This month’s Macau Grand Prix will mark a momentous event in the realms of Aston Martin Racing as the marque again gets represented at the prestigious event for the first time since 2015.

Racing back then with the venerable V12 variant of the Vantage GT3, the Craft Bamboo Racing team entered three such cars into the first running of what was then the FIA GT World Cup for drivers Stefan Mucke, Darryl O’Young and Richard Lyons for which Mucke claimed pole position for the weekend’s first race before eventually finishing P3 in both races.

Its great to see the return of The Racer Group return to the IMSA Weathertech Sportscar Championship (as another one off entry again) this weekend as the California based team dust down their V12 Vantage GTD for their first competitive entry into their national headline sportscar series this year.

Drivers Brandon Davis and James Davison are certainly no strangers to either the car nor the team having already raced the blue #007 in both previous years of the IMSA series as well as this year in the Pirelli World Challenge.


This crew will join at the event the TRG's full season IMSA Continental Tyre Sportscar Challenge V8 Vantage GT4 entry of Kris Wilson and Craig Lyons, a crew who presently lie mid table in the GS class after a mixed bag of results so far this season.

Australian based Miedecke Stone Motorsport have this week confirmed the sale of another of their Aston Martin Racing V12 Vantage GT3 fleet as their position themselves (already) for their ambitious 2018 plans.

Having recently sold their chassis #11 GT3 car  some weeks ago George Miedecke has confirmed their sale listing for their chassis #19 car - the car that he, Ash Walsh and Tony Bates raced at this months Bathurst 12Hr so effectively before misfortunate removed the car prematurely from that event.


The full listing for the ex. Craft Bamboo Racing car can be found HERE

That still leaves the team with one V12 Vantage GT3 (as well as a V8 Vantage GT4) that he and his father Andrew are due to race in the Australian GT Endurance Championship which starts in May.

They were due to have a car entered into the Australian GT Championship with Tony Bates but that deal sadly failed to materialise although that is still being listed on some sites.

Their plans ………………… That is for them to announce!

Photo credits - MSM

The Racers Group will sport at least one Aston Martin V8 Vantage in the 2017 IMSA Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge with Craig Lyons and Kris Wilson teaming up for the first time with this British GT4 car in the GS class.

The inaugural FIA GT World Cup final had Craft-Bamboo Racing starting on the back foot before coming back to snatch third in both the drivers' and manufacturers' championship. Teammates, Richard Lyons and Darryl O’Young started from P6 and P8 respectively but were confident that they could make their way up the field. The lights went out and the FIA GT World Cup was underway but there was more controversy right from the start. Eduardo Mortara jumped the lights and was later given a 20 second penalty for his offence.

Lyons made a cracking start in his #99 Gulf Marine Interush Aston Martin to take several positions by Lisboa corner. Unfortunately, a late braking McLaren turned missile, rear ended Lyons and torpedoed what was looking like a very competitive challenge. The #99 driver, never having raced in Macau, made huge strides in his performance and would have been a true contender without the unwarranted contact. This put an early dent in the team’s chances of claiming the manufacturer’s title and further stacked the odds against Craft-Bamboo. O’Young made his push right from the start, but on the first lap, a damaged Porsche on its way to the pits caused the Macau champion to lose more than ten seconds and forced him to play catch up for the remainder of the race.


After an unfortunate and harsh ruling that dropped #97 w11.com driver, Stefan Mücke, from pole position to third after the qualification race on Saturday, he began the final boxed in by a slower Mercedes. It was clear though that Mücke had the pace to challenge the leaders but was finding it difficult to find a way around with the Mercedes employing a tough strategy. Over the coming laps, Mücke kept up the pressure on the Mercedes and finally got the chance to make his move but was forced dangerously close to the outside. This allowed two Audis to sneak by and dropped Mücke to fifth, but he was determined to keep his challenge alive by striking back before a wayward Porsche caused a safety car period on lap 14. After two laps behind the safety car an incident involving another Porsche making contact with the barrier caused the race to be red flagged. This was a very unfortunate end to the weekend as Mücke and O’Young were not given the chance to compete for an even greater result, knowing that they had the speed to make a difference. O’Young had been working hard in the #55 VLT and had managed to pass two drivers on the narrow Macau streets to be classified fifth by the red flag.

After being so dominant throughout the weekend, Craft-Bamboo Racing were unable to secure the FIA GT World Cup title despite the competitiveness of their trio of Aston Martins. The team scored third overall in the manufacturers’ category, missing the second spot by only one point but taking third in both categories is still a huge result for the team and a fantastic achievement among the world’s best GT teams and drivers.

On track at least in this morning's Qualification Race, Aston Martin Racing's Stefan Mucke earned a lights to flag victory aboard his #97 Craft Bamboo Racing V12 Vantage GT3 in Macau.

Having left things late in the qualifying session yesterday to claim the inaugural pole position for this new event it appears that a race restart procedure transgression earned the German a ten second post race penalty that would ultimately drop his finishing position down to fourth.

The series later confirmed that Mucke has been adjudged to have braked suddenly and without just course directly in front of Marco Engel in the following Mercedes SLS GT3 causing Engel to take avoiding action and earning the German an unfair advantage at the restart following an incident with one of the Bentley's.


Stablemates Darryl O'Young and Richard Lyons also had a good opening race starting from sixth and seventh on the grid respectively. Lyons quickly got the jump on the #55 VLT liveried car of O'Young on the opening lap to move up to sixth - a position that he would maintain until the end.

O'Young would get muscled off what racing line exists around the street circuit to drop down to ninth by lap 3 - he would later recover to finish the race in eighth - just two seconds behind the #99 Gulf liveried car of Lyons.


Tomorrow sees the eighteen lap feature race of the GT World Cup event with the drivers starting in their finishing positions from todays race. That means Mucke starts P4, Lyons P6 and O'Young P8.

Photo credits - FIA GT World Cup

Aston Martin Racing factory driver Stefan Mucke today secured pole position for the inaugural FIA GT World Cup at the Macau Grand Prix.

Representing the marque with customer team Craft Bamboo Racing the German joined team regulars Darryl O'Young (#55) and Richard Lyons (#99) with their vibrantly liveried V12 Vantage GT3's in the FIA's event designed to showcase everything that is best about GT racing.

The Hong Kong based CBR team quickly found pace and rhythm during the Free Practice sessions with Darry O'Young (2015 GT Asia Champion) heading the AMR trio in fourth behind the then domineering Mercedes with Mucke and Lyons behind in sixth and tenth places respectively. Come the second Free Practice session the #97 car of Stefan Mucke then turn the table to become the fastest car on the tight and twisty street circuit with O'Young down in sixth biy only a half second slower.


During a dramatic and red flag marred Qualifying session earlier this morning a flying Mucke left it until after the third crash induced red flag period to elevate himself from a still credible fourth up to clinch a dramatic last minute pole potion, beating the new Audi R8 of Edoardo Mortara by nearly a tenth of second (2:18:032).


Team mates O'Young also went on to secure sixth (2:19:427) and Lyons just behind in seventh (2:19:637) for the twelve lap Qualification Race on Saturday which will also determine the starting positions for the 18 lap Feature Race on Sunday.


Stefan Mücke

The entire 2015 GT Asia Series championship has boiled down to the final round in Thailand this weekend, where Craft-Bamboo Racing will be fighting to take both the drivers’ and teams’ championship at the Chang International Circuit. #99 VLT driver, Darryl O’Young, is four points clear of his closest competitor after a stunning double win in Shanghai with teammate, Daniel Lloyd. The pair will be looking to make a repeat of their performance this weekend to seal the drivers’ championship and help Craft-Bamboo Racing to close the gap in the teams’ championship. Richard Lyons and Frank Yu will be hoping for a better weekend after a tough round in Shanghai but the pair is positive that they can deliver the results to move the team into the number one spot in the teams’ championship.

After their dominant double victory in Shanghai, Darryl O’Young was able to take the lead in the drivers’ championship and stay four points clear of his closest competitor. The #99’s season rivals in the Bentley sit only four points behind, placing them within striking distance of the VLT Aston Martin. O’Young and Lloyd will be doing everything in their power to keep the Bentley behind them while they make their final championship assault, and a good qualifying session will give them the best opportunity of staying ahead. Achieving pole position in the last two rounds, the #99 pair are set on continuing their streak and have shown how quick they can be at the head of the pack.


Richard Lyons and Frank Yu were off to a great start last round in Shanghai after taking pole and were leading for the majority of the race. Unfortunately, the pair’s bad luck struck once again and thanks to multiple incidents, prevented them from taking home a top result. With the #88 Interush Aston Martin’s pace undeniable; Lyons and Yu will be challenging at the very front of the field in Thailand and are on the hunt to capture their first win of the season. With only 14 points separating the top of the teams’ championship, the #88 pair will be fighting to score as many points as possible to help the team towards their goal of taking both championships.

Practice for rounds ten and eleven of the GT Asia Series will begin on Friday, October 23rd. Qualifying one will be held on Saturday, October 24th, from 9:40-9:55, with qualifying two running from 10:05-10:20. Race one will be held on Saturday from 13:35-14:35 (local time GMT +7) Race two will be held on Sunday 15:15-16:15. Live streaming of the event will be available from the GT Asia Series YouTube page, https://www.youtube.com/user/afosTV.

Richard Lyons, Driver

"It hasn't been the campaign we had hoped for in the #88 Interush Aston. However, Thailand is a new circuit for most teams and drivers so we might see a shakeup in the results. I've raced there twice in the last year so I'm hoping I can share this experience with Frank and get us running at the sharp end."

Frank Yu, Driver

“It is the last round of the championship and we haven’t had much luck this year so we are looking for a strong finish to score some points for the teams’ championship. We would also like to see our VLT sister car win the drivers’ championship this year.”

#99 VLT Aston Martin V12 Vantage GT3

Darryl O’Young, Driver

“I'm looking forward to the weekend in Buriram as the championship is really down to the wire. With only a 4 point spread and several competitors in the championship fight, anything is possible heading into the season finale. I'm not going to think too much about the points, we just want to repeat the job we did in Shanghai which is to execute a mistake free weekend, and hope that is enough to win the title. It’s anyone’s championship and Craft-Bamboo Racing is ready to step up our game in this critical moment in the championship.”

Daniel Lloyd, Driver

“Really looking forward to Thailand, it is a little different because not many people have been to the circuit before which is a good thing for me because I haven’t been to any of the circuits out in Asia. I have been doing a lot of preparation on the simulator to get ready for the last round. The track seems great, a real driver’s circuit. The main focus is going to be working together to take the championship the last two rounds have been really positive and we will be trying to repeat this success in Thailand.”

Richard Coleman, CEO of Craft-Bamboo Racing

“This is the most important race of the season and with both the championships on the line we are going to have to dig deep. After the success in Shanghai, the team has proved what they can do and we will be going out there with the intention of taking both championships.”

Tens days after confirming just one driver for the forthcoming FIA GT World Cup event at Macau in mid November, Aston Martin Racing and their customer team Craft Bamboo Racing yesterday confirmed the remaining two driver slots.




Joining Craft Bamboo Racing stalwart Darryl O'Young will be fellow Craft Bamboo Racing and GT Asia entrant Richard Lyons together with works driver Stefan Mucke.






Lyons shall compete in his 'regular' Interush sponsored #99 car, now with a hint of Gulf sponsorship and livery whilst Mucke (no stranger to the team from previous events) will compete in the W11.com sponsored #97 car.


“It is great to be back in Macau this year. It is an amazing event on the craziest street circuit and will be my second race with Craft-Bamboo in 2015. After our podium finish in Bathurst we want to be at the very top of the podium in the FIA GT World Cup final" said Mucke whilst Lyons was a little bit more surprised at the opportunity. “I never thought I would get the chance to race at the inaugural FIA GT World Cup in Macau. This is a fantastic opportunity for me" he was reported to have said.

Darryl O’Young now leads the drivers’ championship after a dominant race two win in Shanghai, where Daniel Lloyd helped the #99 pair to lead from start to finish. O’Young is now four points clear of second place, with only one round left in the championship scheduled for next month in Thailand. The #88 Interush Aston Martin of, Richard Lyons and Frank Yu, proved to be even quicker, setting the fastest lap of the race but were unable to capitalize on their speed after having to fight their through their way through the midfield.

Darryl O’Young is once again tied for the lead in the GT Asia Series drivers’ championship after an incredible last minute dash by teammate, Daniel Lloyd, helped the pair to victory in race one at the Shanghai International Circuit. The #88 Interush Aston Martin of, Richard Lyons and Frank Yu, started the race on pole and were looking like strong contenders for the win until two separate incidents of contact ruined their chances.

O’Young started the race in P8 and after a long battle in the midfield, the Hong Kong driver handed over to teammate Lloyd at the start of the pit window. The young Brit began to move his way up and was making good progress until a large accident brought out the safety car. After the extensive safety car period, there were only a few minutes of race one remaining. Lloyd, who was in P5, didn’t give up and instantly made the jump on the Ferrari of Liu as the safety car returned to the pits. From here, Lloyd was on a mission to hunt down the leader before the flag fell. In an incredible display of skill, the Craft-Bamboo driver closed the gap and fought his way to the front of the grid, taking P1 with a superb maneuver, running three wide on the way into the first corner. Lloyd executed the daring challenge perfectly and was now in the lead with one lap left. In a nail biting finish, Lloyd roared down the pit straight for the final time at the front of the pack and took the win for the #99 VLT Aston Martin.

Both of Craft Bamboo Racing's Aston Martin V12 Vantage GT3's were the pick of the bunch during the two qualifying sessions for rounds eight and nine of the 2015 GT Asia Series.

Continuing the teams Free Practice domination, in Q1 it was the #88 car of Frank Yu and Richard Lyons who secured top honours just ahead of last years championship winning Clearwater Ferrari 458. Its sister #99 car of Darryl O'Young and Daniel Lloyd only qualified in a difficult mid field position for tomorrows race.
In Q2 however fortune was on the side of the #99 car when the end of a red flag period only left Lloyd enough time for a single run to beat then then pole sitting Bentley. Evolution Academy driver LLoyd, who is sitting in again for the injured fellow Evolution Academy driver Jonathan Venter, ultimately crossed the line four hundredths of a second faster to claim pole. In an almost mirror image of Q1 the #88 finished eighth.

Craft-Bamboo Racing were able to claim a third place podium in the inaugural Sepang Three Hour for round seven of the GT Asia Series after a dramatic end to the rain soaked event. It was the #99 VLT Aston Martin of, Darryl O’Young and Daniel Lloyd, who took P3 after they started the afternoon from pole position after two blistering qualifying performances. The #88 Interush sister car of, Richard Lyons and Frank Yu , proved to be quick as well, starting from P3 on the grid for the three hour spectacle. They unfortunately suffered some setbacks but fought back towards the end of the race to take P10. The #99’s efforts today, see Darryl O’ Young only three points away from first place in the drivers’ championship heading into the next round in Shanghai.

It was, Frank Yu, who began the three hour event for the #88 Interush car and he made a clean get away from the rolling start, keeping the car out of trouble into the first few turns. Frank battled in the intense heat to drive a fantastic stint, keeping at bay many seasoned international GT drivers and at the end was able to hand over the car in P8.

Richard, showed his great pace from the get go and started to move up the field but after 20 minutes the weather had taken a harsh turn and brought out the safety car. Making the most of the situation, Lyons pushed as hard as he could and used his knowledge of the circuit to combat the weather and he was able to finish his stint in P6.

After a small break, the GT Asia Series has made its way from Japan and headed to the Sepang International Circuit for round seven of the season. The special three hour endurance event will be held on Saturday after a combined qualifying session and offers up double points this weekend. Both Craft-Bamboo Racing Aston Martins will be fighting hard in a bid to continue their charge to the very top of the leaderboards in both the drivers’ and teams’ championship.

Darryl O’Young is currently tied for the top spot in the drivers’ championship and will be concentrating on taking another strong result, with new teammate, Daniel Lloyd, that will allow him to capture the lead and separate himself from the competition. With double points up for grabs, a haul of championship points is just what the #99 pair needs to create a gap at this crucial part in the season. While Sepang is familiar to O’Young, new teammate, Lloyd, has yet to drive the circuit and will be concentrated on learning and developing a rhythm so he can secure a quick qualifying lap.

Unfortunately, during the break, Jonathan Venter, was injured in a cycling accident and suffered a dislocated and fractured hip which required surgery. This has ruled the young Australian out for the rest of the season while he recovers. He has been replaced by, Daniel Lloyd, also an Aston Martin Evolution Academy member who has experience behind the wheel of the GT3 Aston Martin in the Blancpain Endurance Series and British GT Series.

The #88 sister car of Richard Lyons and Frank Yu are focused on using this round to their advantage after some unlucky contact prevented them from being able to challenge for any top results in Fuji. No strangers to the famous Malaysian circuit, the pair will be mounting a championship resurgence this weekend and will be ones to look out for as both drivers have proven on multiple occasions that they are capable of podium results. A smooth weekend is what the #88 car is looking for so they can maximize this round’s points haul and climb their way back up towards the top of the standings.

Practice for the seventh round of the GT Asia Series will begin on Friday, September 4th. Qualifying one will be held on Saturday, September 5th, 09:00-09:15, with qualifying two running from 09:25-09:40. The Sepang Three Hour will be held on Saturday afternoon; from 15:00-18:00 (local time GMT +8). Live streaming of the event will be available from the GT Asia Series YouTube page, https://www.youtube.com/user/afosTV.

“We are really happy to have Daniel Lloyd join #99 as he is a promising driver from the AMR Evolution Academy. He knows the car well and should be able to adapt quickly which is very important for the team as he joins us mid-season” said O'Young

“I think the Sepang Three Hours is going to be quite a decisive round in the championship. Any time you have a double points race it is something that is really important and we are going to have to do all the preparation we can to ensure we get a good result. The team is doing a big re-prep before the weekend and I think Daniel and I are ready for the challenge and we are going to try and move up to championship leader at the end of this race.”

'New boy' Daniel Lloyd said “I think the main focus this weekend is to get settled with the team as soon as possible and come away with some good strong points. For me it's just important to do a solid job, show my pace and keep out of trouble. I've heard great things about the GT Asia championship so I'm certainly not underestimating anything. On a more personal note I'm so excited for it; the circuit was awesome on the simulator so I can't wait to experience it in real life now!”

Source material - Craft Bamboo Racing

The Craft-Bamboo Racing team has a reason to celebrate even after some mixed results at Fuji. Drivers Darryl O’Young and Jonathan Venter of the #99 VLT Aston Martin were able to take the joint drivers’ championship lead after a hard fought second place podium in race two. The #88 Interush sister car of Richard Lyons and Frank Yu had a run of bad luck this weekend, suffering contact at the start of both races which prevented them from being able to challenge for any podium positions. This was made more frustrating by their excellent qualifying performance that saw them start race one in P3. Venter achieved another brilliant qualifying lap that saw the #99 car take pole position for race two and was instrumental in helping them secure the joint lead in the GT Asia drivers’ championship.

Qualifying

It was Richard Lyons who would take to the circuit first and as with the other Japanese circuits featured in the GT Asia Series, Lyons was certainly no stranger. Having raced at Fuji for the past 15 years, expectations were high and Lyons did not disappoint, setting a 1:52.329 which secured them P3 for race one.