Will the four Aston Martin powered crews be able to impress at the six hours of São Paulo?
Wednesday, July 09, 2025
With the cars and equipment having been packed and shipped straight almost immediately after the flagship ACO event, this weekend sees the team personnel having already made their way down to Brazil for the six hours of Sao Paulo, the fifth round of the season.
Whilst we (like many) may have thought that full season entries, three Heart of Racing and one Racing Spirit of Leman entries and all was tickety-boo – that is apparently not quite the case within the #59 Racing Spirit of Leman Aston Martin Racing Vantage LMGT3.
Whilst Valentin Hasse-Clot and local hero Eduardo Barrichello remain constant within the car, Derek DeBoer steps aside to allow fellow American Anthony McIntosh his first WEC encounter with the pairing then apparently splitting the remaining races of the season between them.
In the other Vantage LMGT3 from the Heart of Racing team, we will again see the familiar faces of Ian James, Zacharie Robichon and Mattia Drudi behind the wheel of the #27 car.
As the race is also down to its more familiar six-hour time distance, we are also back down to two drivers apiece within each of the #007 and #009 Aston Martin Valkyrie Hypercars from the Heart of Racing team as Tom Gamble and Harry Tincknell pair up again within the #007 and with Marco Sorenson and Alex Riberas doing likewise within the #009.
Despite early promises of speed and their first elevation into Hyperpole for the #009 Valkyrie of Sorensen, the longevity of the new platform during the race failed to materialise in comparison to their peers BUT both cars did manage to complete the gruelling 24 hours at the first time of asking which was a tremendous achievement. Then within the LMGT3 class, it was a class pole position for the #27 car, but they just missed out on a class podium finish as they finished fourth in class. The #59 Racing Spirit of Leman meanwhile, saw their race hopes disappear early on with technical issues where necessary repairs saw them return many laps down.
With that disappointment behind them, the #59 car will be one to watch with both Hasse-Clot and McIntosh race ready after other recent racing commitments both in Europe and the USA keeping them sharp.
It’s a similar case for the Heart of Racing contingent after many of them participated within the recent Spa 24 and 25-Hour Fun Cup races around Spa Francorchamps.
Off track, there have also been plenty of adjustments within each of the Aston Martin powered classes with the Vantage LMGT3 getting power/energy/base weight adjustments and with the Valkyrie getting the biggest positive adjustment in class which should see it run faster for longer per stint but only time will tell on that one!
Track action begins on Friday with the first of three Free Practice sessions before Qualifying and Hyperpole on Saturday before the six hours of Sao Paulo being waved off at 11:30 hrs local.
Photo credits – Kelvin Pope (Red Firecracker)
