Aston Martin Racing
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Noted drivers | Ian James, Daniel Mancinelli, Alex Riberas |
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Aston Martin Racing is a British
Although all cars are built by Prodrive at their factory, Aston Martin plays an integral part in designing the race cars, as well as integrating elements of the race cars back into Aston Martin's road cars.
On 23 April 2009, Aston Martin chairman and Prodrive founder
Cars
Aston Martin Racing built cars for international
In 2008, Aston Martin Racing entered into the Le Mans Prototype category with the aid of Charouz Racing System, installing a DBR9 V12 into a Lola B08/60 LMP1 prototype.
On 27 January 2009, the team announced a full works entry in the
Three cars were also entered in the
In 2011 the B09/60 was succeeded by the Aston Martin AMR-One, powered by a downsized, 2.0 litre turbocharged straight six petrol engine. Initially, the car was running very poorly. In its first racing event, the 2011 6 Hours of Castellet, it was only as fast as some of the LMP2 cars in qualifying and was plagued with mechanical issues. It completed only 96 laps. They then decided not to race it in the rounds of the Intercontinental Le Mans Cup leading up to Le Mans so they can continue private testing with the troubled car in order to sort out the mechanical issues. So around came Le Mans and despite the testing and extra car, they were still lapping in the middle of the LMP2 pack in qualifying and in the race it was much a much worse scenario. Car #009 retired after only two laps around the Circuit de la Sarthe and car #007 retired two laps later on lap four. Both cars completed a combined six laps at the 79th Grand Prix of Endurance. After this shocking result, the team raced the old B09/60 for the remainder of the season although a much downgraded version in order to comply with the new 2011 regulations.
For 2012, Aston Martin Racing returned to GT racing with the V8 Vantage GT2. They entered two cars at the 2012 24 Hours of Le Mans with one in the LMGTE-Pro class and one in the LMGTE-Am class. They also had a third Vantage in the GTE-Pro class as a reserve entrant. One of the existing AMR-One's has been sold to Pescarolo Sport who are set to compete with that car and naming it the Pescarolo 03. They will use an engine from Judd Power rather than the Aston Martin powerplant. The other AMR-One has formed the base for the new DeltaWing project which debuted at Le Mans in 2012 with Highcroft Racing. The DeltaWing uses the AMR-One's carbon fibre tub.
In 2013 to celebrate the centenary of the marque, the team entered two 2013 specification Aston Martin
On 21 November 2017, Aston Martin revealed the new Vantage: a dynamic successor to the biggest-selling road car in the British marque's history. This evening, in an unprecedented synchronised launch, Aston Martin Racing revealed the new 2018 Vantage GTE: the spectacular new FIA World Endurance Championship challenger poised to replace the team's most successful competition car of all-time, the multiple Le Mans-winning V8 Vantage GTE. Aston Martin Racing has confirmed it will race two brand new Vantage GTEs in the GTE Pro category of the 2018–19 WEC super season.
On 23 December 2020, Aston Martin Racing announced their decision to end their World Endurance Championship LMGTE Pro career and their Vantage GTE factory program in order to focus on their Formula One effort, as well as their LMGTE Am program, which will be funded by Paul Dalla Lana.
On 24 April 2023, Dalla Lana retired from racing and withdrew his NorthWest AMR team with immediate effect a week before the 6 Hours of Spa. Heart of Racing took over the entry, but kept the NorthWest AMR name and number to conform with the championship regulations.
Factory drivers
Current
Results
Since the team's debut at the 2005 12 Hours of Sebring, Aston Martin Racing has earned several important victories in their career. Their very first race actually earned them their first victory, defeating the Corvette Racing squad at Sebring. The RAC Tourist Trophy was also won later that year.
For 2006, Aston Martin Racing entered the full American Le Mans Series season, earning five victories including the Petit Le Mans, and finishing second in the GT1 championship, three points shy of Corvette Racing. In 2007, Aston Martin earned their first victory at the 24 Hours of Le Mans since the company's overall win in 1959 by overcoming the Corvette squad. This feat was repeated once more in 2008 in GT1, while the team also had involvement in the Lola B08/60 LMP1 Coupe run under the Charouz Racing banner
For 2009 Aston Martin Racing entered two of their new prototypes along with Aston Martin Racing Eastern Europe which completed the works trio of
Since 2012 Aston Martin Racing has been racing in the FIA World Endurance Championship with the Aston Martin Vantage GTE, earning them several wins and titles. During the inaugural season of the FIA World Endurance Championship in 2012 Aston Martin Racing finished runner-up in the LMGTE Pro Trophy. In 2014 they won the FIA Endurance Trophy for LMGTE Am Teams and Drivers with Danish duo Kristian Poulsen and David Heinemeier Hansson. During the season they also won the 2014 24 Hours of Le Mans in the LMGTE Am category. In 2016 Aston Martin Racing managed to take the crown in the World Endurance Cup for GT Drivers with Nicki Thiim and Marco Sørensen. They also won the LMGTE Pro Teams’ championship. The 2017 season saw them win both the Drivers’ and Teams’ Championship in the GTE Am category. In June 2017 Aston Martin Racing also won the 2017 24 Hours of Le Mans in GTE Pro with Darren Turner, Jonathan Adam and Daniel Serra driving the winning Aston Martin Vantage GTE.
24 Hours of Le Mans results
References
- ^ "Richards keen on Formula One return". BBC News. 23 April 2009. Retrieved 1 January 2010.
- ^ "Aston Martin to challenge for overall Le Mans win". Aston Martin. 27 January 2009. Archived from the original on 31 January 2009. Retrieved 27 January 2009.
- ^ "What economic downturn? Aston Martin unveils new supercar". PopSci.com.au. 30 January 2009. Archived from the original on 31 January 2009. Retrieved 30 January 2009.
- ^ "2013 24 Hours of Le Mans Entry List". 4 February 2013. Retrieved 27 March 2017.
- ^ "Aston Martin Racing Unveil Strong WEC Line-Up - 24 Hours of Le Mans, American Le Mans Series, FIA WEC - The Checkered Flag". 5 February 2013. Retrieved 27 March 2017.
- ^ "Bruno Senna Hunting Race Wins With Aston Martin Racing Move - 24 Hours of Le Mans, FIA WEC - The Checkered Flag". 6 February 2013. Retrieved 27 March 2017.