Aston Martin Racing will continue to run five Gulf-liveried Vantage GTEs as the FIA World Endurance Championship returns with the Six Hours of Sao-Paulo, Brazil on September 1.
The Banbury-based squad will be hoping for flawless performances as it heads to the five ‘fly-away’ rounds of the WEC, aiming for the top step of the podium with its three GTE Pro cars and two GTE Am cars.
Leading the Pro class charge will be the #97 of long-standing AMR drivers Darren Turner and Stefan Mucke, who took third at the 24 Hours of Le Mans after leading in to the final hour. Paul Dalla Lana and Pedro Lamy will pilot the #98 car alongside Richie Stanaway, who drove at the Six Hours of Spa for the Aston Martin team.
Bruno Senna will be behind of the wheel of the #99 Vantage GTE at his home event, partnered by his Le Mans team-mate Rob Bell. The pair drove to a second place finish at Spa and led the 24 Hours of Le Mans for several hours.
The Am class entries will see the all-Danish team on track, following the tragic loss of Allan Simonsen at Le Mans. Nicki Thiim will join the team, driving alongside Christoffer Nygaard and Kristian Poulsen.
Finally, Jamie Campbell-Walter, Stuart Hall and Roald Goethe will take a break at Sao Paulo due to other commitments.
“Last year, our car was very strong at Sao Paulo,” explains team principle John Gaw. “We travel back there this year with five strong driver line-ups, a more experienced crew and an improved Vantage GTE.
“We were really strong in the second half of last year and we have built on this in 2013. We won both classes at Silverstone and came second in both at Spa. Le Mans was a terrible blow for the team, and indeed for the whole sports car racing family, and the race result itself paled into insignificance beside the tragic loss of Allan Simonsen.
“However, our cars ran competitively, leading the GTE field for long periods of the race. Knowing how close we came to victory at Le Mans, we go to Sao Paulo with increased focus, great energy and real tenacity and with the aim of re-creating the momentum that served us so well in 2012 and enabled us to fight for the World Championship, which is again our aim in in 2013.”
