Following on from his third in class success at last weekend's Aston Martin Festival at Le Mans, instead of heading home the Academy Motorsport team headed due East for the Slovakia-ring and round 3 and 4 of the Euro Series by Nova.

Under the guidance of team boss Matt Nicholl-Jones, young driver Will Moore would be looking on improving both his driving ability and indeed championship standing after the up and down opener at Paul Ricard in April where he finished with a fifth and an expensive DNF.



With the series still obviously struggling for entries of more than ten cars Moore qualified his Aston Martin V8 Vantage GT4 sixth and third for race 1 and 2 respectively. In race 1 Moore would be classified as finishing P4 having had a time penalty added for a pit window infringement whilst in Race 2 he would fare less well with a P7 finish.


The series now moves on to the Red Bull Ring in Austria at the beginning of July.

Photo credits - Euro Series by Nova

Aston Martin Racing claimed a sensational victory in the second round of the Asian Le Mans Series in Okayama, Japan.

The 007 Aston Martin LMP1 ran faultlessly throughout the three-hour race. Excellent performances from drivers Stefan Mücke (DE) and Harold Primat (CH) coupled with perfect pit work from the Aston Martin Racing crew saw the race go exactly to plan for the British team.

In a repeat performance of race one, Mücke started in fourth place in dry sunny conditions, taking third just across the line. He set about hunting down the front runners with an impressive display of skill and speed, taking second and then first to lead the race by lap 15. The German driver built up an impressive 20 second lead before pitting to hand the Aston Martin LMP1 over to Primat on lap 39, just before the one hour mark.

Primat joined the race in fifth place but as the Aston Martin was one of the first of the LMP1 cars to stop for fuel and tyres he regained the lead soon after when the rest of the field carried out their pit stops. With the temperature dropping Primat built the lead to almost 40 seconds before pitting on lap 83 to return the car to Mücke with just over an hour of the race remaining.

Mücke retained the lead for the last tense hour, stopping briefly for a splash of fuel eight minutes before the end of the race. Thankfully the earlier threat of rain didn’t materialise until shortly after the race had finished and Mücke took the chequered flag for Aston Martin Racing.

Team Principal, George Howard-Chappell said: “I was surprised to see the car had improved so much from yesterday. Full credit to race engineer Dave Wilcock and the rest of the team for flawless work this weekend and I’d like to thank our sponsors and tyre partner Michelin. It has been a pleasure coming to Japan; the whole team has been made to feel very welcome. It’s a great way to finish the season.”

DRIVER QUOTES 007
Stefan Mücke (D): “The car was brilliant to drive and the Michelin tyres were perfect. The team made some minor changes to the set-up last night and it was as if someone flicked a switch and everything just came together. During my first stint the car got better and better each lap and the tyres gave me the confidence to overtake and get out in the lead. Harold did a great job in the middle of the race and then I took over for the final stage. The car was a pleasure today and I am very happy with the win.”

Harold Primat (CH): “I’m so happy! This is my first win in sports cars and I am very pleased that it was with Aston Martin Racing. Stefan gave me the car in P1 and I had a consistent stint with no problems at all. I don’t think anyone was expecting us to be the fastest car on the track today, we surprised everyone including ourselves. The track conditions definitely helped and the car and the team worked really well today.”

George HOWARD CHAPELL (Team Principal): To tell you the truth, we were a bit surprised by the pace of our car today compared to yesterday. We’re delighted with this victory, and we were very happy to come to Japan to support the ACO’s daring initiative. We would like to congratulate the club, as Aston Martin has a big interest in Asian markets.

In the GT1 class, Hitotsuyama Team Nova started from the back of the grid in their Aston Martin DBR9 and went on to win the class, finishing an impressive eighth overall.
AMR

AMR Teams

Hitotsuyama is not an unknown name for the most faithful readers Endurance-Info. At the time of the Japan Le Mans Challenge, the team had already answered this, winning the GT1 title with a Ferrari 550. So it's no surprise that the team was fielded in nippon Asian Le Mans Series, but with an Aston Martin DBR9 this time. After Race 1, concluded on the second step of the podium in the class, Hidekazu Oniki, President of Nova Engineering (who runs the DBR9) was kind enough to answer our questions.

Hidekazu, are you satisfied with your second?

"Not at all! In fact, we had a car well balanced and consistent. Our strategy was to start on pole and that our lead driver creates a gap for our second driver. But with the downgrade, we are the slender back of the grid and we lost some time back. We were first when changing drivers, but not with the expected advance. Moreover, JLOC changed only two tires on his last pit stop and they have earned and precious time. "

What is the purpose for Race 2?

"Simply win to clinch the invitation for the 24 Heures du Mans 2010. It's really our main goal. Le Mans is the best race of the planet and we want to be. The Asian Le Mans Series is the best way for us to prepare for participation in Le Mans. Is the right race. "

Have you been here?

"Not with my own team, but on two occasions personally. The first with Honda in 1995 when we won our category with the NSX. The second time with Nissan in 1997, with the R390. "

What is your program in 2010?

"It's hard to say, but first we are not happy with the settlement of the Super GT. There are too many exceptions for certain competitors. We prefer the rules of the FIA GT and Le Mans Series where the rules are the same for everyone. However, we have no plans to make Le Mans series: we would like, but it's difficult with the current meet budgets. "

But would you be interested in an Asian Le Mans Series taking place over several meetings?

"Yes, this would be ideal. Four or five events in Asia would be a good thing. In fact, I am very pleased with the organization of this championship: it waited so long! "

One last question: Will adjust the Aston Martin DBR9 Regulation 2010?

"Our Aston Martin has all the latest developments and, if we are caught in Le Mans, we will buy the necessary kit. We have full technical support. "

Interview by Anthony Megevand
endurance-info.com

AMR Teams

The 007 LOLA Aston Martin driven by Stefan Mucke made a great start moving up a place to 3rd on the opening lap, Cocker in the Drayson LOLA made a break from the pack but this hard work was all in vain when the team had to pit with a broken head light.

Until the first round of pit stops Oreca lead from AMR and SORA at which point quick pit work from the AMR team and fast laps from Mucke and Primat gave the 007 car the advantage and the lead of the race. All looked set in LMP1 until the closing minutes of the race the 007 made two pit stops, the first to replace the damaged louvers and for a splash of fuel (the Aston only being able to run for 59 minutes on a tank) the second for a new nose. The resulting time lost relegated the car to 4th behind the Kolles Audi.

Well have to wait and see how the team get around this problem for race two.

In GT1 Hitosuyama NOVA stormed into the lead of the class after starting from the back of the grid due to a rules infringement. They lead until the first stops when the JLOC Murcielago passed then in the stops. The team finished a deserved 2nd in class

GT2 didn't go to plan for Hong Kong Racing. The car was sent to the back of the grid for the same offence as its GT1 counterpart. The team never recovered and finished a distant 8th in class
AMR Teams