland, Australia and not race meeting related we saw Miedecke Stone Motorsport out for the first time this year (yesterday) shaking down their two V12 Vantage GT3's after their winter rebuilds which sees their chassis #11 (the white car) being listed for sale whilst final deals are put into place for their remaining GT3/GT4 machinery within their domestic Australian GT series.

Photo credits - social media

Its fantastic to see one of the most successful British GT GT3 teams making a welcomed return to their national GT Championship with their infamous blue and white liveried Aston Martin Racing V12 Vantage GT3.

Having taken the massive step up the GT ladder into the European Le Mans Series in 2016 and winning the GTE title in the process aboard their own AMR V8 Vantage GTE, team boss Andrew Howard and his Beechdean AMR team have elected to return to the fiery cauldron that is British GT scene with his new co-driver for the 2018 season in Darren Turner.


Winning his GT3 Championships in both 2013 and 2015 with Jonny Adam by his side, Howard spent last years ELMS season under the watchful eye of AMR factory driver Darren Turner who Howard credits for improving his racing style over the year despite the teams 'difficult' season.

Speaking with Howard last year at the launch of the new AMR Vantage GTE, he felt that the then minimum drive time for the Bronze driver was not worth the expenditure for him although that has now of course increased for the 2018 season. We understand that the main reason for the switch is the time needed of him within his rapidly expanding expanding ice cream business.


Turner joins fellow AMR factory drivers Nicki Thiim and Marco Sorensen who will also debut in the British GT Championship with the TF Sport team and their Gentleman drivers Derek Johnston and Mark Farmer whilst Jonny Adam who moves across from TF Sport to the Optimum Motorsport team.

For Aston Martin Racing, placing four of their six factory drivers into what is a highly competitive national GT series is a master stroke as it (a) satisfies the needs of two of their customer teams by also keeps their own drivers race ready as they enter the new drawn out beginnings of the 2018-2019 World Endurance Championship 'Super season'.

Media Day for the 2018 British GT Championship is at Donington Park on 8th March

Photo credits - Jacob Ebrey / AMR