Aston Martin Racing is a British auto racing team established in 2004 as a partnership between automobile manufacturer Aston Martin and engineering group Prodrive. The partnership was initially created for the purpose of returning Aston Martin to sports car racing with the DBR9, a heavily modified variant of the Aston Martin DB9. Since the DBR9’s racing debut in 2005, Aston Martin Racing has expanded to build a variety of cars available to customers, as well as development of Aston Martin’s V12 engine for Le Mans Prototype use. Aston Martin Racing’s program has earned several successes over the years. 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.
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HISTORY Aston martin has produced bespoke sports cars for almost 100 years. The company began in 1913, when founders Lionel martin and Robert Bamford realised their desire to build distinctive, high quality sports cars that were both exhilarating to drive and a beauty to behold. Martin regularly competed in hill climb races at Aston Clinton, and a simple combination of the name of the event and the driver gave birth to one of the most famous automotive marques. Aston martin’s international racing debut was in 1922, when two cars competed in the French grand Prix, rapidly establishing the marque’s racing credentials. Later that year, the team went on to break ten world records at the Brooklands motor racing circuit. By 1929, the Aston martin international model had evolved, setting new standards for road holding and handling. In racing colours, it helped Bertelli and Driscoll triumph in the ultimate test of endurance, winning the biennial cup at le Mans in 1932.
Industrialist David brown acquired Aston martin in 1947 and an iconic era of new DB badged coupes dawned. Brown had a passion for high performance sports cars and wanted Aston martin to win the worldwide recognition he believed it deserved. He also recognised the enormous potential that existed for Aston martin if he could take the company racing. Where better to prove his products than on the international motor racing circuits?
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David brown started his race efforts with DB1 and DB2, which competed well in their own class, but never contended for outright victory. It was decided that a purpose-built sports car was required; the Aston Martin DB3s made its le Mans debut in 1952 and quickly showed potential as a competitive racer. Production versions of DB3s were offered for sale in 1954 and, although not as powerful as the works cars, many customers experienced considerable success racing them. In the hands of the factory team, the Aston martin DB3s went on to win its class at le Mans for three consecutive years from 1955. 1954 Also saw the introduction of a more powerful, supercharged variant of DB 3s. Aston Martin produced a total of 11 works cars and 20 customer cars. The culmination of this customer/ works racing programme was in 1959, when DBR1 swept to victory in the world sports car championship. The highlight of the programme was Aston Martin’s outright win in the le Mans 24 hours. During the late 1950s, a series of four works DBR1S won a total of six world championship races, setting five new lap records in the process. Stirling moss became arguably Britain’s greatest grand Prix and sports car driver in 1959, when he raced a DBR1 as part of a three-car works team entry at le Mans. Moss acted as hare to the Ferraris, 4
which duly expired - as did moss’ engine. But his efforts left the field wide open for his teammates Salvadori and Shelby to claim a momentous first, and trintignant and Frere to take second place in Aston martin’s finest hour. Undeterred by a pit-stop fire taking the lead car out, moss transferred to the Shelby/Fairman car and won the race and the world championship.
Aston Martin Racing was founded to return the marque to international competition. The team’s first race was the opening round of the American Le Mans series at Sebring in 2005, where it scored a spectacular GT1 class victory with DBR9. In 2006, after more than 40 years away, Aston Martin returned to compete on the Nürburgring Nordschleife, where much of the early development of the V8 Vantage road car took place. The all-new vantage n24 finished 24th overall and fourth in class. Buoyed by this success, it made its middle east debut later the same year, finishing eighth in the inaugural Bahrain 24 hours. After a 48-year wait, Aston martin triumphed again at le Mans in 2007. The winning Aston martin racing DBR9 was driven to GT1 class victory and a remarkable fifth overall by David Brabham, Rickard Rydell and Darren Turner. In total, there were six DBR9s entered for the 75th Le Mans 24 hours - two each for Aston Martin Racing and AMR Larbre competition, plus single car entries from AMR BMS and team Modena. All six cars made the finish proving Aston Martin was back to its racing best. One year on from Aston Martin’s first victory in the GT1 class, the 009 DBR9 of David Brabham, Antonio Garcia and Darren Turner claimed another GT1 win at Le Mans 2008. The 009 car took the class victory at the La Sarthe . The second factory Aston martin DBR9, 007, finished fourth in class thanks to an excellent drive from Heinz-harald Frentzen, Andrea Piccini and Karl Wendlinger. The privateer DBR9 of team Modena finished eighth in the GT1 class. In 2009, the team returned to le Mans with an all new prototype car. The DBR12 was by far the quickest petrol powered entry and took a remarkable fourth place overall. The same year, the team went on to clinch the Le Mans Series championship. The team continued to race the DBR 1-2 for the next 2 years, with the car taking its last victory in the American le Mans series race at world renown Laguna Seca circuit, USA in September 2011. 5
In 2012, Aston Martin Racing returned to top flight GT racing with its new V8 Vantage GTE and V12 Vantage GT3 cars. The decision was fuelled by a desire for Aston Martin to compete against its peers - Ferrari, Porsche, BMW, Corvette, Bentley, Mclaren and Dodge; with a car based on a road going product. The team finished 2nd in the inaugural 2012 FIA world endurance championship and has its sights set firmly on winning the title in 2013.
In 2013, Aston Martin Racing attended the Le Mans Series, in efforts to maintain their winning streak for another year, sporting an arsenal of Aston Martin GTEs, with F1 drivers such as Bruno Senna and French former-formula 3 driver FrĂŠdĂŠric Makowiecki. Aston Martin Racing were able to finish 3rd in their class - at a cost, as car number 95 was unable to finish, as Danish driver Allan Simonsen was killed in a crash on the third lap.
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The Aston Martin Vantage GTE sits at the head of the range of Aston Martin racing cars, which also includes the Vantage GT3 and Vantage GT4. It is the most technically advanced and is the car the Aston Martin Racing works team competes with in Le Mans 24 Hours and
the World Endurance Championship. In 2012, 7 podiums, 3 poles, 1 win, 2nd in World Endurance Championship. 2013 Successes: Overall pole positions, race wins, podiums and fastest laps at Le Mans 24 Hour, World Endurance Championship and Sebring 12 Hour.
The Vantage GT3 has been designed from the ground up to offer customers the latest in race-car technology and embraces all the experience Aston Martin Racing has learnt from years of engineering and competing in international sports car racing with the DBR9, DBRS9 and the latest Vantage GTE.
Designed to be the current Aston Martin GT3 car for the next five years, the Vantage GT3 is developed so there are no expensive yearly upgrades with the power of the V12 engine being unlocked when required through Balance of Performance.
The Aston Martin Vantage GT4 is the most popular GT4 car in the world. Nearly 100 cars have been made and are competing in race series across the globe. Like the Vantage GT3 and Vantage GTE, the car’s foundation is the acclaimed Vantage road car and it carries over the
same chassis, V8 powertrain and drive train, including the semi automatic sports shift system. The springs and dampers are upgraded to racing specification with stiffened front and rear anti-roll bars and the option for rose-jointed wishbones.
The Aston Martin Vantage GT4 is the most popular GT4 car in the world. In the centenary year of Aston Martin, one customer can take delivery of the 100th Vantage GT4 chassis: GT4-100 and at the same time receive a number of complimentary benefits. Like the Vantage GT3 and Vantage
GTE, the car’s foundation is the acclaimed Vantage road car and it carries over the same chassis, V8 powertrain and drive train, including the semi automatic sports shift system. The springs and dampers are upgraded to racing specification with stiffened front and rear anti-roll bars.
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TEAMS Since the rebirth of Aston Martin Racing, Aston has developed their own factory team, which the drivers represent Aston Martin. From this, spawned the beginning other two other classes of teams; Partner Teams and Customer Teams. The Partner Teams are typically experienced, battle hardened racing teams, using Aston Martins as their cars. The teams are internationally successful, and perform fantastic feats, and win multiple titles the world over. The Customer Teams are newly founded teams, working their way into the world of motor sport. Buidling their experience to enter into the partner team category.
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LE MANS RESULTS
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2011
2013
Number 007 car, 373 laps, finished 4th overall and 4th in class. Number 008 car, 342 laps, finished 13th overall and 11th in class. Number 009 car, did not finish, 252 laps, finished 40th overall, and 16th in class. The number 007 car won the le Mans series overall, and the number 009 finished fourth.
Number 007 car, 365 laps, finished 6th overall and 5th in class. Number 008 car, did not finish, 302 laps, finished 33rd overall, and 11th in class. Number 009 car, did not finish, 368 laps, finished 30th overall and 8th in class.
Number 007 car, did not finish, 2 laps, finished 55th overall, last but one in race and in class, only beating. Number 009 car, did not finish, 0 laps, finished 56th, last overall and in class.
Number 97 car 314 laps, finished 17th overall, 3rd in class. Number 96 car, 301 laps, finished 30th, 6th in class. Number 99 car, did not finish, 248 laps, finished 44th, 11th in class. Number 98 car, did not finish, 221 laps, finished 47th, 12th in class. Number 95 car, did not finish, 2 laps, finished 55th, last in class (driver Allan Simonsen killed)
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