Aston Martin just revealed their driver line up and racing schedule for their centenary year. Four upgraded V8 Vantage GTEs will be entered to race in the full World Endurance Championship, which includes the Le Mans 24 Hours.
And they aim to beat Porsche, for the win.
Two Vantages will be entered in the Pro category of the WEC and two in the Am. The Pro cars are numbers 97 and 99. The line up is:
97 - 2013 V8 Vantage GTE - Gulf livery - Drivers: Darren Turner, Stefan Mücke and Peter Dumbreck
99 - 2013 V8 Vantage GTE - Gulf livery - Drivers: Bruno Senna, Frédéric Makowiecki and Rob Bell
The Am car line up is:
95 - 2012 V8 Vantage GTE - Drivers: Allan Simonsen, Christoffer Nygard and Kristian Poulsen
96 - 2012 V8 Vantage GTE - Drivers: Roald Goethe, Stuart Hall and Jamie Campbell-Walter
Dave Richards, Chairman of Aston Martin, said: “There is a real sense of anticipation in the Aston Martin Racing team this year and a belief that it is once again our time to return to the top step of the podium at Le Mans. It would be a fitting way for Aston Martin, which has such a rich heritage in motorsport and particularly at Le Mans, to cap its centenary year.”
John Gaw, MD of Aston Martin Racing, said: “Overall, around 30 per cent of all components on the 2013-specification Pro cars are new, which makes for a significant improvement. We looked at specific areas where we could take weight out of the car and redistribute it to a better location. We have also revised the suspension, which has not only improved the handling but, when combined with the new fly-by wire throttle allowed under this year’s regulations, makes the car easier to drive. Our aim is to win at Le Mans"
You can see the team in action at the Six Hours of Silverstone on 14th April. This year's Le Mans is already looking like a classic. Audi and Toyota are back for their tussle in LMP1, and GTE looks set to be fascinating - and loud. Well, someone's got to make some noise. The LMP hybrids don't.
