AMR's family test reunion at Aragon

Not since their triple GTE podium success at the last round of the World Endurance Championship to be run pre COVID-19 at the Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas way back in late February have many of the Aston Martin Racing and TF Sport team personnel been together in the paddock.

Having competed in last weekends opening round of the European Le Mans Series from the Circuit Paul Ricard in southern France, the #98 AMR Vantage GTE's crew made an overnight dash across the Spanish border to the Motorland Aragon Circuit to the west of Barcelona to join up with the team's other two GTE Pro cars as well as TF Sport's GTE Am car for some tyre testing and team re-bonding ahead of the next rounds of both the ELMS and WEC in the coming weeks as well as the 24 Hours of Le Mans later in September.


The enthusiasm to be back behind the wheel couldn't be move evident for both Marco Sorensen and Nicki Thiim with some more 'mad-hattery' on their social media channels after both had been limited to just some sim racing since the beginning of the international racing lockdown soon after the conclusion of the CoTA round and the travel restrictions there after.

We assume that all full season AMR drivers are present at the test - not sure if Paul Dalla Lana has returned home to Canada after last weekends ELMS debut (especially considering international transit issues for those entering and leaving the USA and Canada or not but we do know that Charlie Eastwood is absent from the three day test. He and his significant other are patiently waiting at home  the safe delivery of a certain new (but now overdue) bundle into their lives.

Additional drivers present included the teams two Le Mans 24 only drivers in Richard Westbrook and  Harry Tincknell.

That leaves Jonny Adam and Salih Yoluc aboard the bright red #90 car.


A new name within the team is certainly present at the test in Augusto Farfus who will race with the #98 crew of Paul Dalla Lana and Mathias Lauda at the next round of the ELMS at Spa Francorchamps in two weeks time before re-aligning to Dalla Lana, Gunn and Farfus for the remainder of the WEC season again from Spa the week after that. Aston Martin Racing confirmed that Darren Turner would be stepping aside for Farfus two weeks ago.

Whilst it is highly unusual to hear of any official feedback from the teams at these private tests, the teams should however have no issues with getting temperature into their Michelin tyres with air temperatures pushing 40 deg C - indeed, overheating may become a real issue here!!

But its good to see them back!!!

Oh - and many congratulations to Mr and Mrs Adam and their recent announcement!

Photo credits - Social media