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So far so good for Aston Martin at Nürburgring

So far so good for Aston Martin at Nürburgring

By on 18/05/2012 in News

Ahead of its most ambitious ADAC Zurich Nürburgring 24 Hours campaign to date, Aston Martin has enjoyed an encouraging day of testing and preliminary qualifying with all four of its official entries showing promising pace around the 25km circuit.

The first day of action at the 40th running of the ever-popular endurance race began with a 90-minute free practice session at 1500hrs CET. Under clear skies, but in cool and breezy conditions, Aston Martin broke into the top-ten as its #006 V12 Vantage GT3 (crewed by factory driver Stefan Mücke (D), Tomas Enge (CZ), Fredy Barth (CH) and Oliver Mathai (D)) set the sixth quickest lap time of the entire 170-strong field, stopping the clock at 8m 37.139s.

In the first of three qualifying sessions later in the day, the same car improved its pace even further having set the fifth best lap time overall with an impressive 8m 31.714s effort. During the four-hour session, in which the setting sun plunged the Germany’s Eifel region into darkness, the sister #007 V12 Vantage GT3 of Darren Turner (GB), Johannes and Ferdinand Stuck (A) and Dennis Rostek (D) finished in seventh position having set a time of 8m 32.247s.

The GT3 cars, run in conjunction with Aston Martin Racing and its long-standing partner team Young Driver AMR, see the marque represented in the headlining SP9 category for the first time. Alongside the pair of V12 Vantage GT3s, Aston Martin is also fielding a V12 Zagato and a V8 Vantage GT4, both in the SP8 category.

With ambitions of securing Aston Martin’s third SP8 class victory at the Nürburgring  24 Hours, the #005 V12 Zagato set the second fastest time in its category, having been driven by Aston Martin CEO Dr Ulrich Bez (D), Chris Porritt (GB), Wolfgang Schuhbauer (D) and Richard Meaden (GB). The #85 V8 Vantage GT4 of Jürgen Stumpf (D), Robert Thomson (AUS), Peter Cate (GB) and Mal Rose (AUS), meanwhile, was third quickest in class once the session had drawn to a close.

David King, Head of Motorsport at Aston Martin, said: “We had a couple of really good sessions today. We got both GT3s out early in the first qualifying session so that they could get out onto a clear track and they were able to set encouraging times. The drivers were pleased with the performance of the cars and they all had plenty of time to re-familiarise themselves with the circuit and the V12 Vantage GT3.”

“Our V12 Zagato and V8 Vantage GT4 drivers all did their two laps to qualify for the race and they were able to get a feel for their cars around this tricky circuit. This is a very important race for Aston Martin and this is our most ambitious entry yet. We have a 100 per cent finishing record on the Nürburgring 24 Hours and the first goal is to protect that.”

The action resumes on Friday 18 May at 0935hrs with the second qualifying session, lasting for two hours. Grid positions will be determined by the best time set over both sessions. The 40 fastest cars will then contest the third and final qualifying session, which determines the starting positions at the front of the grid.

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Aston Martin to enter 8 Vantage race cars for Nürburgring 24 Hour

Aston Martin to enter 8 Vantage race cars for Nürburgring 24 Hour

By on 14/05/2012 in News

For the seventh successive year, Aston Martin will compete in the ADAC Zurich Nürburgring 24 Hours (19/20 May) as a total of eight Vantage racers gear up for the endurance epic. The marque will field its most ambitious entry to date with four official Aston Martins – including a pair of V12-powered Vantage GT3s – supported by a further four customer cars.

In excess of 170 cars will start the fearsome 24-hour race, which runs on the daunting 25km circuit that combines the legendary Nordschleife with the modern Grand Prix track. Having focused its efforts in previous years on near production-specification cars since its 2006 Nürburgring24 Hour debut, Aston Martin will, for the first time, be represented in the senior SP9 category for FIA-homologated GT3 cars. The pair of V12 Vantage GT3s will be run in association with long-standing official partner team, Young Driver AMR.

The lead Vantage GT3, carrying the iconic #007 designation, will be driven by Johannes and Ferdinand Stuck (A) – sons of triple Nürburgring 24 Hour winner Hans-Joachim Stuck – alongside Dennis Rostek (D) and Aston Martin Racing factory driver Darren Turner (GB). Turner’s regular works team-mate, Stefan Mücke, will drive the #006 car with Tomas Enge (CZ), Fredy Barth (CH) and Oliver Mathai (D).

In addition, Aston Martin’s engineering department will return with the spectacular V12 Zagato concept car that made its Nürburgring24 Hour debut in 2011. Targeting another successful race finish will be Aston Martin Chief Executive Dr Ulrich Bez (D), Chief Engineer Chris Porritt (GB), Aston Martin Nürburgring Test Centre Director Wolfgang Schuhbauer (D) and renowned motoring journalist and racer Richard Meaden (GB).

Ahead of the race, Dr Bez said: “Our 100 per cent finishing record in thirteen starts in one of the world’s toughest endurance races is remarkable; truly a testament to the reliability of our cars and the efforts of our people. In the past six years we have deliberately focused on racing close-to-production cars, achieving seven class podiums and three class wins. For 2012, I am delighted to be returning again to drive our V12 Zagato with my engineering team, but also to have such an exciting step up with the V12 Vantage GT3s.”

The fourth official entry will be a V8-powered Vantage run by Aston Martin’s Nürburgring Test Centre team and driven by Jurgen Stumpf (D), Australians Mal Rose and Rob Thomson, and Peter Cate (GB). Aston Martin will be represented by four further customer outfits, including Team Mathol Racing, winners of the SP10 class for GT4 cars in 2010.

David King, Aston Martin’s Head of Motorsport, said: “The Nürburgring 24 Hour race is the most important 24-hour race in the world for GT cars. The quality of the entry in the GT3 class and throughout the field is truly impressive. It is a hugely important step for us to be challenging in the SP9 class, with a top class partner team and a fine driver line up. The V12 Vantage GT3 has a direct line to our V12 Vantage road car, sharing the same chassis and base engine, and I know all the fans will love to see and hear these cars hopefully running near the front of the pack.”

John Gaw, Aston Martin Racing Team Principal, added: “2012 is a development season for the new V12 Vantage GT3 and the Young Driver AMR team are being closely supported by Aston Martin Racing to tune the car to the unique demands of the Nordschleife. We see this as the first step in a longer term plan to challenge for race victory at the Nürburgring in future years, but we are already greatly encouraged by the performance of the car in recent four hour VLN races here.”

Young Driver AMR Team Principal, Hardy Fischer, concluded: “It is an honour and also a big challenge for my team to be representing Aston Martin at this great event; it is something we have wanted to do for a long time. The racing and working conditions are unique – for the cars, the drivers and the team – it takes some getting used to, but we are ready for the challenge.”

The 40th ADAC Zurich Nürburgring 24 Hours starts at 1600hrs CET on Saturday, 19 May. Keep up to date with Aston Martin’s progress on the official website or on its Facebook page and on Twitter.

Fans can follow the race live via Radio Le Mans at www.radiolemans.com, which will broadcast for the duration of the 24 hours.

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Aston Martin Vantage GTE primed for European debut at Spa

Aston Martin Vantage GTE primed for European debut at Spa

By on 27/04/2012 in News

Aston Martin Racing will continue its FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) campaign at the second round of the series, the Six Hours of Spa-Francorchamps, in Belgium on 5 May. The V8-powered Vantage GTE, making its first competitive outing in Europe, will once again be driven by factory regulars Darren Turner (GB), Stefan Mücke (D) and Adrian Fernandez (MX).

The team will arrive at the historic circuit off the back of two encouraging outings in the WEC and American Le Mans Series (ALMS). On its competitive debut, the Gulf-liveried Vantage GTE scored third in the GTE Pro category on the WEC season opener at the 12 Hours of Sebring, Florida, in March. This was followed by fifth position on the ALMS qualifier at Long Beach, California, in mid-April; a fine achievement given that the team started at the back of the GTE field after qualifying was abandoned due to heavy rain.

The Spa circuit, now 4.352 miles in length, is no stranger to endurance racing having hosted a 24-hour race since the 1920s and a 1000km race since the 1950s, which Aston Martin won outright in both 1955 and 1957. In recent years, the Six Hours of Spa-Francorchamps (formerly referred to as the 1000km of Spa-Francorchamps) has provided the final opportunity for teams and drivers to prepare for the biggest race on the international endurance racing calendar, the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

John Gaw, Aston Martin Racing Team Principal, is looking forward to another strong showing from the #97 Vantage GTE: “We’ll arrive at Spa full of confidence that we can deliver another competitive performance. We made real progress with the Vantage GTE during its first two races at Sebring and Long Beach, so we’ll target another WEC podium come race weekend. The whole team is looking forward to racing in Europe again, particularly at a circuit with so much heritage. The Vantage GTE hasn’t yet raced on a track such as Spa, what with its long straights and high-speed corners, so I’m sure we’ll learn a lot about the car throughout the weekend which will be beneficial for the rest of the season.”

Works driver Turner said: “We’ve had two good races now with the Vantage GTE, taking strong results in both of them. The car is coming along well now and we understand more about its performance and characteristics every time we go out. Racing at Spa is usually a highlight of a driver’s season and it’s no different for me so I hope we can continue our good work there. After the two American races this one will be more akin to Le Mans, with regards to strategy and the long lap time. It will be good for the guys to readjust from the ALMS to the WEC regulations before we head off to Le Mans.”

Team-mate Mücke added: “Spa is one of my favorite tracks and I have many good memories of racing there in the past in the Aston Martin DBR1-2 prototype. The track has a good mixture of slow and fast corners in combination with long straights and a lot of full throttle periods, which all make it good preparation for Le Mans.”

Fernandez, making just his third competitive appearance in a production-based racing car, said: “I am truly excited to be racing for the first time at Spa. This is a track that I have always wanted to drive. It is one of the most challenging circuits in the world, a first-class facility and a favorite track for many drivers with the high speeds and elevation changes. It will be a good training ground for us in preparation for the 24 Hours of Le Mans. As for the season, we are off to fairly good start with a third and fifth-place finish in the Lowe’s Vantage GTE. For me personally, after testing and two races, I feel quite comfortable in the car. Everyone at Aston Martin has high expectations for this race, and I feel quite confident that we can continue to build on our momentum at Spa.”

The Six Hours of Spa-Francorchamps will witness the latest instalment in Aston Martin’s return to production-car derived motorsport. Having won the GT1 category at the 24 Hour of Le Mans in both 2007 and 2008 with the DB9-based DBR9, Aston Martin returned to the discipline for the 2012 season after three successful years in the prototype category. The new Vantage GTE, which shares its bonded aluminium structure and base engine with the V8

Vantage road car, has proven its considerable pace potential and durability on its first two competitive outings and continues to improve ahead of Aston Martin Racing’s two-car campaign at the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

Following two free practice sessions on Thursday 3 May and a third session on the morning of Friday 4 May, qualifying for the Six Hours of Spa-Francorchamps starts at 1510hrs later that day. The race starts at 1430hrs on Saturday 5 May. Keep up to date with Aston Martin Racing’s progress on the official website atwww.astonmartin.com/racing or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/astonmartinracing, and Twitter atwww.twitter.com/amr_official.

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Aston Martin V12 Zagato at Nurburgring

Aston Martin V12 Zagato at Nurburgring

By on 22/06/2011 in News

This week Aston Martin is putting the final touches to its race preparations in readiness for the toughest 24 hour race of them all – the annual ADAC Nürburgring 24 Hours on the 25th and 26th June where the new Aston Martin V12 Zagatos will compete.

As they prepare for this endurance race Aston Martin has released a video of the Zagato race cars on track during practice for the 24 hour race.

This weekend marks the next step of an ambitious aston Martin project which began when the V12 Zagato was unveiled at the Concorso D’Eleganza at Villa D’Este in May this year, winning the Design award for Concepts and Prototypes.

The show car was then transformed into the number 3 race car, nicknamed ‘Zag’ (red) and will be piloted in the 24 hour race by Aston Martin CEO, Dr. Ulrich Bez, the company’s Nürburgring Test Centre Director, Wolfgang Schuhbauer and automotive journalists Horst von Saurma and Matthew Marsh.

In addition, a green V12 Zagato (nicknamed ‘Zig’) – car number 5 for the race – was prepared by the team based at Aston Martin’s global headquarters in Gaydon, Warwickshire. Zig will be driven by aston Martin One-77 Chief Engineer Chris Porritt, experienced sports car driver Oliver Mathai, automotive journalist Richard Meaden and experienced amateur racer Peter Cate.

Joining the V12 Zagatos will be a V8 Vantage GT4 affectionately nicknamed ‘Smurf’ (now orange but formally blue) which will be driven by Aston Martin Racing works driver, Darren Turner, journalist and experienced 24 hour driver, Shinichi Katsura, Australian racer Rob Thomson and seasoned Nürburgring pilot Jurgen Stumpf.

Three further customer team V8 Vantages will be competing over the weekend bringing the Aston Martin presence in the race up to six cars with Mathol Racing (#62), Bratke Motorsport Team – AVIA (#85) and Team Pflanz (#75) driving Vantage GT4s in the SP10 class.

Aston Martin ready the AMR-One for Le Mans 2011

Aston Martin ready the AMR-One for Le Mans 2011

By on 06/06/2011 in News

In under a week, the Aston Martin Racing team will be putting the new ground-up developed AMR-One LMP1 prototype race car through its toughest test yet in front of a 250,000 strong crowd at the Le Mans 24 Hours on 11-12 June.

The British team are returning to La Sarthe to continue the development of the new Aston Martin Racing AMR-One in its inaugural year on the 8.4 mile (13.6km) circuit. 2011 has seen the re-invention of the Aston Martin Le Mans programme with an innovative prototype car designed ultimately to make the best of the new technical regulations balancing the performance between diesel and petrol engine competitors. All that is carried over from 2010’s entry is the iconic orange and blue Gulf Oil livery.

 

The Le Mans crowd get their first close look at the Aston Martin Racing AMR-One

The Le Mans crowd get their first close look at the Aston Martin Racing AMR-One

The AMR-One features a new 2.0 litre straight six turbo-charged engine designed and built by Aston Martin Racing. The new open-cockpit car was only given the green light in September 2010 and since then the team has been busy designing, building and developing the car ready for its most demanding challenge yet. The main aim for the team at Le Mans this year will be to accumulate valuable experience and information to support its challenge for top honours later in this ambitious three year programme.

As is tradition, Aston Martin will be running the famous starting numbers of 007 and 009 adorning the two works-entered Gulf liveried AMR-Ones. Driving the 007 car will be Darren Turner (GB) Stefan Mücke (D) and newly joined ex F1 ace, Christian Klien (A). Piloting the 009 car will be Harold Primat (CH), Andy Meyrick (GB) and Adrian Fernandez (MX).

On how the car and the team have been progressing in 2011, Team Principal, George Howard-Chappell said: “Time has not been on our side in the build up to Le Mans, however we have made significant progress since our first outing with the car at Paul Ricard in April. We have recently come back from a test in Monza where the engine has demonstrated better reliability, and our drivers have reported very positively on the car’s balance and handling.”

“We won’t be pushing the car to its maximum potential this weekend, as we need to build up to that. It’s a three year programme; we’re in the early stages of the car’s birth so it will be nice if we can run reliably; the performance will come later.”

The Aston Martin factory team will be joined by three customer teams, Kronos Racing in the LMP1 category with their V12 powered DBR1-2, Jota Sport with their GTE-Pro Vantage and Gulf AMR Middle East with their GTE-AM Vantage.

Howard-Chappell continues: “I am delighted that Kronos, Jota and Gulf AMR Middle East join us this year at Le Mans; I know the fans will be thrilled to watch and hear the V12 and V8 Aston Martins battling it out on the circuit.”

The 24 hour endurance epic begins at 15:00 on Saturday 11 June with live television coverage on Eurosport and commentary via Radio Le Mans (www.radiolemans.com).