Testing gets underway for many new AMR GT4 teams

With a large number of teams from around the world swapping over to the Aston Martin Racing V8 Vantage GT4 platform for their 2020 season, these past couple of weeks has seen a distinct upturn in track and factory activity as both Prodrive keep building, testing and shipping new cars out for these teams to start testing locally ahead of their respective campaign's.

The largest number of convertees has to be in the North American GT racing arena as AMR strategic partner CSJ Motorsport changed the GT landscape over the winter months, supplying nearly ten Vantage GT4 cars to teams competing signed up to compete in both the IMSA sanctioned Michelin Pilot Challenge and the SRO's sanctioned GT4 America Series.


Whilst we have already seen the four new 2019 specification AMR Vantage GT4 take to the track of Daytona International Speedway for the start of the IMSA season, the GT4 America Series still has a few weeks to go ahead of their opening round at the Circuit of the America's in Austin, Texas over the 6-8th March.


We have already seen the California based Rearden Racing team accumulate three such examples of this race car and even race them competitively at the series Winter Invitational at the Thermal Club with great effect. At least two of their cars have gone on to test at CoTA this week although it's not yet known in which classes these cars will compete in.


Last week also saw the Flying Lizards team take delivery and test their new AMR Vantage GT4 (above) with drivers Michael Dinan and Robby Foley having a turn behind the week as they tested at Sonoma Raceway. The conversion  to the AMR platform from such a traditionally staunch Porsche supporting team came about after Dinan raced the Optimum Motorsport Vantage GT4 at least years Gulf 12Hr.


First to announce their passing over to the AMR brand has seen BSport Racing test their new Vantage at both Palm Beach and most recently at Sebring (below). Footage from todays test under the Florida sun has seen the first visuals of their already published livery detail with drivers Kenton Koch and Bryan Putt behind the wheel.


Then, and back in the home country of Aston Martin Racing, this weeks has seen the French AGS Events Racing Team take delivery of their first (of an expected four) car batch direct from the Prodrive factory ready to test at Silverstone ahead of what is expected to be a dual FFSA GT4 and GT4 European Series calendar.

Whilst the team have already announced the driver line ups for their two FFSA GT4 Pro-Am and Am entries - nothing has so far been said in regards to drivers for the other SRO sanctioned Series. Clearly, there is some way to go before the car below looks anything like the image below that!


Whilst we await the declaration of his own racing intentions for 2020, the reigning British GT GT4 Champion and winner of the the 2019 AMR Drivers Academy, Tom Canning has been kept busy shaking down two examples of the V8 Vantage GT4 today alone before they are shipped out to their new clients.

We have already learned that at least one GT4 platform will be making its way over to Japan to support D'Station Racing AMR in their dual class 2020 Pirelli Super Taikyu GT3 and GT4 campaign.

We think that its about to start getting busy!!!

Photo credits - GT4 America / Rearden / BSport Racing / AGS Events / Flying Lizards