We hope that everyone is enjoying their festive break or at least having a pleasant weekend if that isn’t your thing!

We have all now had a couple of days to digest the news of Aston Martin Racing formerly terminating their direct factory participation within events like the World Endurance Championship so they will now sadly not be defending their hard fought GTE Manufacturers, GTE Drivers Championship within that Championship nor their GTE Pro win at Le Mans from earlier this year.

 

Unfortunately missed under the sheer volume of social media traffic after Aston Martin Racing World Endurance Championship announcement earlier today, sees another example of the factory’s new customer-based focus emerge today with the reveal of their latest customer team.

Having competed most recently in the UK GT Cup Championship with a Ginetta G55 GT4, the Feathers Motorsport team has become the latest to reveal their new allegiances to AMR marque after their acquisition of a new AMR V8 Vantage GT4 that drivers James Hilliard and James Guess will compete with in the GT Cup Championship.

 

World Endurance GT Champion and 24 Hours of Le Mans double-class winner Aston Martin will switch the strategic focus of its Vantage GT motorsport programme to concentrate on customer operations from 2021 onwards, bringing an end to a hugely successful nine-year run as a manufacturer team in the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC).

Concluding with its double world championship triumph in the 8 Hours of Bahrain last month, where Marco Sørensen (DEN) and Nicki Thiim (DEN) added the WEC GT Drivers’ endurance crown to the Manufacturers’ title that Aston Martin clinched at Le Mans, the British sportscar manufacturer has achieved every target it set for the 4-litre V8 Vantage GTE – based on the highly acclaimed Vantage road car. Aston Martin will now apply its vast experience and expertise with front-engined GT race cars to drive more success across the international GT racing landscape.

Aston Martin is one of three car manufacturers to have been a mainstay of WEC since the series’ inception in 2012. In its nine years and seven seasons of WEC, Aston Martin has recorded 47 class wins and 103 podiums, nine class championships and four 24 Hours of Le Mans class victories. And there could yet be more for Vantage with Aston Martin hopeful that it will retain a WEC presence through a partner team in 2021 and beyond.

Outside of WEC, Aston Martin’s Vantage GT customer race car has achieved breathtaking success in its second full season of competition. Teams recorded 62 victories and 157 podiums from 323 starts in more than 20 series around the world. One in five race starts for Vantage ended with a win, while half of them concluded on the podium. Of those starts, 14% were from the race or class pole position. In total, including Aston Martin Racing’s two world championships, Vantage captured 26 GT or endurance titles internationally.

With the brand poised to return to Formula 1TM in 2021 for the first time since 1960, Aston Martin will now strive for more accolades in GT racing with Vantage. It is targeting blue riband endurance events with partner teams competing in the Intercontinental GT Challenge, the GT World Challenge, the US-based IMSA Weathertech Sportscar Championship, the Super GT Championship as well as other significant high-profile series.

The shift in strategy for Aston Martin’s endurance programme comes as a new and revised agreement with Prodrive has been concluded for the Banbury-based organisation to continue exclusively manufacturing and distributing the current generation of front-engine GT race cars in a multi-year deal for Aston Martin Racing.

President, Aston Martin Racing, David King said: “This year has been one of unprecedented success for Vantage in international motorsport. At all levels, from GTE, through GT3 to the entry level GT4, we have experienced significant championship success, winning 26 titles across the spectrum of world, international and domestic series. But there is more to achieve, and there is more to come from Vantage, which is why we have concluded that now is the time for us to shift the weight of factory support to our partners as we go in pursuit of success in the most important events in GT racing.”

Chief Executive Officer, Aston Martin Lagonda, Tobias Moers said: “Vantage proved it has world champion pedigree in 2020, and in its GTE variant is a 24-hour race winner. Now with the Vantage GT3 we wish to give our partners and customers the best opportunity possible to fight for victory against our closest rivals in the toughest endurance challenges GT racing has to offer.”

Source material - AMR

 

Great to see the continued threads from new and returning Aston Martin Racing customer teams revealing their plans ahead of the 2021 season with two such teams committing to full season each of GT4 racing in North America.

On the new side, this week saw the Dexter Racing team announce a single AMR Vantage GT4 for their new campaign within the SRO GT4 America Series with an as yet unidentified driver line up. 

With applications being requested from qualifying drivers prior to the onslaught of the COVID-19 pandemic back in February, AMR eventually selected a reduced list of participants of just thirteen drivers who would be receiving the benefits of this factory assisted driver development programme although ultimately, some of these would falter even before they could even begin as racing opportunities diminished as the pandemic took a firmer hold across Europe.

Jamie Caroline (UK) TF Sport British GT Vantage GT4

Dan Vaughan (UK) TF Sport British GT Vantage GT4

Valentin Hasse Clot (FR) Garage 59 GT World Challenge Europe Vantage GT3

Theo Nouet (FR) AGS GT4 European Series Vantage GT4

Nate Stacey (USA) KohR Motorsport Michelin Pilot Challenge Vantage GT4

Patrick Kibble (UK) TF Sport British GT Vantage GT4

Kenton Koch (USA) Bsport Racing GT4 Vantage GT4

Roman DeAngelis (CAN) Heart of Racing IMSA Vantage GT3

Connor O’Brien (UK) TF Sport British GT Vantage GT4

Akhil Rabindra (IND) AGS GT4 European Series Vantage GT4

Robert Hefler (HUN) Virage GT Cup Open Vantage GT4

Cedric Freiburghaus (CHE) ProSport GT4 European Series Vantage GT4

Antonio Ledesma (MEX) Virage Ultimate Cup Series Vantage GT4

Great to read this evening that an Aston Martin Racing V8 Vantage GT3 is expected to return to the ADAC GT Masters Series next season with an as yet, unidentified team.

A press releasee from the Series today confirmed that both AMR and Honda would be making a return to the German national series as part of an incredible 2021 race that has witnessed an application process from over fifteen teams for over thirty-three cars ahead the seven race weekend series (fourteen races) that starts in mid-May at Oschersleben.

This will be the first time that an AMR Vantage GT3 has run in the series since PROsport Performance (as it was then) had initially two full season entries for drivers Maxine Martin/Daniel Kielwitz and Valentin Hasse-Clot/Hugo de Sadeleer in 2019 before that all ‘went south’ and David Griessner and Matt George got a test in one of the team’s GT3 cars at the Nürburgring in September 2019.

As yet, the identity of the team and the two drivers has yet to be confirmed.

Photo credits – ADAC GT Masters

Christoph Esser’s PROsport Racing team is promising another diverse year of motor racing in 2021 with a busy season of European (and perhaps international) racing coming up for both their existing client base as well as new, but familiar faces in their Aston Martin Racing V8 Vantage GT4 race cars.

First up for them in 2021 will be the 24H Series 24hrs of Dubai. Having already dispatched their sea container with all their necessary equipment earlier this month, long term customer Rodrique Gillian and ‘in-house’ driver coach Nico Verdonck will again form the basis of their Creventic series attack starting at Dubai in mid-January before moving onto further rounds at Spa and Portimao before potentially venturing on to the 12hrs of Sebring that is scheduled for mid-November.

Garage 59 has entered two Aston Martin Vantage GT3s into the 2021 Asian Le Mans Series. This is the first time the reigning GT World Challenge Europe Endurance Pro-Am Champions will race in Asian Le Mans and the team is working on assembling the perfect blend of drivers for the challenge.

In the first Garage 59 Aston Martin, the rapid Mike Benham returns to Garage 59 to take up the bronze seat, with Ricard 1000kms sensation Marvin Kirchhöfer joining the team on loan again from R-Motorsport.

Benham said: “I’m looking forward to racing again with Garage 59 and I think we have a good opportunity to take a top result in the Asian Le Mans Series. I’m excited about the prospect of racing with Marvin as I have seen how fast he is so February can’t come soon enough for me.”

Alexander West is one of the fastest bronze-rated drivers in GT3 racing and has previous experience of racing in the Asian Le Mans Series. He will be joined in the sister Garage 59 Vantage by Aston Martin works driver, the platinum-rated Maxime Martin.

Each of the two Aston Martins will also have a third, silver-rated driver, the identities of whom will be announced in the New Year.

The 2021 Asian Le Mans Series takes place in February, with the first two races running during a February 4-6 event and the second pair of races at a February 18-20 event. In order to manage the Covid travel restrictions, the organisers of the series chose to host every race at the world-class Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi. At each event there will be two, four-hour races, using two different circuit configurations and a combination of day, night and twilight racing.

A top result in the Asian Le Mans Series secures a coveted entry for the 24 Hours of Le Mans and the Garage 59 team would love to have a shot at the greatest endurance race of them all.

Garage 59 Team Principal, Andrew Kirkaldy said: “The 2021 Asian Le Mans Series is very well-timed for us. It gives the drivers a lot of competitive running before the summer GT3 season starts and from a logistical point of view is it fairly straightforward. The added bonus is that if you do well you can gain a Le Mans entry, which is something that every team would love to have.”

Source Material - Garage 59

In the first Garage 59 Aston Martin, the rapid Mike Benham returns to Garage 59 to take up the bronze seat, with Ricard 1000kms sensation Marvin Kirchhöfer joining the team on loan again from R-Motorsport.

Benham said: “I’m looking forward to racing again with Garage 59 and I think we have a good opportunity to take a top result in the Asian Le Mans Series. I’m excited about the prospect of racing with Marvin as I have seen how fast he is so February can’t come soon enough for me.”

Alexander West is one of the fastest bronze-rated drivers in GT3 racing and has previous experience of racing in the Asian Le Mans Series. He will be joined in the sister Garage 59 Vantage by Aston Martin works driver, the platinum-rated Maxime Martin.

Each of the two Aston Martins will also have a third, silver-rated driver, the identities of whom will be announced in the New Year.

The 2021 Asian Le Mans Series takes place in February, with the first two races running during a February 4-6 event and the second pair of races at a February 18-20 event. In order to manage the Covid travel restrictions, the organisers of the series chose to host every race at the world-class Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi. At each event there will be two, four-hour races, using two different circuit configurations and a combination of day, night and twilight racing.

A top result in the Asian Le Mans Series secures a coveted entry for the 24 Hours of Le Mans and the Garage 59 team would love to have a shot at the greatest endurance race of them all.

Garage 59 Team Principal, Andrew Kirkaldy said: “The 2021 Asian Le Mans Series is very well-timed for us. It gives the drivers a lot of competitive running before the summer GT3 season starts and from a logistical point of view is it fairly straightforward. The added bonus is that if you do well you can gain a Le Mans entry, which is something that every team would love to have.”

In the first Garage 59 Aston Martin, the rapid Mike Benham returns to Garage 59 to take up the bronze seat, with Ricard 1000kms sensation Marvin Kirchhöfer joining the team on loan again from R-Motorsport.

Benham said: “I’m looking forward to racing again with Garage 59 and I think we have a good opportunity to take a top result in the Asian Le Mans Series. I’m excited about the prospect of racing with Marvin as I have seen how fast he is so February can’t come soon enough for me.”

Alexander West is one of the fastest bronze-rated drivers in GT3 racing and has previous experience of racing in the Asian Le Mans Series. He will be joined in the sister Garage 59 Vantage by Aston Martin works driver, the platinum-rated Maxime Martin.

Each of the two Aston Martins will also have a third, silver-rated driver, the identities of whom will be announced in the New Year.

The 2021 Asian Le Mans Series takes place in February, with the first two races running during a February 4-6 event and the second pair of races at a February 18-20 event. In order to manage the Covid travel restrictions, the organisers of the series chose to host every race at the world-class Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi. At each event there will be two, four-hour races, using two different circuit configurations and a combination of day, night and twilight racing.

A top result in the Asian Le Mans Series secures a coveted entry for the 24 Hours of Le Mans and the Garage 59 team would love to have a shot at the greatest endurance race of them all.

Garage 59 Team Principal, Andrew Kirkaldy said: “The 2021 Asian Le Mans Series is very well-timed for us. It gives the drivers a lot of competitive running before the summer GT3 season starts and from a logistical point of view is it fairly straightforward. The added bonus is that if you do well you can gain a Le Mans entry, which is something that every team would love to have.”

In the first Garage 59 Aston Martin, the rapid Mike Benham returns to Garage 59 to take up the bronze seat, with Ricard 1000kms sensation Marvin Kirchhöfer joining the team on loan again from R-Motorsport.

Benham said: “I’m looking forward to racing again with Garage 59 and I think we have a good opportunity to take a top result in the Asian Le Mans Series. I’m excited about the prospect of racing with Marvin as I have seen how fast he is so February can’t come soon enough for me.”

Alexander West is one of the fastest bronze-rated drivers in GT3 racing and has previous experience of racing in the Asian Le Mans Series. He will be joined in the sister Garage 59 Vantage by Aston Martin works driver, the platinum-rated Maxime Martin.

Each of the two Aston Martins will also have a third, silver-rated driver, the identities of whom will be announced in the New Year.

The 2021 Asian Le Mans Series takes place in February, with the first two races running during a February 4-6 event and the second pair of races at a February 18-20 event. In order to manage the Covid travel restrictions, the organisers of the series chose to host every race at the world-class Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi. At each event there will be two, four-hour races, using two different circuit configurations and a combination of day, night and twilight racing.

A top result in the Asian Le Mans Series secures a coveted entry for the 24 Hours of Le Mans and the Garage 59 team would love to have a shot at the greatest endurance race of them all.

Garage 59 Team Principal, Andrew Kirkaldy said: “The 2021 Asian Le Mans Series is very well-timed for us. It gives the drivers a lot of competitive running before the summer GT3 season starts and from a logistical point of view is it fairly straightforward. The added bonus is that if you do well you can gain a Le Mans entry, which is something that every team would love to have.”