Aston Martin DBR9

The Aston Martin DBR9 is a

racing car built by Aston Martin Racing, debuting in 2005 and racing actively in international sportscar racing until the end of GT1 category in 2011. The name DBR9 is derived from the original 24 Hours of Le Mans-winning DBR1 car, named for then-owner David Brown, which not only won the 24 Hour race in 1959 but also the World Sportscar

title. The car is most famous for taking two LMGT1 class wins at Le Mans 24 Hours (2007 and 2008) by the Aston Martin Racing factory team.

Development

Based on the

carbon fibre composite (except the roof) to minimize the weight of the car. To complete the aerodynamic body, the bottom of the car is flat all the way from the front to the rear diffuser. To optimise rear downforce a carbon fibre wing has been added. The engine develops 625 bhp (466 kW; 634 PS) and 746 N⋅m (550 lb⋅ft) of torque, using two 31.2 mm (1.2-inch) air restrictors. Completely unrestricted, however, this engine is capable of developing over 750 bhp (559 kW; 760 PS), and over 880 N⋅m (649 lb⋅ft) of torque.^[2]^[3]^[4]

The DBR9 goes from 0 to 60 mph (97 km/h) in 3.4 seconds, and 0 to 100 mph (161 km/h) in 6.4 seconds.

For the 2007 24 Hours of Le Mans, Prodrive made modifications to the DBR9 design to not only improve performance, but also to increase driver comfort in the cockpit. Due to new regulations put into place by Le Mans organizers, the DBR9 required the installation of an air conditioning unit, to prevent overstressing drivers. Prodrive went further by putting a heat-resistant white roof on all new cars to assist in keeping cockpit temperatures down. Performance modifications included the removal of two, now immaterial, cooling vents from the bonnet of the car.

Racing history

The DBR9 won the

Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca. Aston Martin capped their 2006 ALMS season by finishing second in the GT1 Manufacturer's Championship, earning the factory team an automatic entry to the 2007 24 Hours of Le Mans

.

In the Le Mans Endurance Series, Larbre Compétition took the Team's Championship, with victories at the 1000 Kilometres of Istanbul and 1000 Kilometres of the Nurburgring, a second-place finish at the 1000 Kilometres of Jarama, and a fifth-place finish at the 1000 Kilometres of Donington.

The DBR9 came into the 2006 FIA GT Championship being title contender favourites, but the season was somewhat lacklustre with only two victories at Mugello and Dubai. The Phoenix Racing Aston Martin DBR9 narrowly missed out on victory at the 24 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps. BMS Scuderia Italia cited a problem with finding the right tyre compound with their Pirellis as the factor for their lack of success.

For 2007, Aston Martin was finally able to overcome their woes at Le Mans, securing the GT1 class victory for the #009 Aston Martin Racing DBR9. Larbre's DBR9 would also manage third place in class. The teams running DBR9s managed to finish every car entered. To celebrate that historic victory, Aston Martin built a very limited edition of the DB9 called the DB9 LM (Le Mans), which featured a unique colour, called the Sarthe Silver (named to the track where the Le Mans racing is held), also DBS clear taillights, specific wheels, Magnum silver meshes and crossbar, Sport Pack as standard, a specific interior with red stitching and tertre rouge facia trim. All cars were individually numbered and they are very sought-after today.

Later in 2007, Aston Martin launched another limited production, the

DBS road car which has many styling cues taken from the DBR9 in conjunction with the James Bond film Casino Royale

. Aston Martin Racing's DBR9s raced 2006 and 2007 under the numbers 007 and 009, in honour of James Bond. Unlike the DB9 LM, which was an ultra-exclusive (only 60 built) cosmetic package, the DBS brought many technology from the racing world. A lot of carbon fiber and aluminium used in the body, a serious power upgrade to the engine and a new interior.

In 2008, while Larbre and Scuderia Italia moved on from Aston Martin, Prodrive continued to field a two-car factory team at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. The #009 numbered car, with the new Gulf Oil sponsored paint scheme, driven by Darren Turner, Antonio Garcia and David Brabham, won its class.

A Le Mans-spec DBR9 participated in the

2009 Super GT season

, marking Aston Martin's debut in the series.

Teams

The Aston Martin DBR9 was last run by two customers team in the

Le Mans Series, FIA GT Championship, FFSA GT Championship, and Super GT

.

Past factory teams

Aston Martin Racing, run by Prodrive (2005–2008)
Aston Martin Racing Larbre, run by Larbre Compétition (2005–2007)
Aston Martin Racing BMS, run by BMS Scuderia Italia (2005–2007)

Past customer teams

Team Modena, formerly Cirtek Racing (2005–2008)
Jetalliance Racing, formerly RaceAlliance (2006–2009)
Phoenix Racing (2006–2007)
Barwell Motorsports (2007)
Gigawave Motorsport (2007–2009)
Bell Motorsports (2008)
Strakka Racing, also under the Vitaphone Racing banner (2008)
Team Nova (2009)
Hexis AMR
(2010–2011)
Young Driver AMR, run by Fischer Racing (2010–2011)

Chassis

A total of 16 DBR9 chassis were made including a few upgraded chassis' over the five years it has raced so far.

Chassis history

DBR9/1

The first DBR9 chassis to be built and raced at Le Mans in

Le Mans Series but, in 2007 they raced it in the FFSA GT Championship and the 2007 24 Hours of Le Mans

.

This chassis competed in the

Hexis AMR

team, eventually winning the 2011 Team's championship.

DBR9/2

Another factory

Hexis AMR as Car number 4.^[5]

DBR9/3

Entered by

2006 American Le Mans Series season and got two class wins. Also raced by Larbre Compétition at the 2007 24 Hours of Le Mans

.

DBR9/4

Raced by Team Modena in 2006 and then in 2008 by Strakka Racing who raced at the

Vitaphone Racing Team

banner. Achieved one class win in the LMS in 2006.

DBR9/5

Raced by Bell Motorsports in the

2008 American Le Mans Series season

. No class wins, 4 podiums out of 6 races entered.

DBR9/6

Raced by

2007 FIA GT Championship season

.

DBR9/7

Another

2006 FIA GT Championship season

.

DBR9/8

Raced by

2007 FIA GT Championship season

.

DBR9/9

Raced by

2007 FIA GT Championship seasons

where it picked no wins. Written off at the 24 Hours of Spa in 2007.

DBR9/10

Only raced at the 2007 24 Hours of Le Mans where it won in the GT1 class and finished fifth overall.

DBR9/101

Raced under privateer teams under Russian Age Racing who also raced alongside Cirtek Motorsport in 2005 and 2006 who picked up two wins. It was then owned by Team Modena who raced it in 2007 and 2008 including appearances at Le Mans, and Le Mans Series, gaining 4 victories.

DBR9/102

Scheduled to race at the 2006

Mil Milhas Brasileiras

under Capuava Racing Team but had engine problems in practice.

DBR9/103

Only raced by Jetalliance Racing from 2006 right up to the 2009 24 Hours of Le Mans. In the three years it picked up 4 wins.

DBR9/104

Raced by Phoenix racing in a full

2006 FIA GT Championship season

and only raced once in 2007. It only achieved one win but seven podiums.

DBR9/105

Another DBR9 raced by

2008 FIA GT Championship season

.

DBR9/106

Raced by Gigawave Motorsport in 2008 and picked up five podiums. It was meant to race at the 2009 24 Hours of Le Mans but Gigawave ditched the DBR9 to focus on the Nissan GT-R GT1 programme. The car was used in Gigawave's first Le Man Series race of 2009, the final round at Silverstone, where it won the GT1 class.